set up a keychain UPC system

A lot of questions come to mind. How many members? Do you have your own hardware base system? If so, do you have barcode software? If not, what do you consider inexpensive? What must be controlled when they sign-in? Are you going to keep records as to how often, how long, or maybe how-many different features they use? All this and more come into the equation.

Just having the keychain made and passing them out doesn't facilitate their being used. The next step is to implement some means of putting them into use (that barcode ain't there just for looks), i.e., reading and controlling them.

I know this doesn't give you any answers, but it might help you think through the situation so you can make an educated decision.

Hello. Thanks for the input!

I have custom developed a .NET management system for this client. All that the cards really need to be used for is to "check in" people when they arrive. We need to track activity.

What i had envisioned is going to a printer and having a couple thousand keychains printed with a bar code on one side and a logo and address on the other. Then, we would assign each memeber one of the keytags (and store their ID# in the DB).

Each member would scan their keychains each time they arrive. I believe i will use a keyboard wedge scanner

It looks like the hardest part of this whole ordeal is going to be finding a company that can print these keychains.

If your going to track activity, then you must have identification scanners at each activity station so they can scan (check in) the ID when they do each thing. Otherwise, all you know is they showed up, came in the front door, and did something. Keyboard wedge's are easy to use and implement. They should work just fine.

Shouldn't be too much trouble to find a manufacturer who can make the keychains. Just google for keychain, or barcode + keychain, or 'ID tags', whatever. I'll bet you find several. If not, most of the business professional magazines should have adds for that kind of thing.

Be sure to specify to the manufacturer that each barcode MUST BE UNIQUE. I had one client try something similar to this. He ordered 5000 mail labels to use on a catalog mail return promo. And that's what he got. All 5000 had the exact same number - 100101. That promo didn't work real well.

Sounds like you have a pretty good handle on what you want to do.

Good luck.

I just wanted to say thanks! I found a company named "Suncoast" who is going to do the tags for me.