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Just like the uniform itself, a uniform name tag is a visual representation of the value of your organization and its products or services. In this respect, you can come to regard an employee name tag or photo ID as an extension of the uniform itself. Because of that, more than some cursory consideration should be awarded to an initiative to renew or replace your employees’ name badges. They help make a first impression, and provide useful information to your customers, after all.

Now is the time to make the observation that not all employee name badges are created equal. Depending on the style of the name badge, as well as the material from which it is made, you may experience a good deal of variability in quality and presentation. Therefore, what looks good on paper may not work well in real life.

If you’re getting serious about redesigning your employees name badges, then here are some of the top considerations you can make and questions you can ask to ensure that the finished rollout meets your expectations and satisfies not only you and your employees, but your customers as well.

1. One size does not fit all!

The first thing you need to keep in mind is something that has already nearly been suggested. One size does not fit all, both literally and figuratively. Of course, the physical size of your name badge will also affect the image and presentation of your employees, and in that respect, one size does not fit all.

But the broader meaning here is that name tags are highly personal, and unique to an organization. This is the reason that businesses are willing to work with professional uniform name tag suppliers and invest good money in the initiative rather than just buying “stock” name badge templates and printing names and titles on them. That can be done, but what differentiation does it offer, or value does it add?

Very little, which is the reason that we at Imprint Plus believe the value of good customer service comes from providing so much variety, and attending to the needs of our customers. We sell a wide variety of name tags in an equally wide range of sizes, shapes and colors, many of which can be customized to the unique needs of your organization.

We also offer name tags created from both plastic and metal, which are compatible with more than one type of fastener. In addition, we offer a number of unique add-ons to the badges themselves, as well as accessories, both of which enhance the presentation and utility of the name badges.

The key here is in variety. Variety makes it possible for you to accomplish your objective. After all, your business is not like all of the others in your industry. It offers unique value and has a competitive advantage, and your uniform name tags should convey that!

2. What fabric are your employees’ uniforms made of?

To get into some of the details, you will want to consider the fabric of your employees’ uniforms, but not for purposes of fashion. You’ll want to know what type of fastener makes a suitable fit for the name tags you ultimately purchase.

Some of our name tags are compatible with both pin fasteners and magnetic fasteners, giving you the option to choose the one that suits your business and your employees the best. While pin fasteners offer a secure fit that can’t be knocked loose, they do need to penetrate the fabric in order to remain in place.

Because of this, we also offer magnetic fasteners made from rare earth magnets that are both powerful and secure, freeing you from the need to pierce the uniform fabric in the same fashion as a pine fastener. For most intents and purposes, a magnetic fastener is nearly as strong as a pin fastener.

This makes them highly suitable for uniforms that are made from delicate materials that would tear or otherwise be damaged easily. The magnetic fasteners can also be removed and reapplied time and time again, without continuously puncturing the fabric and incurring damage over time.

3. How long do you expect the name tag to last?

Another thing you need to be cognizant of is what your expectations are regarding the durability of the uniform name tags themselves. Make sure your expectations align with the reality of the material you have chosen, and the conditions to which the name tags will be subjected in your workplace. Some event planners and businesses use paper name tags. Unsurprisingly, these rarely last more than a day, and some of them barely get through the day. Admittedly, they are designed to be disposable, single-use name tags, but the point is that some materials are more durable than others.

Here at Imprint Plus, we offer a variety of reusable and permanent uniform name tags, in both metal and plastic, in order to better meet the needs of our clients. Some of our metal name tags can actually be engraved, providing an impression of permanence and a higher degree of sophistication for our customers. These name tags will last a long time with proper care.

That said, even our printed plastic name badges can be reused over and over again, especially when properly cared for. It all comes down to how long you expect your badges to last, what your workplace environment is like, and the image you wish to convey. These factors all vary and they can make some name badges more suitable than others, given the unique situation.

4. Are there any other special selling points you want your customers to know?

A uniform name tag itself is a piece of blank real estate where you can convey critical information about your business and employees to your customers. There might be limited space on the name tag for names, titles and other individual information, but that doesn’t preclude the use of creativity to get around it!

That’s one of the reasons that we offer unique badge talkers here at Imprint Plus. Badge talkers are the ideal solution when you need to add some other valuable information to your name tag but don’t have that much real estate to do so. Do you need to alert your customers to the fact that some of your employees are multilingual? Would you like to shake up the image of a name tag to throw some seasonality into the presentation? Point out that an employee is in training and still learning? All of these things are possible with our badge talkers, which easily affix to your name badges, effectively extending and customizing them.

Don’t be limited by the limited space on a name badge. There are ways around it, and we can help. If you’re looking for something custom, just get in touch with us!

5. A quality uniform name tag can help promote your brand image

Remember also that the impression left by your employee’s uniform, including the name tag it bears, will rub off on your customers’ memories and impact the impression they hold for your company. This is a great chance to leave a good first impression and to promote the subjective value and intrigue of the image of your brand and your business.

A quality name tag will be made from high quality materials, and make the most of quality processes like UV printing or engraving, but a truly unique set of name tags will go farther than this. Many of our name tags can be customized in full-color, with your business logo or emblem, and in the precise shape and size you desire.

We also make it easy for our customers to design completely unique name badges on our website, using our design tools. You create the specific name tags you like and then we’ll print them for you - although you can print them on your own if you so choose.

To learn more about these custom offerings, just get in touch with one of our customer service specialists. We’ll walk you through our options and then help you create your vision in a fleet of brand new name tags for your business.

6. Do you expect to have to periodically change anything displayed on the tag?

While you might justifiably expect your name badges to remain the same (or mostly the same) as long as the same person was wearing them day in and day out, variability can be a valuable feature in a name badge. Remember, employees sometimes shift titles and locations, take on new roles, and more. Also, if you need a group of name badges and expect to have to change names or titles or anything else like that, it might be more valuable for you to get some of our  reusable metal name badges that come with a metal backing, a slip sheet and a tough, shatter and scratch resistant lens cover.

The slip sheets in these name badges can be easily removed and replaced, without changing the overall aesthetic of the name badge itself. Therefore, if you need to reuse the same name badges for more than one person, you can easily make adjustments to the information it contains, by simply changing out the slip sheet. It’s easy, convenient, practical and cost effective, especially if your organization has a lot of employee mobility.

7. What is the work environment like? Are there any industry specific conditions you need to meet?

You’ll also want to give some thought to the environment in which your employees work on a day to day basis. The more physical the job, the tougher your name tags will need to be. In some situations, a metal name tag or a permanent plastic badge might be a suitable fit.

You should also consider how the name tags will affix to the uniform, because some fasteners will provide a better fit than others. Consider also that in some industries, breakaway lanyards are used more frequently than name tag fasteners, often in combination with a photo ID.

Think about the environment of your workplace and then contact us for more information regarding our name tags and accessories and we will be more than happy to ensure you settle on those that meet your needs.

8. What types of peripherals will you need with the name tag?

Also remember that a uniform name tag is not always the only component of the employee uniform. Your employees’ presentations may benefit from the inclusion of some choice accessories or peripherals.

For example, if you use lanyards instead of fasteners with your employees name tags, then you’ll want to use a quality, breakaway lanyard with a fade resistant, tough, clear holder for the name tag or ID. We offer both of these in a variety of colors and our lanyards are even antimicrobial, inhibiting the growth of known pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. They’re even anti-twist so your employees’ IDs will stay front and center!

We also carry several lines of lapel pins which add dimension and depth to employee uniforms. They’re a great way to celebrate the achievements of your employees, from years of service to other accomplishments. In addition, some of these lapel pins can be customized, so whatever you’re trying to communicate, you can accomplish it with a little help from Imprint Plus. Giving your employees a more official look with some of our accessories will elevate your brand.

Contact Us If You Have Questions!

Since many of our uniform name tags can be customized in size, shape, material, color and more, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our professionals. Our helpful customer service specialists will help you translate your vision for your employee name badges from a vision to reality.

You can learn more about our services on our website, including on our product pages, but you can also get in touch with us by phone at 800-563-2464. Give us a call and let us know what you hope to see and we’ll help you create it.