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Why Skimsafe Cases are the Perfect Case

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These days it seems almost everything you carry with you is connected to your identity in a fundamental way. While this can be convenient, it can also put you at risk for hackers who would love nothing more than to get your information and use it for their purposes.

Modern credit cards, driver’s licenses, work IDs, and even passports all contain chips that broadcast information about your identity and anyone with a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader can access this information, whether you want them to or not. To combat this, you need a case with RFID-blocking technology.

Protect Your Sensitive Information

SkimSAFE RFID-shielded cases provide the protection you need to keep your sensitive information from would-be hackers. All cases feature GSA-approved RFID blocking technology. This technology renders you completely invisible to RFID hackers. With a SkimSAFE case, you get the ultimate protection in an easy to use package. 

Walk Safely, Sleep Soundly

The physical and electromagnetic protection offered by an RFID-blocking card holder allows you to walk the streets at ease, even when you’re carrying around sensitive information. Made with thin but durable materials, you simply slide your card into the case and your information is instantly protected. In addition, these cases are a snug fit, so you don’t have to worry about anything sliding out. You simply can’t put a price tag on peace of mind.

Something for Every Industry

A SkimSAFE case can help you no matter what industry you’re in or what kind of information you need to protect. Credit cards, passports, public or private sector ID cards can all benefit from the RFID shielding offered by these cases. 

Hassle Free Identity Protection

ID card sleeves come in a variety of styles and colours to fit specific uniform or project needs. These sleeves are opaque and come in single or dual-card models. Using them is easy, simply slide your ID card into the case, lock it into place, and slide it slightly downward when you need to transmit information.

Payment Card and Passport Sleeves

SkimSAFE passport and payment card sleeves are simple and functional, just slide your passport or card into the holder and you’re protected. The ultra-thin sleeve easily fits into your wallet or purse.

Avon Security Products offers a wide selection of SkimSAFE RFID-shielded sleeves for ID cards, passports, and payment cards. You can browse our selection online today, or contact us with any questions.

Why Customer Loyalty Cards Work

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Today, many retailers have adopted loyalty programs as a means of differentiating themselves from their competitors. Loyalty cards work because they are an easy, inexpensive way to keep customers coming back, week after week.

Rewarding Customers

From grocers to electronic retailers to big box stores, retailers opt to offer their customers loyalty cards which give back anywhere from 1 to 2 percent of their total purchase.

Typically, the rewards to customer come in two forms. Customers either receive benefits such as money back, or they receive tailored coupons, coupons which fit their shopping patterns. These tailor-made coupons and their benefits to individual shoppers build over time. As a customer shops more with the retailer, the retailer begins to understand the customer’s shopping habits, rewarding them with coupons better fitting the customer’s needs.

Customer loyalty cards, which offer these tailor-made coupons often work better than those which simply offer a small percentage of cash back, because coupons ensure the customer will keep shopping within the store. The more a consumer spends in the store, the more information the store can collect regarding consumer shopping habits. This, in turn, allows the store to provide customers with more relevant rewards. The more relevant the coupons, the more likely it is the customer will return.

Increased Dollar Spent

Often, the better the rewards, the more a customer spends inside the store. Loyalty cards are an inexpensive way to put a rewards program in place and gives store owners a chance to reap the money benefits too.

Another way to get the most out of customer loyalty cards is to create a tiered system. The more a shopper uses the card, the better their rewards. With some retailers, this may mean high dollar coupons, or it might mean rewards such as discounts on flights, spas, restaurants and more. In this way, tiered systems can motivate customers to increase their spending to help them reach the next rewards level.

Manufacturers Buy-In

Manufacturers tend to invest significantly in retailer promotions, and targeted coupons/points programs via customer loyalty cards are a great way retailers can get manufacturers to help fund promotional ideas. A rewards program basically encourages customers to purchase specific brands.  

Overall, customer loyalty cards are a simple, effective way to inspire customer loyalty while increasing profits. They benefit the customer and the retailer. It’s a win-win! This simple tool will keep customers coming back week after week to save money or achieve tiered rewards. 

Ready to shop for your own ID card maker, or have more questions on customer loyalty cards? Contact us at Avon Security Products today!

Five Ways to Clean a Printhead

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Cleaning a printhead is a necessary process for anyone in business. Without a clean printhead, your images will end up in poor quality and your printing process will be slower. If you go too long without cleaning, you could also end up with an ink blockage inside your printer. Fortunately, there are several ways to clean a printhead that don’t require outside service or expensive specialized equipment.

Use the Built-in Cleaning Program

Every printer that interfaces with a modern operating system can make use of the operating system’s diagnostic function. Some printers have a built-in cleaning program that only require you to follow a few simple instructions to auto-clean your printhead. Often, you’ll have to choose which ink reservoir you want cleaned, but this method is easy to do and it works. By far, this is the best way to clean a printhead as other processes can use harsh chemical mixtures, too much pressure or end up causing you to improperly remove and re-install your printhead.

Vacuum

Typically, a vacuum can tend to the issue of removing excess ink from a printhead. However, keep in mind this can be an easy way to cause damage to the inside of your printer. Use caution when removing the head from your printer and follow your instruction manual. Determine if your printer has a “curtains regulator”, if so use this regulator, otherwise the level of suction may be too great.

You might also find that using something to keep some space between the vacuum hose and your printhead will partially diffuse the suction, so you’re less likely to cause damage to the head itself. As a precaution, only use the vacuum force for a few seconds at a time.

Screw Driver

In cases where there’s large amounts of ink stuck on the printer head, you may want to employ a screw driver. What’s important to realize here is that the screwdriver isn’t a chisel, nor is the intention to chisel away the ink as if you’re carving a statue.

In order to remove the excess ink, you want to pull the screwdriver across the head instead of pushing it. A main advantage to using a screwdriver is that it gives the ability to get into crevices carefully. You can also address several areas at once and when you notice that you’re ink is black again, this signals the area is clear and that your printhead is good to go again.

Soak

Soaking your printhead is a way to very gently remove any dirt and stuck on bits of ink that may be clinging to the head. You can start off by placing your printhead in a bowl of warm water overnight, then wiping off the heads in the morning. If this does not work, you can use something stronger, such as isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

Dab

Dabbing is a faster approach due to its directness, but it’s also gentler than many of the other manual methods. To start, take some rubbing alcohol or cologne and a cotton swab, then run this over the areas with build-up. You can usually tell how well the technique is working by the thickness of what you pull off.

                Have more questions, or looking to replace a printhead? Contact Avon Security Products today!

What to Look for When Choosing a Card Slot Punch

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A slot punch is a very simple contraption, yet choosing the right one can give you best possible results. Since card slot punches are used to punch holes in plastic cards, this makes them a great tool for creating ID badges. Currently, the market features multiple slot punch varieties. Before purchasing one, you’ll need to examine a few of characteristics that best suit your needs:

Handheld or Automatic


Generally, there are two types of card slot punches to choose from, handheld and automatic. Operated manually, a handheld slot punch tends to be less expensive and is suitable for processing a smaller number of ID cards. The user simply squeezes the arms of the punch together to create a hole in the card.

Automatic punches on the other hand are better suited to larger companies, where a greater number of cards need to be processed. These slot punches end up saving time and provide the convenience necessary, however they do cost more than manual options.

Edge Guide Availability


The next factor to examine is the availability of edge guides. The edge guide is used to make accurate measurements, and can be adjusted for both horizontal and vertical ID cards. The guide is used to make sure the card is always centered ideally. Having a manual slot punch that features edge guides assures all company ID cards are centred and professional in appearance. Keep in mind, most options on the market do feature edge guides, but there are some exceptions.

          Consider Alternatives

Apart from handheld and the automatic slot punches, there’s also a few additional specialized options that might appeal to the needs of certain businesses. A tabletop punch is one such example. Usually, this contraption comes with a metal body and is great for average volume card processing.

If you’re interested in this option, you’ll need to check the technical specs prior to buying. Most tabletop slot punches can work through cards up to 60 millimetres thick, but there could be some variances, depending on the brand.

The final variety is the heavy duty electric punch. This is a most effective option to choose for corporations that have extreme card volume. Typically, this punch comes with a foot switch for effortless operation, while processing many ID cards in a short period of time.

           What is it Made of?

Regardless of the punch variety you’re opting for, make sure it’s designed to last. The materials a slot punch is crafted from will have a big affect on durability and quality. The best slot punches out there are rugged and crafted from metals like stainless steel. These kinds of slot punches can last for decades without sustaining any damage.

Look out for plastic or flimsy components as these kind of slot punches might contribute to a lower price, but you’ll end up with low quality results, especially if you’re processing a larger number of thicker cards on a regular basis.

Purchase the right slot punch for your business today. Contact us at Avon Security Products.

What Kinds of Materials are Available for Photography Backdrops

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Photography backdrops often make or break a photo. Whether you need added texture, depth or color, your backdrop can enhance these features for you and make your pictures come to life. If you’re looking for the right backdrop, check out this top list of options and what each one can do for you:

Canvas

Canvas backdrops are hand painted and should not be folded, as they tend to wrinkle easily. These types of backdrops are usually mounted on poles and need to be rolled up for transportation. Canvas material is glare free and are normally used for nature scenes. Canvas can be more costly than other photography backdrops, but they will last for years to come.

Canvas

Canvas backdrops are hand painted and should not be folded, as they tend to wrinkle easily. These types of backdrops are usually mounted on poles and need to be rolled up for transportation. Canvas material is glare free and are normally used for nature scenes. Canvas can be more costly than other photography backdrops, but they will last for years to come.

Muslin

Muslin can either be a polyester cotton blend or pure woven cotton fabric. Unlike canvas, muslin does not wrinkle easily and if it does, they can be taken out with a bit of steam. Muslin can even be shoved into a bag after you use it, and it’s versatile enough to be used for a variety of different themes.

Seamless Paper

Seamless paper is usually Muslin’s biggest competitor, simply because this produces a virtually wrinkle-free backdrop. As seamless paper is stored in rolls, it can be bulkier than muslin, but should it get dirty, you can simply discard the sheet and pull down another. Seamless paper can be bought in a wide variety of colors, but greys an whites are the most popular choice. This is one of the easiest photography backdrops to use.

This type of cloth is translucent and is generally used for artistic effects. It is not meant to be used as an alternative to canvas or muslin, but rather to be incorporated with other types of backdrops. Using fantasy cloth as part of your backdrop allows you to become more creative with textures, designs and colors. fantasy cloth is also very affordable.

Vinyl

Thin, plastic vinyl is often used for parties, while the vinyl that photographers utilize are of much higher quality. Since it’s not made of paper or cloth, it is very easy to clean, which makes them the perfect backdrops for shoots involving children or animals.

Chroma Key

These backdrops are available in blue and green, and normally made from finely woven muslin. Chroma key is used for imposing an image onto your backdrop, and they can be found in large or smaller sizes, depending on what it’s being used for.

Velour, Velvet and Other Types of Backdrops

Velvet and velour are two fabrics that create a dark, rich backdrop and they do not reflect much light at all. Just like fantasy cloth, these types of materials create a very specific look.

Ready to select your photography backdrop? Contact us to learn more!

How to Select the Right School ID Cards

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              The importance of having a valid and durable identification card is wide-reaching. Whether you work in corporate, or you’re one of the many who need access to facilities within the education sector – acquiring a workable system to track and grant access is necessary. Here’s what to consider when selecting School ID cards:

How Often Will Cards be Used?

If the answer is frequent, then you might need a more durable, long-lasting material to ensure the longevity and efficiency of your identification system. Keep in mind that card stock easily bends and can tear without much provocation. The moment card stock hits moisture, the fibers of the paper begin to weaken and you are left with a limp ID and perhaps blurred print. On the other hand, bend resistant PVC ID cards maintain their form well, despite spills or unintentional mishaps. Investing in a higher-quality solution the first time can ensure there won’t be a need for costly reprinting.

Who Will be Using the Cards?

You should  always take care of your things, right? Of course, but life happens to the best of us. Students and faculty who take extreme care of their personal items still have to deal with the unknowns. From natural wear and tear to the weather and repeated use of standard ID materials – these factors can wreak havoc on any responsible teen or adults’ ID. Consider all these when deciding what kind of ID card material to choose.

How Versatile Does It Need to be?

For day-to-day time stamping, a swipe of your card just requires a flick of the wrist. However, when school ID cards are used for various activities like campus food programs, attending school sporting events or to reserve a seat in the computer lab, cards should be multi-functional. IDs that can be attached to lanyards, are seen clearly through weather-proof sleeves, and are readily on-hand (around the neck or clipped on).

What it’s Most Important Function?

A sense of security is invaluable. Providing clear pictures and incorporating graphics unique to the facility can be paramount to emergency situations. A duel-sided card that allows extra information be printed or encoded can give greater security and address safety issues. For less frequent usage, such as one-day visitor badges, a one-sided school ID card could suffice.

Implement a measurable and proven ID system for your facility today. Contact Avon Security Products for more! 

Top 7 Features of Photo ID Software

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Your photo ID software can be core for client satisfaction, keeping queues moving and incorporating company loyalty programs. Although, today’s ID printers and cameras can produce incredible resolutions, there’s still a need for your software to produce more than just outstanding picture clarity. When selecting an ideal photo ID software for your needs, look for these features:

Security

Identity theft is always a threat, so even if you’re printing something as simple as photo IDs, you may need applications with encryption technology. Encoding can be done through barcodes, smartcards, or magnetic stripes. If theft and other crimes are your chief concerns, you need access control systems that can handle biometric checks, which some ID printing programs offer. Canada’s ePassport technology has become the global standard, using tamper-proof electronic chips to maintain safety. ID software of this nature checks photographs against external databases.

Processing the Perfect Picture

Artificial intelligence has reached a point where images can be automatically corrected, cropped, and aligned by ID photo suites. Even if staff members aren’t specialized in photography, they can still create ICAO-compliant pictures with the help of this kind of AI. This is an important consideration if you’re processing thousands, rather than hundreds, of cards a year. For busy resort businesses, you’ll need software to function quickly, so you might also require a barcode or smart card reader that integrates into your ID card software.

Your Brand

Your IDs are used by loyal clients, so they’re critical to your brand strength. For this reason, your photo ID software must give a range of attractive templates as well as good resolutions. An integrated program that manages your cardholder database, text formatting, and image importing would be more streamlined and economical to implement for business.

Human Resources Management

If your staff gains access through the same system as your clients, your photo ID software must integrate well with your human resources management needs. It should handle:

·         Payroll

·         Productivity

·         Time sheets

·        Security

·         Attendance tracking

Record Keeping

Without connectivity, your software can’t cross reference, import, or export information. Database management needs a refined strategy that functions well with the software and operating systems you use. Some software integrates with branded programs, and some broaden compatibility by integrating with programming languages and code instead. If you’re a new business, scalability is necessarily and the compatibility range of your ID software should grow with your resort.

Reservation Management and Vending

Your photo ID system can control the full gamut of your business, from parking to cashless vending. The latter lets you track your customer lifetime value, client behaviour, and spending habits. This way, you can reward frequent spenders and develop a more effective marketing campaign based on demographic information that most companies pay a fortune for.

Human Error

Staff who are working with thousands of passes a year are prone to error, but photo ID software can minimize this by automating signature capture and other processes.

Badging software acts as the brain of your ID management system, and it can become as sophisticated as you need it to be. It should fit your business needs both today and in the mid to long term future. Resort growth is inevitable, and with it comes increasingly demanding needs. It’s far more economical to choose the perfect system for your five-year projections than to replace a poorly chosen one later. Keep your eyes on your company’s goals, and you’ll find it easier to choose a system that suits you.

Contact us at Avon Security Products to purchase the Photo ID Software you need today!

Why Police ID Cards are so Important

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Sometimes travelling a lot for business can lead to complications. The most unpleasant ones are linked to luggage mix ups. Missing your bags or having your luggage damaged can ruin the entire experience and make it impossible for you to take care of business.

Here’s a few more reasons high-quality police ID cards are a necessity:

Rapid Identification

Often, in troubled situations, calling the police is an instantaneous need. Being able to call and have them simply arrive to help is crucial to reducing the likelihood of losing a life and or damage to property. There’s also the emergency scenario of individuals being let into a building pretending to be police officers. For these reasons, police ID cards allow for rapid and secure identification of people who are indeed law enforcement officers. When adrenaline is flowing and danger is present, the last thing anyone wants to do is call the station to verify identity.

Virtual Elimination of Falsehood

Over the years, there’s been many cases of criminal activity that involve impersonating a police officer. With police ID cards, law enforcement teams can make this a lot harder to do. Since a lot of police badges look similar, replicating them is easier to do. However, when each department creates its own unique ID card design, this significantly lowers the likelihood of offenders being able to precisely replicate police identification.

Police ID Cards can be Highly Customized

From holographic overlay and magnetic strips to watermarks and RFID chips, police ID cards can be highly customized for particular security tasks. Sometimes circumstances call for a specialized group of officers to arrive on scene, or for a pre-selected team of “officers in training” to respond. In these cases, police ID cards make it a lot easier to ensure the right people are onsite and ready to assist. Keep in mind that when people need to verify the legitimacy of a police officer, they typically think of asking them to “show me your badge”. However, many people don’t realize how easy it is to get a hold of a generic police badge online, and most individuals would never know the difference between a real badge and one shown with false intent.

With police ID cards, officers ensure their identity with photo identification proof and department information on the back of the card. At Avon Security Products, we work with all kinds of organizations, and provide many ID card options. Contact us today to select the type of police ID cards you need for your department.

Why Get Custom Luggage Tags

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Sometimes travelling a lot for business can lead to complications. The most unpleasant ones are linked to luggage mix ups. Missing your bags or having your luggage damaged can ruin the entire experience and make it impossible for you to take care of business.

The good news is, custom luggage tags are a viable solution to avoiding some of the most common issues travellers have to deal with. Here’s why:

Effortless Luggage Identification

   When you use custom luggage tags, it makes it ideal for quick and easy bag identification. This is particularly helpful for people who have standard suitcases (black colour, standard size). Custom luggage tags come in an array of different colors, and usually can be spotted from afar.  

Ideal for Group Travel

  Whether travelling with colleagues, or you’ve organized a trip for clients, providing a custom tag for each member demonstrates attention to detail and excellent customer service. This wonderful accessory can also be branded for increasing company recognition. Custom luggage tags are great for identifying which luggage bag belongs to which group member, and can help speed things up if you’re travelling on a fully-booked flight.

Easier Luggage Retrieval

Airplane companies do make mistakes when transporting luggage. Every frequent traveller can confirm that bags indeed, get lost or misdirected at the airport. In 2015, there were 23.1 million mishandled bags, the SITA statistics suggests. This means that roughly 7 out of 1000 bags were either misdirected or mistreated. If your bags go missing, the average timeframe passengers have to wait for retrieval is two days. This period of stress can be reduced by using custom luggage tags. Not only do these tags draw attention, but they provide the information needed for airport officials to quickly identify a misplaced bag.

Aesthetic Benefits

A final advantage worth mentioning is the aesthetic appeal of a custom luggage tag. The addition of a colourful or branded accessory to your suitcase helps you travel in style. It can also serve as a conversation starter or make a great gift idea for coworkers, business partners or clients.

Something as simple as a small, plastic custom tag can increase travel efficiency and safety. Plus, they’re fun and generally inexpensive. Contact us to purchase your custom luggage tags today!

Which Printer Ribbon Should You Use

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Now that you have an ID printer in the office, finding all sorts of applications is easy. Along with ID cards for your employees, you also use the templates to create cards for marketing campaigns to be used at trade shows, and several other projects. That means going through quite a few ribbons over the course of the year. Here are some tips to finding the perfect printer ribbon.

 

Compatibility

Not all ribbons are compatible with every ID printer. The first thing to do is determine which ribbons are compatible with your equipment. Along with your original printer ribbon, you may find some third-party brands work well too. Depending on the quality and pricing offered by these brands, you can make your selections from there.

 

What About Colour Needs?

Do your projects mainly call for black lettering and other elements on each card? If so, then a monochrome printer ribbon will work nicely. However, if you’re someone who uses multiple colours for various assignments and tasks, you may want to consider a YMCK ribbon.

This type of printer ribbon allows you to utilize the four main colours needed to produce any hue you like. These colours include yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Combined, it’s possible to come up with high-quality images if you prefer ID cards with a photograph. This also makes it easier to create discount cards sporting your company colours, which come in handy at trade shows, conferences and other networking events.

 

A Ribbon That Adds an Overlay

An overlay is simply a protective layer placed on the top of your cards as they’re printed. Overlays eliminate the need to laminate your cards, and results include cards that resist more wear and tear and last a lot longer.

Overlays also make it more difficult to tamper with the information printed on the card surface. From a security perspective, it does make sense to go with this feature if you’re printing identification cards that allow entrance to a secure area. When it comes to your printer ribbon, it’s possible to purchase one that has a built-in overlay. Double check your printer to make sure an overlay or YMCKO ribbon will work with it. If you’ve been thinking about adding protective coating to your cards, this is an extra touch that will pay off in the long run.

 

The Print Capacity

Always find out how many cards can be printed from a single printer ribbon before making a purchase. While the exact number will vary based on number of colours used per card, it still pays to focus on options that provide the greatest production volume.

Perhaps the ribbon offered by the printer manufacturer is the best bargain, even though the cost per unit is higher. That’s because the printer ribbon is capable of producing a few hundred more cards before it needs to be changed. You’ll lose money and likely quality if an alternative brand only lasts half as long as the recommended brand. Choosing your printer ribbon wisely will ensure your cards look great each time. Go with a ribbon that meets all your needs, works with your printer well and produces the most benefits for least cost. Once you figure out which printer ribbon works best, you won’t need to research options again for a while. Contact us to purchase the right one today.