DCP 360+ unveiled

Digital Identification Solutions Group recently unveiled the upgraded version of the DCP360i, renamed as the DCP 360+.

The DCP 360+ is being called the most powerful and compact direct card printer in its class.

The new, modern-designed, double-sided, edge-to-edge EDIsecure® DCP 360+ Direct Card Printer was developed for industrial needs and is prepared for plug and play inline lamination. It is the most powerful desktop direct card printer in the world with its versatility and state-of-the-art features.

Product Highlights and Features

* Fastest full-color direct card printer in its class due to portrait mode printing
* High-speed printing of more than 180 full-color and up to 720 monochrome cards per hour
* Built-in LED panel for convenient set-up and operation
* Detachable card hopper for easy handling
* Powerful printer driver shows the printer status and makes it possible to change the parameters for printing from the PC
* Removable and reusable cleaning rollers
* Optional single- and simultaneous dual-side lamination with EDIsecure® ILM or ILM-DS to apply a range of EDIsecure® clear and secure laminates that extend card life and enhances security
* Optional lockable access to lamination supplies for higher security
* Optional field upgradeable encoder modules for magnetic stripe, contact and contactless smart card encoding
* Ideal for medium to high volume applications for corporations, government agencies, organizations, hospitals, health facilities, and universities, for photo IDs, access control, time and attendance, and loyalty cards

The following ribbons are available: YMCKO and YMCKOK ribbon as well as monochrome K (black) ribbon.

What makes the DCP360+ better than the DCP360i?

The major upgrade is the introduction of infrared capabilities for use with the new lamination (ILM) units. This will enable users the ability to utalise the DS and LS ILM units with the DCP360+ instead of the previous bulky ILM units of yore. Hooray for streamlining printing solutions!

We give Digital Identification Solutions a big thumbs up on this project!

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The Importance of Customer Service

Sometimes, doing business in South Africa can be very frustrating. Between power outages, phone lines going down, and waiting days for quotations, it is easy to give up on offering superiour customer service in the face of poor customer service. Some days it feels too hard to swim against the current.

Some days it is hard. But things that are important do not come easy.

The CardsPlus team endeavours to provide consistantly excellent customer service to clients. We know what you go through in a day's work and waiting 3 days for a quotation just isn't going to do. That's why we strive to give you all the information you need within just 24 hours of contacting us. Why waste time when you don't have time to waste?

We don't claim perfection but we do extend our best service 100% of the time.

Are you tired of waiting for your plastic cards? Call 086 16 CARDS (22737) and find out how we can help you today.

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Seize the holiday spirit today!

Christmas is on the way bringing hustle and bustle and lots of money to retail establishments! Families are preparing their holiday plans, purchasing gifts, and readying themselves for the most expensive time of the year for consumers. Are you ready to seize the moment?

People often express anxiety as to how to bless their friends and family over the holiday season, and you can make it easy to ensure their money is spent at your establishment.

Globally, companies have been grabbing the moment to cash-in on the holiday season. United States companies like Facebook and Amazon.com have formed partnerships to allow their clients the added bonus of giving gift cards to their friends and family.

In South Africa, gift cards are rapidly replacing paper gift certificates for their ease of use, fraud prevention and the added benefit of data collection.

Other benefits include:

* Frequent shopping and convenience - Cards can be reloaded, creating opportunities for repeat store visits.


* In-store credit - Instead of using paper credit vouchers or cash back, gift cards can be issued for merchandise returns and in-store credits.


* Advertising - A card in the customer’s wallet is a constant advertisement. We like to call it the 'mini-billboard'.


* Promotion - Plastic cards are great as a marketing tool! Gift cards can be treated as a new product line that you can broadcast to your customers and clients. The added option of utilising a cleverly designed hang-tag gives more promotional weight to your card system.

* Increase Sales-

• 61% of customers spend more than value of gift card
• 50% of the money on the card is spent at retail price than discount sale price
• 10-20% of a card’s value may never be redeemed
• Acquire cash upfront before delivering the product or service
• Money is turned into store credit
• Customer's cash kept in-store
• Gain new customers
• Encourages repeat business

Truth is, there is no better time to launch your Christmas Gift Card programme than today! CardsPlus has all the tools you will need from plastic cards printed in a jiffy to a manage-it-yourself gift card programme, RewardsPlus... all at a very reasonable cost!

Call us at 086 16 CARDS (22737) or if outside South Africa (+27) 11 894 3914 for more information about how CardsPlus can equip you with everything you need to Carpe the Christmas time Diem!

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What is at the Core?

When looking for something new, a new computer, a new car, or even a new pair of pants, I am always trying to figure out what it's made from.

Does this computer have dual core processing that will handle the work I need it to run?

Does this car have a sturdy engine that will give me many long happy years without malfunction?

Is this pair of pants made of material that will suit my lifestyle?

I always want to know what is at the core of the product I am purchasing. If it counts what's inside, I want to know about it.

Same is true for a plastic card supplier. We want to know what is at their core. What are they made out of?

So CardsPlus, What are you made out of?

At our core we are a plastic card solutions company. We facilitate the printing of cards or implementation of plastic card systems.

This means:

- We know our stuff. It's our core business! Want to know something about your plastic card application? We can help! Need software to print cards or to implement your cards in real life? We can help!

- We have really great quality. Because we have no 'plan B'- you can be assured that your cards are going to be manufactured with only the best materials and equipment. Cutting corners is cutting out our livelihood- and no one wants a cut up livelihood.

- We can give really good service. Without all the extra goodies to support and supply, we are able to ensure that you receive one on one attention and care. Plus, once the sale is closed and you are thrilled with the card system, we can provide you additional support and assistance.


But does this mean CardsPlus is a small little business?

Hardly! Being focused on our niche has helped us overcome the small business pitfalls and become South Africa's leading Short-Run plastic card manufacturer. With over 4.2 million cards printed in the last 8 months, CardsPlus is well equipped to handle your next order.

At our core, we are a plastic card solutions provider.

At our core, we are committed to serving you!

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Loyalty Programmes Helps Restaurants!

A recent report by B2C marketing Insider spilled the beans on new research that demonstrates that customer loyalty programmes are helping restaurants gain the competitive edge and weather the rough economy.

The study revealed that:

• Seventy-seven percent of respondents said loyalty programs helped drive business during the economic downturn.
• Nine out of 10 respondents said loyalty programs give them a competitive advantage (90 percent).
• Of those that currently operate a guest loyalty program, 84 percent plan to maintain or increase their program investment in 2010.

You can read the whole report here:

Are you reaping the rewards of loyalty yet?

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Help me help my client!

In today's market place, where businesses are slashing budgets and dissolving projects that once seemed very promising, we understand that our re-sellers have a tough job ahead of them.

Communication can be so difficult as a reseller with a manufacturer, can't it? They don't typically seem very interested in ensuring that you have what you need in order to keep your client's happy. Typically, they only seem interested in getting the job done.

Well, CardsPlus isn't the typical manufacturer.

We refuse 'good-enough' and 'oh well, maybe next time'. Instead we strive for excellence, especially in communications with our resellers.

We are continually working on establishing the ideal parameters for retailers- so that you always know what to expect and when to expect it.

It's not just our quick quoting processes, or speedy order processing that we utilise to ensure you have the tools to provide excellent service. There are digital documents available to all our resellers and clients with specialty tips and tricks to ensure your card order flows smoothly in the order process. We have dedicated account managers to ensure that you always know who to talk to when an issue arises.

If you are looking to partner with CardsPlus, we would love to have a chat with you! Schedule an appointment by calling: 086 16 CARDS (22737) or by email: moreinfoplease(at)cardsplus.co.za

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Biometrics and Access Control

Biometrics is seeing a rise in popularity internationally, and while it has its place in security management and access control, we have always believed that a layered security is the best security.

An interesting article by International Business Times dated 24 September 2010 outlines that biometrics is not as it appears on the big screen and in our favorite Sci-Fi thrillers. Promises have outpaced the actual technology and work needs to be done scientifically to improve the offering.

Biometric Systems Ruled Inherently Fallible offers a good insight to the potential pitfalls of relying completely on Biometrics to control access.

At CardsPlus, we support the layered security approach - coupling ID Cards with a biometric system for a stronger system.

Contact us at +27 11 894 3914 for more information on the solutions we have to offer for secure ID Cards.

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ExpressCards– Get your printed cards in just 24 hours!

Do you have an emergency red-hot need for plastic cards?

Choose:You can now get your cards in just 24 hours!

ExpressCards is the groundbreaking new service offered only by CardsPlus giving you up to 5000 cards in just 24 hours

Enjoy:

• Vibrant CYMK (Full Colour) print quality
• A professional glossy offset finish
• Fastest turnaround available
• Confident, speedy service
• No minimum quantity, set up fees, plate charges or hidden costs
• Cards are manufactured in house ensuring the highest quality output

Your cards can feature:

• Vivid CYMK (Full Colour) print on one or both sides of the card
• Barcodes
• Photo or text inserts
• Serialised number personalisation
• A HiCo or LoCo magnetic stripe for self encoding
• and more

Secure up to 5000 custom printed cards within just 24 hours!

Call 086 16 CARDS (22737) today to find out how ExpressCards can fire up your business! Certain limitations do apply.

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Client FAQ: I want a card that my clients will feel special having. How can I make my membership card special?

Client FAQ:
I want a card that my clients will feel special having. How can I make my membership card special?

We love the new designs that are coming out this summer!

What’s IN?

· Embossed lettering with silver tipping— An attractive solution for adding some serious dimension to a card



· Colour! Vibrant colours make your card stand out from all the others in your client’s wallet.




· Foil stamped designs offer a touch of class and sophistication!




What’s OUT?

· Platinum, silver and gold cards—Trends sway towards fabulous designs over the clichéd gold/silver card

· Large blocks of a single colour– with the photographic quality of digital offset– companies are choosing ‘big message’ images for backgrounds instead!

· Boring typeface—As seen in FIFA’s 2010 logo, fun and funky fonts are making a come back

Thanks for asking & Print on!

image via looneybeancoffee & hardware wholesalers

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Are You Squeezing the Most from Your Loyalty Programme?

Many POS systems allow for an additional module to provide client loyalty, but many companies don’t know what type of benefits a loyalty system actually provides!

We have put together a list of 8 benefits of implementing a loyalty programme.

• Increases Total Revenue
• Enhanced product purchasing
• Increases Brand Awareness
• Increases ability to track client purchasing trends
• Multiplies ProductPurchases
• Tracks Sales trends
• Enhances Marketing Effectiveness
• Boosts company image

Implementing a loyalty programme gives you the ability to grow your business faster and further!

If you would like a manage-it-yourself solution to start reaping the rewards of client loyalty, please give CardsPlus a call today.

What benefits are you enjoying from your loyalty programme?

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Oh so many choices! But which is the best for YOU?!

With so many options available for plastic card printers, how would you know which direct to card single sided printer would suite your needs?

We’ve whipped up this friendly little chart for the major brands of single side direct-to-card printers . Have a look at which printer would be ideal for you! (Click here for a link to the insider Downloads page where you can access this PDF and more!)

Need more help deciding?

It’s no secret we favour the DCP240+ for it’s outstanding reliability , ease-of-use and support network. But we know that the DCP240+ doesn’t suite each and every requirement.

For a complimentary consultation pop us an email at info@cardsplus.co.za or call at 086 16 CARDS and receive personalised advice on which printer would be best for you!

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ICMA welcomes CardsPlus with open arms

CardsPlus is proud to join the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) this year!

Joining the select few of the world's finest card manufacturers is a great kudos to our team who has worked hard to ensure that the cards leaving our factory is only of the highest international standard.
What is the ICMA?

According to ICMA, "The International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) serves the dynamic card industry and the various companies and organizations involved in manufacturing and personalizing these cards. Billions of cards now fill pockets and purses throughout the world. As the complexity of card manufacturing and applications has increased, so have the production, standards, quality, security and environmental issues surrounding the cards. The need to bring together these diverse elements of the card industry led to the formation of the ICMA."

What does this mean to our clients?

If your preferred plastic card supplier is a member of the ICMA you can rest assured that the provider has met and exceeded the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) standards. The ICMA ensures that all of it's members adheres to a strict set of guidelines that consistently provides high standards and excellent quality.

We are very excited to add the ICMA's recommendation to our printed plastic cards! Want to see you for yourself what all the fuss is about? Why not drop us an email?

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Securex- A great opportunity to see the best in action!

Residing in South Africa, we see that security is at forefront in any South African's mind. We're concerned with not just preventing crimes in ones home or business but crimes of fraud and corruption in corporations or even government institutions. With this in mind, plastic card security is crucial in any application - but even more so in credential management or Identification card programmes. Fraud of any sort completely undermines the control of the card.

Securex is an exhibition that focuses on security channels of all kinds, from access control to residential alarming systems. CardsPlus has taken this week to broadcast and demonstrate the high security features of XID retransfer printers at this show. Revealing hidden security features capable on these machines as well as the high print quality that allows for effective visual security features, the XID printers truly demonstrated the difference that 12 years of quality technology can make!

We still feel confident that EDIsecure's XID family of retransfer printers can simply not be beaten.

If you missed us at Securex and are interested in viewing the XID 8300 in action, please give us a call on 086 16 CARDS and book your appointment today!

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Now Introducing: ExpressCards!

Visitors of our stand at Markex were privy to a very special and very exciting new service that CardsPlus will now be offering.

ExpressCards is ready to revolutionise the printing industry!

We understand that sometimes things don't work out exactly as planned. Maybe someone forgets to place the card order- or maybe the artwork took too long to get to you- or maybe your product launch is tomorrow and promotional cards will be just the detail that will skyrocket sales. No matter the delay, CardsPlus is here to help!


What is ExpressCards?

ExpressCards is a new service offered by CardsPlus for printed plastic cards. For print runs of up to 5000 cards, CardsPlus now is giving the option to have the cards printing and dispatched even faster than before.

You can choose!

- Do you need cards printed and dispatched in just 24 hours? ExpressCards can help!
OR
- Do you need cards printed and dispatched in just 5-7 days? ExpressCards can help!

But what about QuickCards?

Our most popular service QuickCards will still be readily available to get you your cards in 10 days or fewer. With a wide range of features and high service value the QuickCards service won't be heading anywhere!

How do I know if my card order is eligible for the ExpressCards service?

ExpressCards is currently designed for urgent card runs that:

- Range between 1 card and 5000 cards
- are printed in full colour on one or both sides

Your ExpressCards can also have any or all of the below features:

- Serialised numbering
- Photo and text insert
- Barcodes
- HiCo or LoCo magnetic stripes for self encoding purposes

and more!

Of course, you are always welcome to give our helpful sales team a call on 086 16 CARDS (22737) to find out more details!

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EDIsecure Printers in US Driver's License Solution

EDISecure printers, and Digital Identification Solutions, continue to prove themselves as THE choice solution for plastic card solutions. This week, DISO announced receipt of orders for three separate driver's license programs in the United States, adding to the already established programmes in South Carolina and Mississippi.
Secure ID reported that this brings the number of EDIsecure printers and laminators installed in United States Driver's programmes to 600.

CardsPlus is a proud to be a certified solution provider of EDIsecure printers and products to sub-Sahara Africa, proving that we chose to provide only the best in quality and technology to the Southern Africa market.

Contact CardsPlus at +27 11 894 3914 to learn more about the EDIsecure family of printers.

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