The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s largest university with more than 6,000 staff and 40,000 students. The institution prides itself on its positive environmental impact.

In 2023, it placed 12th in the Global Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which assess universities' contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

But its ID card printing system was not meeting these goals. Unreliable architecture and inefficient printers resulted in significant card waste and a print failure rate of approximately 10%.

Staff struggled with a slow, complicated printing process, and students faced long wait times to receive their IDs. Regular tasks like creating and uploading new card templates posed significant challenges. Frequent turnover among the student-led card staff worsened the issue, due to an ongoing lack of expertise with the system.

Unreliable architecture and inefficient printers resulted in significant card waste and a print failure rate of approximately 10%.

Printer maintenance and inventory control was difficult due to the distance between the card office and the three self-service hubs. Without remote access to the card management system, staff had to travel between sites to resolve issues.

“The system was slow and frustrating, with hardware and a setup that was not as efficient as it could be,” said Ankita Askar, Campus Card Team Lead at the University of Auckland. “(It was a) less-than-ideal experience for students and a really frustrating time for frontline staff.”

ColorID delivers solution

The university asked for help from its existing partner, ColorID. The goal was to find a solution that reduced waste, expedited card creation, and removed friction from the overall process. ColorID found the solution with HID FARGO Connect.

By integrating hardware, software, consumables, and services, HID FARGO Connect streamlines card office operations. It centralizes all aspects of issuance into a single system.

ColorID also provided HID’s HDP6600 printers that produce high-definition ID cards at high speeds.

According to HID, the printer is “an eco-friendly and reliable solution designed to meet the needs of cost- and efficiency-conscious organizations by producing cards at unprecedented speeds and cutting high-volume lamination material costs by up to 40%.”

HID FARGO Connect makes major impact

In the first year, the University of Auckland printed 18,000 cards using the new solution, and it plans to print up to 20,000 annually moving forward. The print time per ID card reduced from 10 minutes to less than 2 minutes. Auckland staff are now able to produce 200 cards per day, a task that previously could take four days.

Other benefits include:

• Staff training takes far less time and the challenges that previously came as staff turnover occurred have been mitigated.
• Less downtime and faster print times enable frontline staff to spend more time assisting customers.
• Remote printing capabilities have streamlined the process, as staff now resolve issues from the main office, eliminating the need to travel between hubs.
• Improved visibility simplifies inventory monitoring and increases accountability.

The new system at Auckland has drastically reduced card failure rates, dropping from 10% to almost zero, says an HID case study. This improvement saves the university $7,000 to $8,000 annually.

“Now, users can obtain their cards in just a couple of minutes, eliminating frustration and ensuring a smoother, more efficient experience,” says Joe Wright, VP Products and Technology for ColorID. “This streamlined process adds substantial value by allowing individuals to quickly collect their cards and proceed with their day.”