ID Card Printers – To Hire or To Buy?
Have you found yourself in the position where you have decided to introduce an ID card system to your business – but are unsure what the best course of action is?
Do your requirements mean you need to buy an ID card printer and have regular access to card printing, or would you benefit from paying a professional to print (and design) your cards and wait for them to arrive – or do you hire a printer to fulfil your needs for only the period you need?
You need to decide which of these options is best for you and your business, which means working out which option will be the most efficient, cost-effective, and practical.
Buying an ID card printer
There are many benefits to having your own ID card printer, for example, businesses with a high rate of visitors, contractors, or temporary and agency staff.
After the initial investment of buying the printer, you have constant access to instant card printing when your business needs it. You can design and create your own ID cards, complete with your company’s branding, and you can add any bespoke information you choose.
This is ideal for the high frequency of staff and guests, as well as the need for immediate card printing and issuance.
An ID printer is a unique piece of machinery that requires a level of understanding of maintenance and managing. Our IDAssist package is an aftercare service that, for a small fee, helps you manage your ID printer journey from set-up to cleaning and even in the unlikely event of issues or repairs.
Investing in an ID card printer and system offers much more than simply providing your staff with name badges. From a business point of view, an encoded ID card system helps with building security, staff data (medical, training records etc.) and clocking in times. This can provide rich data that can be utilised in your business, ensuring that you operate at maximum efficiency.
When you prove to your staff that you are serious about them and their wellbeing (such as their physical safety), you develop a positive attitude and greater staff morale.
When you own and operate your in-house ID card printer, you reduce the costs of producing cards, keeping your overheads down.
• Added staff data
• Improve security
• Manage timekeeping
• Cost per card is reduced
• Staff morale improvement
• Quick turnaround of card printing
Cons of buying an ID card printer
• Initial expense
• Staff training
• Storage space
• Maintenance required
Hiring an ID card printer
The ID card printer hires service is ideal for businesses that need a high volume of ID cards printed in a short space of time, such as a university during enrolment or an event or trade fair.
Choosing to hire an ID card printer is an ideal solution for businesses that only need printing done occasionally throughout the year. It is a more cost-effective solution for businesses that don’t want or need to invest in an ID printer for year-round usage.
Saving time and effort on maintenance, training and storage, hiring an ID card printer is the ideal option for those who just need a batch of cards doing in a short space of time.
Having an ID printer on site is ideal if you need to take a photograph ‘live’ for printing, i.e., during university enrolment when the picture is taken as the wearer receives their ID card.
Our hire service includes a minimum 7-day printer rental (from received date until return date), telephone and remote support Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm, cleaning cards and swabs, and return shipping, all packaged in our custom flight cases.
We have 3 different hire packages, depending on your business needs and the amount of cards you will need to be printing – to ensure that you don’t overspend and over-order. Our handy online package builder helps you choose which printer you need to hire, how many blank cards, which ribbons, and other options you need that will help your printing process.
We have a host of optional extras that you can choose from to ensure your hire package is bespoke to you and ensure that all your requirements are met.
Pros of hiring an ID card printer
• No major expensive outlay
• No ongoing maintenance
• Ideal for a small print runs
• No storage issues
• Quick access to cards
• Bespoke package for your needs
Cons of hiring an ID card printer
• Staff need training
• Cost per card can be more expensive
• Possible system integration issue
Call-off and Printing Service
If you have all the information required for your ID cards, you have the option of using our call-off service. Send us your designs and information, and our in-house experts will print the cards and send them back to you.
This service has a low minimum order quantity of just 50 cards – with the benefit that you don’t need to have all your cards at once. Simply pay the initial fee and let us know how many you want printed and delivered, and they will be delivered to your doorstep within 3-5 days. When you request the rest of the cards, you have already paid, so there are no surprise fees for postage.
No job is too big or too small for ID Card Centre’s in-house plastic card printing service, and we are capable of handling the intricate details, including high-security features. Whether you require a hologram, micro text or UV layers, or full encoding and chip serial number capture, we can meet your requirements.
We can even design your cards for you if you don’t have the time or software to create the perfect design that reflects your business and brand.
ID cards are, by their definition, unique to the person, and we can provide unique and bespoke designs to fit your business.
• Bespoke package tailored to your needs
• Saves you time
• Design service
• Professionally printing
• No need for staff training
• Cost effective
• Call-off service means you only receive the cards you need
• Fast turnaround in 3-5 days
Cons of ID card printing
• Not as immediate as in-house printing
• Preparation is required for all the card information to be sent
Crime prevention
We take ID cards very seriously and understand that our equipment runs the risk of being used for fraudulent purposes. As a supplier of ID card printers and printed ID cards, we understand our responsibility to prevent this ever-growing problem.
As a business, we are part of Project Genesius, an initiative which aims to help the Metropolitan Police combat forgery. Our commitment to the project is ensuring we only sell and hire printers and supplies to genuine companies and businesses, and therefore we may ask for evidence of such before we accept your order.
Consumables
Whether you hire or buy your ID card printer, you will need consumables to ensure your printer works to its fullest capacity. Printer ribbons, blank cards and cleaning kits are all essential components of owning an ID card printer.
As with all printers, consumables are a part of the process.
Cleaning your ID card printer is an essential part of owning a printer. Over time, dust and minuscule debris will settle inside the machine, affecting the overall print quality and potentially damaging the printheads. It is recommended that you maintain a robust cleaning system, using the correct cleaning package after each ribbon is finished, to extend the lifespan of your printer.
ID cards are at their best when they are practical, represent the person's brand, and have functionality. To truly get the benefits of an ID card, they need to be easily reachable, usable and visual. The addition of a lanyard or clip allows the ID card to be on full display, leaving the wearer’s hands-free for their daily tasks.
Badge reels are a classic solution for ID cards that allow the card to be moved freely for access control systems but are still safe for the person when not in use.
Badge holders offer a secondary layer of protection to the ID card that prevents scuffs and scratches from daily wear and tear.
