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Some debates just aren’t worth having. Coke or Pepsi? Beach or mountains? Pineapple on pizza? Virtual badges or physical badges? That’s a trick question. Despite what security industry marketing might lead you to believe, you really don’t have to choose. In the world of ID badging, we are officially past the point of this either/or debate. It’s not a question of virtual or physical. The smart move is combining both options and letting your badge issuance system work harder (and smarter) for you. At BadgePass, we’ve always believed the badge is more than just a piece of plastic or a credential; it’s the foundation of a layered security approach that includes identity, access, and security. And no matter how much we love physical ID badges, we truly believe that organizations don’t have to pick sides. Let’s break it down: Physical Badges Tried-and-true. Tangible. A visual representation of personal identity that works in almost every setting including schools, hospitals, corporations, government agencies, and anywhere else where it is helpful to see who someone is and confirm they belong – not to mention an opportunity to create a sense of community among team members and foster better recognition and engagement company-wide. With a quick glance, a physical badge can tell you (almost) everything you need to know including name, photo, role, department, certifications, and more. Virtual Badges Virtual credentials bring convenience, speed, and flexibility to badge issuance. Employees or members can use a badge on their phone as their identifying credential, carry fewer cards, and potentially even access doors. But here’s the magic (and the part we seem to be leaving out of most conversations within the security industry): When you combine the two, and offer both physical and virtual badges, you create a solution that covers every scenario. Let’s be real. Every organization is different. Some always need a visible ID badge, while others want the convenience of mobile. Truthfully, most facilities can benefit from both. Combining physical and virtual credentials enhances security and simplifies the entire badge experience for both cardholders and system admins. Whether you are a school issuing student IDs, a hospital managing multiple badge types for doctors, nurses, and other staff, or a corporation streamlining card access privileges across multiple locations, flexibility and freedom to choose the credential type that best suits your workflows and processes is the best way to future-proof your system. Sure, this short article might have oversimplified things a little bit, and every scenario is nuanced in some way. But we’re more than happy to get in the weeds on this discussion with anybody who is interested!
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