How to extend the life of your cards ?
By APCards | Reading time : 4 minutes
Cards and badges are fragile objects
A study* carried out by APCards among its customers in the public transport sector highlights the role of a protective card holder in extending the life of a card.
Many of us once had the opportunity to have a transport card. Used daily or even several times a day, it is often mishandled, forgotten at the bottom of a bag or trouser pocket.
The thinness of a card (0.76mm for an ISO card) or the presence of an integrated electronic chip, however, makes it very fragile. Without protection, these repeated shocks, bending and rubbing generally weaken the cards, often leading to breakage.
They also expose them to more moderate risks of deterioration such as micro-scratches or the progressive erasure of prints making it difficult or even impossible to read certain essential information.
This is confirmed by the study carried out by APCards, since the figures transmitted by the transport networks show that too much damage to the card leads to its replacement before the due date in 10 to 20% of cases.
A waste of time for the user and an avoidable cost for the transport organisation to repair the card.
The solution: a protective card holder suitable for use
Investing in a case means investing in the durability of your cards and offering a quality service to your users by avoiding the inconvenience of a non-functional card.
Soft or semi-rigid cases are not very effective as they do not prevent the card from being bent or damaged. Pre-expiry return rates with this type of case average 5% of the fleet, which represents a relatively high cost for the card issuer. In addition, these cases have a very limited lifespan, requiring frequent replacement and increasing the cost of protecting the card.
Rigid card holders provide better protection for cards with a replacement rate reduced to about 1-2% of the stock. Whether APCards rigid cases are made of zylar, a high quality material offering great transparency, or Veget’all®, a 100% biosourced and biodegradable material, they are robustly designed and have an average life span of 4 years**.
Finally, safety cases, which, thanks to their locking lug, prevent the card from being removed, are the most effective solution, with a return rate of less than 0.5% of the stock. These products have the same robustness as the previous ones if they are made of zylar or Veget’all® and also have an average life span of 4 years**.
This rate of return, which is close to zero, is proof of the profitability of an investment for public transport networks but also for any structure wishing to protect its cards in the long term.
* Study carried out in 2017
** Under normal conditions of use
