For many students, the best part of their education comes outside of the classroom, often in parts of the world far from home. While they embrace the lure of worldwide travel, with its exotic cultures and unfamiliar lifestyles, students also long for the familiar and the affordable as they travel.
Now standardized International Student Exchange (ISE) Cards can provide them with both. Helping students navigate today’s global marketplace economically and safely has been one of the goals of ISE Cards, Inc. since its creation in 1958. ISE Cards are internationally recognized ID cards that save students money when they travel. In addition to worldwide discounts on hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions, the cards provide medical benefits, 24-hour worldwide assistance in more than 20 languages, special international phone rates and even airline bankruptcy protection.
Single point of contact
“Giving students an opportunity to experience different cultures and people is more important today than ever before,” said Franz Jost, ISE Cards president. “We are excited to help students learn about the world around them.” Popular discounts used by students carrying ISE cards include the Eurostar Rail Pass under the English Channel, the Arc de Triomphe and the Sydney Aquarium. Today, ISE Cards issues ID cards to students in more than 50 countries around the world.
ID card printers are usually installed in the office of a travel agency or a university study abroad office
Making sure those cards uphold the company’s high standards and provide a common look is important to Jost. That’s why he sought a global supplier to standardise the purchase of ID card printers and supplies on a worldwide basis, offering his agents a single point of contact for ordering a printer and supplemental equipment. ID card printers are usually installed in the office of a travel agency or a university study abroad office.
Improved issuance technology
In the past, agents were ordering printers and supplies on an individual basis from whichever vendor they chose. Not only was the result an inconsistent mixture of ID cards that didn’t represent ISE Cards very well, but it also left Jost without standard pricing or turnkey installation processes. In 2005, he purchased 15 Fargo C30 printers from Impuls ID Systems in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to replace a variety of units.
In some cases, the printers actually replaced manual processes. “Before we switched to Fargo printers, many agents provided hand-written cards,” said Jost. “The difference is like night and day, especially in terms of look and presentation. The change and the new look were very welcome.” “Worldwide availability and service capability were the most important features in selecting a printer,” he said. As an added benefit, Jost thinks the improved issuance technology may enhance his sales to agents.
Easy and user-friendly
“We are now ahead of the competition, which uses a clear label stick-on technology,” he said. “We are pleased with having moved to newer technology.” “We never had ID cards printed by us in the office before, so this is our first experience,” said Customer case study Paris travel agent Patti Brown, Parenthèse. “It is very easy and user friendly.” “For now, a magnetic stripe on the back of the card is all the technology we need, but we may consider adding holograms for greater security at some point in the future,” Jost said.
Jost estimated that 100,000 cards were printed using Fargo equipment in 2006
“Mostly we need a printer to ensure worldwide coverage, guaranteed output and a consistent look of the final product.” No technical upgrades are needed in agency offices to implement the Fargo equipment. The printers are simply connected to existing computer systems. Jost estimated that 100,000 cards were printed using Fargo equipment in 2006. “Most are single-sided with a colour photo of the student,” he said.
Internationally recognisable ID card
The important factor is that the ISE Card has an internationally recognized logo, and thus is accepted from Nicaragua to Thailand as proof of student status. “International travel is essential today,” said Brown. “Students and professionals traveling abroad can only be bettered by their experiences while enriching the lives of those they meet along the way.”
“International travel is important to students and society,” added Jost, “because it brings about understanding and compassion, and it fosters friendships.” But global travel can be unpredictable, especially in today’s unsettled world. Having an internationally recognizable ID card provides students with a little piece of home to take with them.