Published on August 17th, 2020 | by Sunit Nandi

Four Different Ways a Smart Card System Can Benefit Your Business

Smart cards are typically the size of a driver’s licence but carry an immense amount of data for identification, authorisation, access control and application processing. Organisations across the world use them as they’re incredibly useful for monitoring employee engagement and performance. Next time you’re travelling to work, just look at the business people around you and see how many of them wear a lanyard around their neck with a smart card attached.

If you’re still not convinced, then read on. We’ve written this article to highlight just how much smart card system deployment can benefit all types of businesses.

Image source: Pixabay.com

1. Improved Security

Security is a massive part of running a business. Not only is it your duty to protect your employees, but your customers as well. Smart cards help you to do that. They carry data for identification and authorisation, so access to the business premises is limited. This prevents things like theft or physical threat from occurring. They’re vital for healthcare organisations and patient protection. Smart cards also allow you to identify who accessed the premises and at what time, making it easier to catch culprits if they work within your organisation. Smart cards can be used for cashless vending too, so stolen or lost money isn’t a problem anymore.

2. Increase Efficiency

Smart card systems can speed up the pace at which activities are completed within the workplace. They quickly provide two-factor authentication, so employees can get working as soon as possible. They can also be integrated into printing systems (which are notoriously finicky) by storing data on print requests and how many print credits that person has. Printer usage monitoring is especially useful in colleges and universities, and can save those establishments thousands of pounds a year in print costs – ink, paper, printer maintenance etc.

For ticketed events or business premises which are only accessible to members or employees, they’re incredibly helpful. Smart card readers can be placed at the entrance of the facility, so authorised persons are able to just tap their card to gain authorised access.

3. Monitoring Employees

Your business is nothing without its employees, so it’s important to ensure everyone is working to their full potential. Smart card systems can help you see who is working that day and where they are, so you can keep track of their movements. In so doing you will be able to monitor their efficiency and use of resources. You can also monitor when employees are clocking in and out of work, highlighting if any employee is consistently late.

Additionally, you will be able to monitor break times and finishing times, seeing if any employee is extending their breaks or leaving before their scheduled time. This means you can intervene when standards are slipping.

4. Adaptable

Smart cards can be used for more than just security purposes. Depending on your organisation, you can integrate them in different ways. For example, retailers often use smart cards as advantage cards or gift cards. Meanwhile, libraries use them to track when members are taking out and returning books. Brainstorm some ideas on how you could use a smart card system in your own organisation, and you’re bound to come up with something innovative and useful to the organisation.

These are the main ways a smart card system can benefit a business. However, there are myriad ways in which your business can benefit from the introduction of a smart card system. Investigate for yourself the advantages of integrating such a system into your workplace today.

Tags: benefit, smart card, smart card reader, system

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.