​​Smart Card Selection and Avoiding Pits: 90% of companies have stepped on these 5 pits!​

Enterprises customize smart cards (access control cards, membership cards, campus cards...) and wanted to improve efficiency or brand image, but failed due to selection errors - printing color fading, function mismatch is wasted money... 90% of enterprises have stepped on these pitfalls! Zhanfeng smart card has been deeply engaged in the industry for 18 years, helping big customers (such as China Telecom and China Mobile) to avoid countless pitfalls. Today, we will summarize the "blood and tears experience" into five common mistakes, helping you to accurately avoid lightning, and select the card in place once!

Error 1: Blindly pursue low prices and ignore basic quality

Typical overturning scene: In order to save budget, the cheapest PVC card was selected, but in less than 3 months, the access control card was frequently demagnetized, and employees looked for IT to change cards every day, which increased the management cost.

Suggestions for avoiding pits: low price ≠ high cost performance! The basic card also depends on the substrate and process - for example, although ordinary PVC cards are cheap, they are prone to wear and demagnetization; if there are requirements for durability, it is recommended to choose thickened PVC or PET substrate (wear-resistant and bending); poor printing process (such as ordinary ink) will cause the pattern to fade, and it is recommended to choose UV printing or coating process in important scenarios (such as brand membership cards). Zhanfeng provides a "basic optimization solution" to improve basic durability while controlling costs and avoid invisible expenses for frequent replacements.

Error 2: Excessive or insufficient functions, and the requirements are not clear.

Typical scene of overturning: Small enterprises follow the trend and choose "all-round cards" with NFC+ chips+ QR codes, but only use them to open the door, and all the extra money is wasted; or vice versa, only basic magnetic stripe cards are selected, but after the business expansion (such as binding consumption functions) does not support upgrades at all.

Suggestions for avoiding pits: first clarify the core needs! Ask yourself: This card is mainly used for "opening the door"? "Consumption"? "Identity Identification"? Or "all-in-one"? If it is basic access control, a magnetic stripe card or a low-frequency IC card is enough; if it involves payment or data storage, choose a high-frequency IC card or CPU card; if it is possible to expand functions in the future (such as upgrading from access control to membership systems), it is recommended to choose a chip with strong compatibility (such as supporting multi-protocol). Zhanfeng will provide "demand diagnosis services" and recommend a "enough, no waste" function combination based on your actual scenario.

Error 3: Ignore the use environment and select the wrong material

Typical overturning scene: Southern enterprises chose ordinary PVC cards, but in the summer, the high-temperature card body deformed and the card slot was stuck; northern enterprises used cold-resistant materials, and the cards became brittle and cracked in winter; and enterprises also made outdoor industrial brands, but did not choose scratch-resistant and wear-resistant substrates, and were scratched by the key in half a month.

Suggestions for avoiding pits: Choose materials according to the environment! In high-temperature areas (such as Guangdong and Hainan), PET substrates are preferred (temperature resistance -40℃~120℃) or thickened PVC; in low-temperature areas (such as Northeast), soft PVC is avoided and PC or PET has good freezing resistance; outdoor/high-frequency use scenarios (such as construction site access control, gym working brand) choose matte surfaces or high wear-resistant PET, which are scratch-resistant and dirty-resistant; for high anti-counterfeiting requirements (such as enterprise permission cards), materials with anti-counterfeiting coating or special texture can be selected. Zhanfeng has an "Environmental Adaptation Manual" to help you match the substrate that is most suitable for local climate and usage scenarios.

Error 4: The design does not consider practicality, it looks good but is not easy to use

Typical overturning scenes: the membership card prints the card number on the back, and employees always look at the reverse when checking information; the access control card designs the chip position in the corner, and the sensing area is always inaccurate when swiping the card; and the company pursues "simple design", and the key information (such as the validity period) is unclear and customer complaints are constantly.

Suggestions for avoiding pits: Design should be "appearance + practical" online! Place the key information (card number, validity period, chip position) in conspicuous place; leave blank space in the card swiping area (avoid pattern occlusion sensing); if the card has multiple functions (such as access control + consumption), distinguish it with different colors or icons; cards that need to be frequently held (such as gym cards) to avoid too slippery materials (choose matte or textured). Zhanfeng provides integrated "design + function" services, and designers will optimize the layout in combination with usage scenarios to ensure that it looks good and easy.

Error 5: If you don’t consider long-term costs, there will be many troubles after-sales service

Typical overturning scene: I chose a card customized by a small factory without a certificate of conformity, but the chip compatibility was poor, the old cards were all scrapped after the access control system was upgraded, and it cost another money to re-made the card; or the printing process did not meet the standards, and the color faded after several months of use, and the poor customer experience also affected the brand reputation.

Suggestions for avoiding pits: Choose a card and calculate the "general account"! Priority is given to large brand suppliers (such as Zhanfeng). The chips and processes meet industry standards, and the compatibility of later system upgrades is guaranteed; wear-resistant processes for printing (such as UV coating and gold stamping) are selected to extend the life of the card; the contract clearly defines after-sales terms (such as free card replenishment and data migration services) to avoid subsequent aggression. Zhanfeng promises "long-term companionship" - from selection to after-sales follow-up, if the card has problems after being used for a long time, it can be solved with just one phone call!

Zhanfeng Smart Card: Help you choose the right card and avoid detours!

Although the smart card is small, it is an important tool for enterprise operations - if you choose the right one, you will improve efficiency, and if you choose the wrong one, you will spend money and cause trouble. Zhanfeng Smart Card has been deeply engaged in the industry for 18 years, serving major customers such as China Telecom and China Mobile, and familiar with each material, process and scenario needs. We can not only provide a "pit avoidance guide", but also customize a "zero-roll" smart card solution based on your specific needs (budget, functions, environment, design)!

✅ From basic PVC to high-end PET, from magnetic stripe cards to CPU chip cards, all types of coverage; 

✅ Design + function + material integration suggestions to avoid "it looks good and bad to use"; 

✅ Large manufacturers are guaranteed with quality, worry-free after-sales service, and long-term cooperation is more worry-free.

Choose a smart card and don’t let small mistakes delay big business! Contact Zhanfeng and let us help you choose the right card, which will be very comfortable to use!