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Any ID entry control system is only as secure as the people that manage it.

It is not even safe to think that just because you installed a state of the art technologically advanced data access control and/or premises entry systems a few years ago that it is still robust enough to provide sufficient protection.

Even if finances are stretched, it is unsafe for a business to sit back on its laurels.

You should ensure you have sufficient experience and expertise within your key personnel, and if this is a weakness, consult ID control systems experts.

Regular review of advances in technology, awareness of new threats to security, combined with rigorous and consistent compliance with procedures is paramount. Fail to ensure your IT and security personnel strictly adhere to the rules and procedures on each and every occasion, without exception, will soon lead to complacency and this is when mistakes happen.

The impact of such mistakes can have devastating effects as any business that has been the subject of data loss etc. will testify. No amount of Business Continuity Planning will completely eliminate the potential impacts.

It is most certainly therefore, maintaining regular contact with your preferred supplier of any ID equipment as their expertise will prove invaluable.

Controversy regarding the roll out of the UK ID card scheme continues to hog the limelight, but it doesn’t appear to be the fact that we could all end up on a database somewhere. It’s the government’s inability to protect the information contained therein.

Not even the publicity regarding the spiralling costs, the hassle of having to comply, the fact that all UK residents will have to actually pay for the privilege, or even the “big brother is watching you” syndrome seems to be causing too much concern among people at the moment.

Despite all the press activity and publicity, this could be due to a lack of understanding the implications behind such a scheme or quite simply, lethargy because they are not directly affected yet.

The number of Brits prepared to prove their identity using fingerprint scanning techniques or even blood tests is higher than residents in other European countries such as France and Germany according to research by Unisys.

Whilst the government seems to be able to lose personal details without even trying, and only very rarely making someone legally accountable, there may be less room for complacency amongst businesses.

Failure to provide adequate security, both in data held and the actual physical protection of access to premises can leave any business seriously exposed.

Make no mistake, in today’s environment when litigation and claims for compensation are doggedly pursued against almost any injustice, such failures have the potential to put a business under extreme financial and administrative pressures.

Coupled with the potential impact on reputation, businesses should take no chances and ensure any ID Card scheme in operation is maintained to the highest standards.

Never ignore the fact that even accidental loss/disclosure is not an acceptable excuse.

100,000 loyalty cards have been distributed to estate workers around Canary Wharf to celebrate the opening, once again, of the open air Canary Wharf Ice Rink.

The rink has been set up, with sponsorship from BGC Partners, the Canadian Tourism Commission, The Wharf newspaper, the Canary Wharf Group and Amarula, to give people a taste of the great outdoors and get into the spirit of things in the build up to Christmas.

This year sees a brand new log cabin-style bar and restaurant to help people relax and perhaps appreciate how much fun ice skating and the great outdoors can be.

The innovative marketing strategy of the Canary Ice Rink (which remains open for just 8 weeks), to offer Loyalty Cards coupled with the opportunity for schools to have one free session each per week on the rink, fully supervised, must be respected and admired, particularly given the current economic climate, the uncertainty of the weather and the relevant short period it is available.

In essence, any Loyalty Card scheme will only be effective if it offers exceptional value and associated benefits. The best offer in the world is worthless unless you have an effective communication strategy to let your existing and potential customers know about it.

The Scottish Parliament has voted “No” to the UK Identity card Scheme by a resounding 69 votes against, with 38 abstentions.

There was not a single vote in favour.

Like most opposed to the scheme, they report the main reasons as being an invasion of civil liberties, possible accidental/inadvertent disclosure of personal information to unauthorised persons/businesses and a belief that security will not be any more assured following their introduction than at present.

Conservative Bill Aitken said governments had every justification to take action on improving security, but added:

“Where there have been terrible terrorist outrages in the past, in countries where identity cards are compulsory, they have made not one whit of difference.”

Protecting a country with so many points of entry is a much bigger issue than protecting your offices or business premises so it is questionable whether any business looking at ways to protect its assets should dismiss the value of ID Cards irrespective of whether entry is to be controlled by using the basic plastic cards, smartcards or even biometric smartcards.

With businesses facing the prospect of legal action under the Data Protection Act and possibly from individuals that have suffered as a result of any disclosure of personal information, any business taking a carefree attitude to security is taking a very big risk that could bring their business to its knees.

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) have announced the appointment of a new board member in the run up to the introduction of the UK’s Identity Card Scheme.

Vince Gaskell is set to move from his position as head of the Criminal Records Bureau to IPS in the new year and take up the role of executive director for new service implementation.

Mr Gaskell will be walking straight into controversy by managing the roll out of ID cards to airline workers who are already threatening to seek a judicial review and possible strike action.

He will also be in charge of the incremental roll-out of identity cards for young people from 2010.

IPS Chief Executive, James Hall, said:

“Vince’s leadership of the CRB has been characterised by a focus on building strong relationships with customer organisations across the public and private sector.”

He went on to say: “We are very pleased to be able to use that experience as IPS builds its relationships with the many public and private organisations which will use passports and identity cards as a core part of their personal security and identity assurance regimes.”

Public opinion will start to increase as the scheme progresses so Mr Gaskell is most definitely going to new all that experience to manage the public’s expectations.

At last, someone outside of the government has come forward and publicly supported the government’s new UK ID Scheme.

Under tougher immigration rules, designed to tackle bogus applications, overseas students coming to the UK will need biometric identity cards.

South Tyneside College chiefs have stood up in support of fingerprinting all overseas students.

The college currently has more than 750 foreign students and the introduction of the ID Card Scheme coupled with the additional requirement for each student from outside of the European Union to have at least £800 for living expenses for each month of their course (excluding course fees) should hopefully ensure the economy receives much needed income from genuine overseas students who pay up to £2.5bn in tuition fees each year.

Schools already use biometric information to monitor truancy in some parts of the country and whilst guidance on the use and storage of the biometric information gathered is ambiguous at the moment, it is under review.

Businesses may find it worthwhile speaking to those schools to gain a better understanding of the benefits ID Cards with/without biometric data can bring to their own business.

The big fear is that with all the anti ID card scheme hype surrounding invasions of privacy and the potential loss of personal information being published, people will lose sight of the government’s apparent intentions and the additional security ID card schemes can bring to a business.

Members of Ryanair will soon be able to sign up to join the largest multi branded prepaid programme ever launched.

Ryanair has teamed up with Mcube, specialist providers of prepaid services and support programs designed to help generate extra revenue for major brands to provide the new scheme which Mcube claims will “revolutionise” current spending on the high street.

On registration, members can expect to receive two prepaid cards, one in sterling, one in euros and money will be able to be switched between the two without the imposition of extortionate transfer fees.

To help launch the programme, Ryanair are currently offering 4 Free Flights to new members along with:

• Discounts from many leading companies and organisations; including retailers, leisure centres, theatres and many more…
• Cash back rewards on selected purchases
• Exclusive monthly competitions with fantastic prizes

As an introduction, members will also receive 2 months free DVD rental, free music downloads and £2000 worth of days out vouchers.

Now, as a business, you may be one of those companies already working in partnership with Mcube, if not, fear not. There are always opportunities for you to network with your own local businesses to offer a similar loyalty card scheme, albeit on a smaller scale.

Speak to other local businesses or failing that, your local Chamber of Commerce or Business Development Organisation as they may be able to provide you with the names of some likeminded business entrepreneurs in your area.

More than 20 town centres have registered an interest in the scheme called “All The Little Shops”.
Originally launched in Liverpool earlier this year at the Association of Town Centre Management Summer School, the founders claim to have attracted interest from more than 20 town centres, with several individual websites now under way.

The scheme permits shoppers to make on-line purchases from any number of local shops making just a single payment for everything through a secure gateway.

To encourage shoppers into the towns they are invited to print off loyalty vouchers available on-line for subsequent redemption in the shops.

Some towns have taken the concept a step further by developing and introducing schemes whereby members are issued a combined loyalty card using smart card technology allowing each member retailer to offer their own incentives to shoppers in an effort to encourage repeat business.

There is no reason for any business to think they must go it alone when developing marketing strategies, there are so many other businesses out there ready to take the fight to the major retailers to attract the consumer.

They may feel they do not have sufficient knowledge, confidence or even the finances to launch their own loyalty card scheme but as we see on the football pitch, that whilst a team of eleven will always beat a team of 1, a team of eleven will not always beat a team of ten.

The more of you that are in the scheme, the better chance there will be of success.

The potential benefits for any company using ID smart cards increases almost daily as technology advances.

The chip included in ID Cards today, offers increased reliability and efficiency coupled with more assured compliance with regulations.

Scepticism and complacency however remains amongst some business heads meaning they run the risk of a successful attack on the integrity of their premises and systems.

Smart card technology has now been successfully operated by banks and financial institutions for more than 20 years.

Smartcards are now the preferred choice of health organisations providing greater capacity to store information, allowing companies to bolt-on more applications and better manage their passwords.
Deploying smart cards into any company will invariably mean wide-ranging changes to their IT infrastructure. This doesn’t mean however that it has to be introduced in one swift action. Gradual introduction into the most business critical areas may be the best way forward offering a structured developmental test base helping any business learn from their mistakes before fully integrating it into their operations.

Once the system is in place, unless users lose their smart card, they will never have to be reset or replaced like passwords.

Even if a card is lost, unless the person finding the card can gain access to the relevant system, the card itself remains valueless.

Robust access and management controls can block unauthorised access by ensuring a procedure is in place for the reporting and cancellation of any card that is lost or not returned by any individual leaving the company.