As the 2012-2013 school year starts winding down, it is a good time to plan for your 2013-2014 ID badges.

If you are planning to install a new photo ID system, make your decisions early so that you will have time to get trained and ready to go before the new school year begins.

It is also always better to have your supplies – such as printer ribbon, cards, clips, and lanyards – well ahead of the time you need to make badges to avoid the stress of checking inventory and having to choose expedited shipping to get your supplies in time.

Now is a great time to order lanyards customized with your school name or logo. We are running a free set-up special that runs until the end of August that allows you to save up to $240!

As always, contact an ID Professional at (800) 321-4405  if you have any questions or need help placing your order.

Written by Thomas Yemne on April 2nd, 2013 | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

QR codes (quick response) are two dimensional unique barcodes that hold information and data. They are becoming very popular because of the flexibility, ease of use, and endless possibilities. Once scanned, QR codes can be used to provide you with contact information, an email, a URL, or information about a business or place.

Many companies are also using them for Wi-Fi access and marketing purposes for their customers. Currently, Jolly Technologies is the only ID card creation software on the market that can print QR codes onto your ID cards. The rest of the pack is quickly following, so expect new releases to Asure ID and other ID software titles soon!

There are many smart phone apps available to read QR codes. By putting a QR code on a photo ID, you will be able to instantaneously retrieve data from that ID. This revolutionizes time and attendance, security, access control, and membership data. To discuss implementing a QR code into your ID card program, contact us at (800)321-4405 x2!

Written by Beth Wenisch on March 18th, 2013 | Tags: Barcode, QR Codes | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

Welcome to 2013!

Take a minute and think of how 2012 went with your identification card printing system. How did it go? Did you run into any issues that you’d like to address in 2013? As you look ahead to the new year, what would you like to change to make issuing your ID badges more efficient?

Whether it’s changing the design of your badge or implementing a card printing system at each of your locations, we can help! Call the pros that know photo ID at (800)321-4405 x2 and let us help you!

Written by Beth Wenisch on January 18th, 2013 | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

Many employee ID badges are able to serve more than one purpose, such as identification and door access. Below are a few elements found in more advanced ID badges and the required equipment and supplies.

Over-the-edge card design: A custom-designed ID badge is an extension of your brand. Plus, more intricate designs are more difficult to fraudulently replicate. If you want your card design to go “over-the-edge,” you’ll need a retransfer printer.

Signature: A signature pad allows you to electronically capture a signature for placement within the card design.

Technology cards: There are many types of technology cards, such as contact smart cards, that can store cardholder information for use in other systems. A printer with encoding capabilies is required to send data to a technology card.

Lamination: Laminating printers apply a thin film to the card with heat and pressure during the printing process to protect against abrasion and wear. Laminated cards are more durable and last longer than non-laminated cards.Using a holographic laminate also increases card security.

This information (and more) is also available on our downloadable Anatomy of an Advanced Photo ID Badge infographic! As always, if you have any questions about your ID badge, you can also call our ID Professionals at (800) 321-4405.

Written by Kate Curtis on November 5th, 2012 | Tags: Lamination, Retransfer, Signature Capture | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

As I am writing this blog post, Hurricane Sandy is about 12 hours from landfall. All of us at ID Wholesaler send our thoughts to those affected by the storm.

While those “hunkering down” may not be thinking about ID badge printing supplies at the moment,  ID programs will need to get back up and functional after the storm passes. If you need supplies or a replacement printer, we will try our best to process and ship your order within 2 business days (when items are in stock). However, it’s almost a certainty that UPS shipments will be disrupted so plan accordingly. Next day air shipments are going to take priority over standard UPS ground shipments.

Remember the old adage: prior planning prevents poor performance. If your card program is indispensable, always keep a stock of ribbons, cards, and accessories to guarantee that you will be able to provide cards on demand, uninterrupted, when needed.

As always, we are here to help! If you have any questions, please call an ID Professional at (800) 321-4405.

Written by Arick Swayne on October 29th, 2012 | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

Technology has certainly simplified our lives, but it has also created a new dependency and we need to now prepare for the inevitable…anything technology-related is going to wear out or stop working at some point. It does not matter how much money you spent on your card printer 3 years ago, as the saying goes, nothing lasts forever. The question is, will you be prepared when your card printer begins to wear out?

ID Wholesaler understands this which is why we offer a wide variety of extended warranty & support plans. All of the card printers we offer will come with a standard manufacturer warranty which typically covers parts & labor for 1-2 or sometimes even 3 years. We offer the option to extend that coverage for up to 5 years, with or without loaner printer coverage. Loaner printer coverage means that we’ll send you a printer to use while yours is in for repair. If you cannot be without your card printer, extending the warranty and adding printer loaner coverage is highly recommended. With parts ranging in price from $40-$900 + labor, the cost of 1 repair could have covered you for an entire year!

If you did not purchase your printer through ID Wholesaler, you can still purchase warranty coverage through us. In addition to extended warranty and loaner coverage you may also purchase support/training in 1 hour increments. You’ll be your in-house card printing expert in no time!

Partnering with ID Wholesaler will take the stress and worry out of your ID card production. Call an ID Professional today to discuss your unique needs at (800)321-4405 x2.

Written by Amy Sanders on October 25th, 2012 | Tags: Extended Warranties, Loaner Coverage | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

Many customers I speak with don’t remember the exact part number of the supplies they order for their ID card printers. If you’re one of those people…it’s okay! Not only can you call your ID Wholesaler Representative, you can also use the Easy Reorder function on our website!

With just a click of your mouse, you can log-in to your account online and see all of your past orders, item numbers and how many of each item you ordered last time! Once you’re logged in, just click on “My Account” and you’ll see the Easy Reorder button. Click the link and a list of your orders will show up. Make quick modifications to the items or quantity you want to order and quickly place your order online. As always, if you have questions, give one of our ID Professionals a call at (800) 321-4405 x2. We are here to help!

Written by Beth Wenisch on October 18th, 2012 | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

ID Wholesaler’s in-house tech support team is here to ensure your ID equipment is always in excellent working condition. Whether you purchased your equipment from ID Wholesaler or not, our factory-trained technicians can help!

Unlike virtually all of our competitors, we employ our own technicians. Ask other ID product suppliers if they service their products. Odds are they don’t. There are many benefits of an in-house tech support team, including:

• Only one phone number to call. There’s no need to track down the manufacturer’s contact information. There’s just one number for you to know: (800) 321-4405 x5.
• Fast, efficient service. Many other retailers send equipment to the manufacturer for repair, resulting in a longer wait time. Oftentimes, we are able to service your equipment on the same day we receive it!
• Wide knowledge base. When you call tech support, we won’t read from a script or scramble to look up your product specifications. Our team knows photo ID and has experience working with all of the top ID brands.

Our friendly team of ID card printer and software experts are standing by to help you with anything related to your card printing program – whether you simply have a question, need training, or require an ID card printer repair. Reach our team at (800) 321-4405 x5 during the hours of 7:45am–4:30pm CT, Monday–Friday.

Written by Kate Curtis on October 16th, 2012 | Category: Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment

Are you ready to save money by printing your own ID cards? Here is a brief rundown of what you will need, besides a 
computer or laptop, to start printing your own ID cards.

ID Card Printer

There are a wide variety of ID card printers that will suit a variety of needs from basic single-sided printing, printers that also encode magnetic stripes, printers that add a layer of laminate over the top of your card, and more. What you’ll be printing on your cards and how they’ll be used will help determine what features to look for in a card printer.

ID Card Software

You can print ID cards from most any application, including Word and PhotoShop. The benefit of using ID card software is that, in addition to card design features, you’ll be able to store cardholder data records. ID card software differs in a few basic ways:

• Card design – All card software includes card design software.
• Design and save your cards in a database – The next level of software includes database capabilities. This allows you to save individual cardholder records.
• Design, save and network – Higher-end ID card software adds the ability to manage your card database and print over a network.

Consumables

You’ll need a ribbon for your printer, PVC cards to print on, and a printer cleaning kit to keep your printer running smoothly.

Accessories

Have you thought about how your cards will be worn? There are a many options in how to display an ID badge, including lanyards, retractable badge reels, badge holders and badge clips.

Extended Service Plans

To ensure that your card printing program is never out of commission and to protect the investment you’ll make in a printer, consider service plans such as an extended warranty plan or a printer loaner plan.

Training

Taking an hour or two to learn about the set-up and use of your new printer and/or software can save you time in the long run. Reputable resellers in the ID card printer industry will be able to offer you training on both your card printer and your ID card software, on anything from basic set-up to helping you connect to an external database.

Technical support

As with all online shopping, the expertise and service of the company you choose to do business with is important—perhaps even more important when shopping for technology products that you may or may not be familiar with. When shopping for an ID card printing system, look for a reseller who will be able to answer your questions and help you with problems after you’ve purchased from them.

For answers to any questions you may have about getting started with your new ID card printing program, talk with our ID Professionals at (800) 321-4405 x2.

Written by Thomas Yemne on September 27th, 2012 | Category: Before You Buy, Helpful Tips & Support | Leave a comment