What is a Photo ID System?

  • September 11th, 2015

Here at ID Edge we’ve helped thousands of clients over the last 30 years to find the best solutions for their security ID needs. If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years it’s that no two clients have the same requirements when it comes to creating a comprehensive photo ID security system. This is because every facility is unique in its own way and has different sets of priorities. To better understand the diverse ways that a photo ID system can be used, let’s evaluate the needs of a hypothetical ski resort: Amazing Slopes.

photo id system

How will the ID Cards be used?

Having worked with many ski resort operators, we’ve learned that a typical resort faces many challenges when it comes to ID systems. Some of these include:

  • Proper Access: The first challenge for a ski resort is ensuring that only authorized patrons, who have paid for lift tickets and accommodations, have access. A proper ID card can function to selectively control access to all resort property and can double as a visual recognition tool to make security checks fast and simple.
  • Fraud Prevention: A quality ID card with the patron’s photo will prevent a season pass holder from sharing a non-transferable pass with friends or family.
  • Identification by Personnel: Inevitably, there will be times when staff must quickly identify an injured or an unconscious patron. In such situations, paper documentation can create significant frustration and time delays. Quality ID cards can greatly reduce this problem, provide fast access to valuable information, and allow the resort personnel to focus on helping the patron.
  • Missed Revenue Opportunities: Many resorts don’t realize how much potential revenue they’re losing because patrons forget to carry a method of payment while on premises. ID Edge clients have benefited significantly by attaching the patrons’ credit card information to the ID cards. Because of the high fixed costs associated with maintaining a ski resort, even a small increase in on-site sales due to this simplified payment method can significantly boost operating profit margins.
  • Marketing/Operations Efficiency: ID Edge has helped many ski resorts boost profitability and increase efficiency through intelligent data gathering from ID cards. For example, a resort can track how often each patron visits, how many lifts each skier uses, and the value of on-site purchases for each patron. This allows unprecedented granularity into patron behavior, which enables a ski resort to segment marketing efforts for different types of skiers and to increase visits from patrons who are likely to spend the most while on premises. The increased profit potential here is huge.
  • Branding: Finally, another often-overlooked aspect of ID cards is that they allow the resort the perfect opportunity to reiterate the branding message to the consumer. High quality cards that prominently feature the resort logo and make the patron experience seamless and make a lasting impression on patrons who will associate the resort with fun and relaxation (rather than long lines and frustration).

So for a ski resort like Amazing Slopes, the first step toward an effective photo ID card system is to decide what features are the most important. One of the most effective ways to do this is to speak to an ID Edge specialist who can help you create the fastest implementation plan and assist you with selecting the best ID card printer.

Choosing the Right ID Card Printer

Once you’ve narrowed down the security and identification needs of your facility, you can move to the next step; figuring out what types of ID cards you will need to print and what type of printer to integrate.

For example, many resorts that have used ID Edge printer systems have chosen to get smaller, portable printers that can be placed at the check-in counter. The Zebra ZXP 3 printer is a great example of one such device. It’s lightweight, easily fits on the counter, can handle high volume and can quickly print customized ID cards for ski resort patrons at the touch of a button.

Further, it can even be set up with a magnetic encoding option, so that the photo ID card doubles as an identification badge and an access card at the same time. Or, if the resort already has barcode readers, the Zebra ZXP 3 can be easily set up to print unique bar codes on the card, instead of encoding the patron’s information magnetically.

Reducing Lines

When considering the best ID card printer, another important aspect for ski resorts like Amazing Slopes is the wait time for patrons to use amenities like the ski lift. Many resorts still rely on paper tickets with bar codes and match the names on the tickets to the individual’s driver’s license. This can significantly slow down the process.

By using a printer that combines encoded information (via magnetic strip or bar code) with the patron’s printed photo, the lines can move much faster.

Increasing Security

Another excellent aspect of a custom photo ID card is that the photo of each patron is recent. By taking the picture of the patron during check-in, you are sure to have a valid current image of the individual, rather than the possibly outdated photo on the driver’s license.

All of the printers we offer here at ID Edge have excellent print quality that will be easy for employees to see, to help the lines move quickly, ensure proper access, and most importantly, keep the facility safe.

Take the Next Step

For any facility or resort that is interested in creating a secure ID photo system that improves efficiency and increases security, we recommend getting in touch with us for a free consultation. Our experienced team will take the time to understand your facility’s needs and will devise a photo ID solution that is both efficient and economical.

Questions? Get in touch. Call us at (800) 798-3343, use live-chat or fill out the form below

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