Larry Joiner Services Sales Specialist

Hello, I'm your IBM Integrated Communications Services specialist. I provide solutions to improve network performance, availability and security to drive collaboration and growth for your organization. Contact me by phone, online chat, or email; I'm your direct line to IBM.

Requirements for anytime, anywhere access, automated supply chains and Web-based revenue streams help make an optimized network vitally important. The introduction of voice, video and real-time collaboration applications and the trend to consolidate data centers highlight the need for high performance in a network that must also contribute to cost control.

IBM Networking Strategy and Optimization Services - network infrastructure optimization can help you address current network performance issues or avoid them in the future.

Our services include:

1. Network infrastructure assessment-examines the components deployed in your network and how they support your current IT and business plans

2. Network performance analysis and capacity planning-examines the impact of applications and traffic on the network

3. Network diagnostic assessment-helps identify and address the root causes of network performance issues and helps optimize network performance.

Smart ways to save money:

Assess and analyze your network traffic and capacity to help optimize performance and improve efficiency, reducing annual recurring costs by, typically, 10 to 30 percent, with typical payback ranging from 4 to 12 months.

Bar Code Wristbands Help Streamline Operations

One of the challenges of running a business or facility is making it as efficient as possible. From managing events at venues to running a prison and keeping it secure to administering a hospital, bar code wristbands help streamline operations.
If you are looking for a way to bump up security and track where patrons are spending their money, bar code wristbands are the solution. Bar code wristbands are non transferable and each bar code is unique. For cashless events, the barcode on a patron's wristband can be tied to their credit card when he or she arrives. Their information can be tied to your data system to increase the efficiency of operations, and provide data tracking and analysis.
If you want to track where guests are spending their money, cheap wrist band are a reliable way to accomplish this. With each purchase, the items and the concert wristband are scanned. You can track the number of trips that were made to the concession stand and what was purchased. If the concert goer purchased a souvenir, like a t-shirt, cap or sweatshirt, you can see the stats.
Along with all the details, bar code wristbands also enable you to track attendance levels. You can find out how many people attended an entire event. You can learn how many people go to Concession Stand A versus Concession Stand B. If the event putting bar codes to use is a festival or carnival, bar code wristbands can be used to discover how many people visited certain attractions.
Bar code wristbands can be used to increase efficiency at more places than venues that host entertainers. They can be used to streamline operations of nearly any facility. A couple examples include prisons and hospitals.
In prisons, bar code wristbands can play a vital role in positively identifying an inmate and can streamline the following operations:

·         Assist and improve inmate transfer

·         Head counts

·         Commissary account debiting

·         Medication administration

Made of durable materials with a multi-laminate that protects photos, bar codes and data, bar code wristbands are secured onto an inmate's wrist and worn 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Doing so helps reduce erroneous transfers and releases of inmates, which could obviously cause a big, alarming problem.
For inmates on medication, bar code wristbands are beneficial. Guards who administer medication can scan the inmate's bar code wristband to ensure he is distributing the correct medication and correct dosage to the inmate. Quick and simple scans like this improve procedures, increase safety and save time.
Bar code wristbands in hospitals help to ensure patient safety and assist in preventing dangerous medical errors. For hospitals, it is important to choose a bar code wristband that meets the requirements of the following organizations:

·         The Joint Commission for improving the accuracy of patient identification

·         World Healthcare Organization for improving the accuracy of patient identification

·         HIPAA for protection of patient privacy

·         AHA to reduce risk of lost or transferred data

Bar code wristbands can feature printed text, linear and 2D bar codes, photo ID and graphics—all of which help prevent any errors that could be caused by illegible handwriting. Bar code wristbands provide crisp, clear and compliant bar codes that are easy to scan, improving the accuracy of patient identification.
With bar code wristbands, newborns are easily matched with his or her parents. Typically, when a baby is born, it is registered into a patient management system. Bar code wristbands are printed: two large ones for each parent and two small ones for the baby's wrist and ankle. The information included on the bar code wristband to identify the newborn includes name, birth date, sex, and unique bar coded patient number in a legible format.
When it comes to bedside point-of-care, the accuracy of bar code wristbands enables personnel to instantly capture and verify data for medication administration, point-of-care testing, transfusion, specimen collection/tracking, surgical site safety and patient billing.
Bar code wristbands help hospitals meet the needs of the following Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals:

·         Goal #1: Improve the accuracy of patient identification

·         Goal #2: Improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers

·         Goal #8: Accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum of care

Whatever the operation at hand, bar code wristbands help streamline it by preventing simple-to-make errors and increasing efficiency. From helping increase security to assisting with accurate identification, bar code wristbands do quite a job.

Admission Wristbands: A Simple Idea with a Whole Lot of Uses

Most events these days require and admissions ticket. Traditional tickets have a sole purpose: getting the paid customer into the event. Seems a bit wasteful, doesn’t it? Admission wristbands are a popular substitute for tickets. Aside from their simplicity, admission wristbands have multiple uses and benefits. They serve as a highly effective identification tool—assisting with crowd control. Admission wristbands can help events run more efficiently and increase profits. They can also grow brand awareness. As an added bonus, admission wristbands fit securely around the wrist, which prevents them from becoming lost.
With admission wristbands, crowd control is made easy. Admission wristbands enable staff to spot uninvited guests by just glancing at the wrist. Nobody wants party crashers to pop in and mooch food and drink from all the guests who actually paid. For large events, there may be different levels of access, including general admission, VIPs, staff, volunteers, performers, or other special groups of guests. Admission night club wristband come in a wide variety of colors, so color coding can be used to differentiate the various access levels.
Another way to put color coding to use is when an event is spread across multiple days and each day requires separate admission payments. By assigning certain colors to certain days, such as Thursday is red admission wristbands and Friday is blue, security can identify any guest that attempts to re-use their one day pass from one day to another.
To further distinguish access levels, you can custom imprint text onto admission wristbands, such as “VIP” or “STAFF”. You can also imprint admission dates. Perhaps a popular singer is performing at the event. To see the performance, guests had to purchase separate concert tickets. Maybe some of those attending won back stage passes. Any guest who paid for the concert or won tickets could be given an admission wristband of a specific color with the date of the concert imprinted on it. Those guests with backstage passes would get the same admission wristband with one differentiating factor: it is imprinted with “VIP”. Same goes for staff, who would wear admission wristbands imprinted with “STAFF”. By making these designations with admission wristbands, security and other staff can quickly and easily identify whether someone is a welcome guest or staff member and ensure they are where they are permitted to be.
If alcohol is being served at your event, admission wristbands can again help control access, but may also help boost sales. Staff can check IDs to verify age upon guest entry. If guests are of legal drinking age, they receive an admission wristband imprinted with “Over 21”. When wait staff is relieved of the duty of checking IDs for every drink ordered, a tremendous amount of time is saved. Guests don’t have to dig through their wallets each time they order a drink. Lines move faster. When people do not have to wait in line, they are more apt to go back and order more. Quicker service leads to increased spending, which, in turn, leads to increased profits.
Just as you can imprint “VIP” and “Over 21” on admission wristbands, you can also imprint logos and taglines on admission wristbands. Admission wristbands become a walking mini advertisement. If the design imprinted on the admission wristband is cool and guests have a great time at the event, then they are likely to continue wearing the wristband for several days afterward. They are sure to catch they eyes of all sorts of people—co-workers, workout buddies, neighbors, family, friends. Curiosity will strike and lots of questions are likely to be asked.
If you want to cover the costs of admission wristbands—or maybe even make a profit—sponsorships can do the trick. You are essentially selling advertising space—directly on the wrist of their target market. Imprint sponsor logos, coupons and promotions; encourage people to take action: “Stop by. Show us your wristband. Get 20% off $50 purchase.” You can also imprint quick response (QR) codes. Maybe scanning the code with a smartphone takes guests to the sponsor’s Facebook page—or the event’s Facebook page—and they are invited to “like” to start receiving exclusive discounts or invitations to future events. Both imprinted coupons and QR codes are effective ways that admission wristbands can help build the brand and grow profits.
Admission wristbands are such a simple idea with multiple uses and benefits from a whole lot of angles. Whether you need to boost security, efficiency, profits, brand awareness, or just want to add a bit of fun to an event, admission wristbands have you covered.

A Variety of Wristband Choices for Crowd Control

If you are looking for an effective way to enforce crowd control the answer may lie with identification wristbands. Identification wristbands can help keep guests, staff and profits secure at a wide variety of businesses and venues—from rock concerts, county fairs, nightclubs, water parks, carnivals, and more. This article highlights the variety of styles available for identification wristbands and the advantages of each—they all have their own unique benefits. All identification wristbands can also be custom printed to promote brands and sponsors, and to add extra security against counterfeits.
Tyvek® identification wristbands. An ideal choice for short-term events, such as concerts, museums and zoos, Tyvek identification wristbands feature an adhesive closure, and do not tear or stretch—making them nontransferable. This security feature prevents people from sneaking in their pals by slipping off the wristband after they’ve been admitted into an event or location. There’s no way to remove a Tyvek identification wristband without cutting it. Once cut, they are, of course, non-useable.
Plastic and Vinyl identification wristbands. Excellent choices for single- or multi-day use at waterparks, amusement parks and resorts, these identification wristbands are both equipped with a locking snap for maximum security. Plastic and Vinyl identification custom plastic wrist band are also both waterproof. Plastic identification wristbands qualify as durable, while Vinyl wristbands are ultra-durable. These wristbands can withstand the impact of water, sweat, dirt and mud of an active, outdoor getaway.
Glitter & Metallic identification wristbands. High-style, Glitter & Metallic identification wristbands are a fun option for nightclubs and stylish charity events or parties. These wristbands come in holographic designs for a more sophisticated look, but still secure and nontransferable with a locking snap.
Bar Code and Thermal identification wristbands. Streamline operations with these wristbands. Bar code identification wristbands have pre-printed bar codes, which work well for events at which you want to keep track of inventory and sales. Thermal identification wristbands use thermal printers to print data and bar codes on-demand. Thermal wristbands are constructed of strong, non-irritating material, and are an excellent solution for hospitals to ID patients to help ensure their medical safety.
Multi-tab identification wristbands. Featuring tear-off tabs for redemption and pre-printed with numbers, these tabbed wristbands work well for everything from coat checks to raffles to carnival ride vouchers to vouchers for food and drink at festivals. one, three, four or five removable tabs are available.
Age/ID Verification wristbands. Improve customer service and sales by reducing wait time at concession stands. At any event that serves alcohol, staff should check IDs upon entry into the venue. For guest 21 or older, staff can securely fastens an identification wristband that is either pre-printed or thermal printed-on-demand with text, such as “21+” or “Over 21”. Anytime a guest orders a drink, the server just looks at their identification wristband. There’s no need for guests to pull out their ID each time they go to the concession stand to order an alcoholic beverage. This process significantly reduces wait times to increase sales.
Full-Color identification wristbands. Available in many different styles, these wristbands deliver maximum branding value. Full-color logos, taglines, coupons, website URLs, photographs can be printed onto identification wristbands providing a fun way to build branding and brand loyalty.
Any type of identification wristband can be custom printed, which is an excellent advertising strategy. Oftentimes, people will continue to wear their identification wristband after an event is over—especially if it has vibrant colors and a cool design. Family, friends, colleagues and neighbors will take notice the eye-catching wristband, and then start asking questions, like “Where did you go?” “Was it fun?” “Would you recommend that I take my family?” “How much did it cost?” If a good time was had, the word will spread like wild fire—effective word-of-mouth advertising. Essentially identification wristbands become a walking, talking advertisement. It’s an ideal opportunity to sell advertising space to a sponsor or two. They get a chance to advertise and you can make up the cost of the identification wristbands—maybe even make a small profit.
Custom printing can effectively build relationships, the brand, and sales all in one swoop. All the while, it also plays a big part in keeping events and venues secure. The more unique identification wristbands, the more they assist Security in their efforts to keep counterfeiters at bay and prevent anyone from sneaking inside.

A Fun & Safe Way to Identify Students for School Field Trips and Events

Being in charge of a classroom full of kids is a serious responsibility. Their safety is always of utmost concern. This concern is amplified when school field trips and other events are scheduled. Child safety wristbands are a great solution for those just-in-case scenarios, like when a child may accidentally wander away from the group on a school excursion or get lost in the crowd. The safety wristbands give both parents and teachers peace of mind, and instill children with a sense of security. Plus, kids love wearing them!

Wristbands provide an easy, inexpensive way to help assist child safety efforts through identification. We offer a couple different types of child safety wristbands, so you are sure to find one that meets the needs of any kind of school field trip or event.

Our Expressions wristbands work great for field trips in which the entire class leaves together to visit an off-campus venue, like a museum, and then returns back to the school together. The Silicone customize wristband have pre-printed lines where you can use a permanent marker to write the child's name, along with the chaperone's name and cell phone number. As an added measure of safety, wristbands can be turned inside out so that strangers are not able to see the child's name. Instead, the emergency contact information is only exposed upon the child reaching out to an authority figure and asking for help.

During field trips, chaperones should have their cell phones with them and the ringer turned on at all times. If a child does become separated from the school group, they can approach an authority figure and the chaperone can be called immediately. The child can be reunited with the group quickly and safely.

If you are planning a field trip to a museum, zoo, amusement park, aquarium or other such attraction for kids, don't hesitate to ask whether they provide child safety wristbands to students. Businesses that cater to the wonderment and happiness of children are just as concerned about their safety and well-being as parents and teachers.

Parents can also get great use out of child safety wristbands; especially if you have an active family that goes on a lot of outings together. Whether it's to a ballgame, theater, observatory or mini golf, a child safety wristband certainly can add a cushion of security to the day.

Another type of wristband is our Securmatch® or Securband Plus®, which have a matching, numbered, tear-off stub. The child wears the numbered wristband and the parent or guardian retains the matching numbered stub. This child safety wristband works well for an event, like a school sponsored theme party, in which parents drop off their child, and then pick them up at the end of the event. When it's time to go, the school or host can verify the numbers match.

Another great use for this type of child safety wristband is when parents host a large birthday party for their son or daughter at a public eatery, like a pizza or ice cream parlor. Maybe a guest's parents drop him or her off, but designate a grandparent to pick up the child. Not only should the parents communicate to the host who they are entrusting to pick up their child, but also a matching, numbered, tear-off stub could serve as further verification in case the hosts have never met the grandparent before.

So, where's the fun amongst all this safety stuff? Like we said before, kids love to wear wristbands. They love the bright, colors and fun designs. And, we've got plenty to choose from! We offer more than 100 combinations of designs and colors so you can find the perfect child safety wristband for your field trip or event. Wearing a colorful wristband with a cool design makes kids feel important—like they are part of a special club. Don't be surprised if they show 'em off just a little bit, either. They are sure to wear their wristband weeks or even months after the adventure is done, savoring and treasuring the memories. When they finally decide to remove their wristband, children can save it as a keepsake of a fun day away from the classroom—good times spent with their friends and teachers or family.

Bright Colors Are Highly Visible

When it comes to planning events and parties, one key to a smooth-running event is wristbands. Tyvek wristbands are inexpensive and can be the final touch to ensuring a successful, well-organized event. After all, the main priority when throwing a party or event is that every guest can easily get in and has a great time.

Tyvek wristbands often only cost several cents per wristband. Very economical! Although they are strong—water-resistant and tear-resistant—Tyvek wristbands are ideal for short-term use, like a party or event, because they’re not quite as durable as plastic or vinyl. They’re made of Tyvek®, which is a synthetic fiber material produced by DuPont. The strong adhesive closure and “tamper cuts” on a Tyvek wristband causes it to shred if someone tries to remove it.

Tyvek wristbands are available in a wide range of highly visible, bright colors. They are ideal for quick and easy identification of your paid or authorized guests. If you have several different groups of people you would like to distinguish between at your event—whether it be age groups or facilities access—Tyvek wristbands are ideal.

Tyvek wristbands are extremely useful for age identification at events where alcohol is served. Security staff can check IDs just once upon entry into the event. They apply a non-transferable wristband of a designated color to identify those who are of legal age to drink alcohol. Those under the legal drinking age wear a different colored Tyvek wristband. By having a bouncer or greeter checking IDs just once at the door, servers can quickly identify who they can serve without rechecking IDs each time. If you have concession stands, the lines move faster. If you have wait staff assigned to tables, they can move between tables quicker because one step at each table is removed. It's just a whole lot more efficient for everyone. By saving time, your guests are likely to spend more money, too.

Another great reason to use the bright colors of custom paper wrist bands is to easily distinguish between guests, staff and entertainment. Guests may only have access to the main event room, while staff has additional access to the kitchen, control room, and backstage. Performers plus their set-up crew may have access to the same areas as event staff, but by distinguishing themselves with a uniquely colored Tyvek wristband, event staff can easily identify them and provide any needed assistance. You might also have guests who have special privileges. Perhaps there are guests with VIP seats or backstage passes to meet the performers. These guests should have their own unique, brightly colored Tyvek wristband.

Using Tyvek wristbands in a variety of bright colors to designate various groups of people is extremely helpful to security and wait staff. Bright colors are highly visible making it easy for staff to identify the person in front of them. They know whether to politely steer a guest back to the event room or offer assistance to the performer's sound engineer. Giving staff the ability to identify people at an event can enhance customer service and tighten security. Additionally, you can use Tyvek wristbands for marketing.

Whether you want to promote school spirit, a charity or a company at your next event, a great way to do it, while also preventing counterfeit wristbands and party crashers, is custom printed Tyvek wristbands. Just add the logo of your school, charity or company, to the brightly colored wristband, and then include the date of the event. For an added touch and some additional revenue, you can also include sponsor logos. Consider it advertising space. It's a great way to cover the costs of your wristband program. Guests will be wearing the wristbands for hours, days, and possibly even weeks after the event is over. Imprinting logos on Tyvek wristbands is a highly effective promotion technique.

Next time you plan an event or party for school, work or charity, keep the bright colors of Tyvek wristbands in mind. Not only can their high visibility assist in keeping track of guests, but they can also strengthen security and be used to promote your school, business or cause. Tyvek wristbands wrap organization, fun, security and marketing into one simple-to-wear, brightly colored package. 

Nine Wise Reasons for All-Inclusive Resorts to Use All-in-One Wristbands

Orig Article: All-in-One Wristbands for All-Inclusive Resorts

All-in-one wristbands are a wise business choice for all-inclusive resorts. Constructed of multi-layered vinyl for unbeatable strength, durability, and comfort, PDC vinyl wristbands are not only ideal for multiple days of active fun at all-inclusive resorts, but also provide numerous benefits to both guests and personnel. Following are nine wise reasons why vinyl wristbands are a wise choice for all-inclusive resorts to put to use:

1.       Improve security. Vinyl wristbands make identifying guests quick and easy, adding an extra layer of security to resort grounds. Since vinyl wristbands are colorful, durable, and non-transferable, personnel can easily identify guests and non-guests stand out like a sore thumb. With just a glance at the wrist, staff can quickly spot any suspected trespassers.

2.       Lost children identification program. Do you remember that feeling when you were a kid—looking up to say something to your parents, but they were gone? Getting lost is scary—for both the child and his or her parents. Vinyl wristbands enable parents to take a proactive approach just in case their child wanders away from them and gets lost at the resort. Using a permanent marker, parents can write their child's name, their own names, their cell phone number and room number directly on the vinyl wristband. If a child is lost, resort staff can reunite them with their parents in no time at all.

3.       Age identification for special access. If alcohol is served at the resort, identification can be verified at check-in. Anyone aged 21 and over can be given a distinctly colored vinyl wristband to wear so that bartenders and wait staff know it is okay to serve them alcoholic beverages. It eliminates the need for staff to check IDs over and over again. Maybe kids in specific age groups get different colored wristbands, too. Ages 0 – 5 are allowed in the "kiddie pool" while ages 6 and up are allowed on big slides. These strategies help staff do their jobs more effectively while also making guests feel like they belong to part of a group.

4.       Prevent counterfeits and frauds. You can custom print the all-inclusive resort's logo, a sponsor's logo, and/or any promotions directly onto vinyl wristbands. It is an effective way to prevent counterfeiters from freely using accommodations, participating in events at the resort or taking advantage of special discounts. It's yet another level of security.

5.       Control access to private events. All-inclusive resorts are often host to corporate events, special events, and weddings. Custom vinyl wristbands can assist staff to control access to rooms where these events take place. Neither general resort guests nor the public will be able to get in—keeping the event a private affair.

6.       Durable and waterproof. Sometimes having fun involves heavy exposure to sun, sand, dirt, sweat and water. Because vinyl wristbands are waterproof and extremely durable, they can be worn for several days or even rubber wristbands a couple weeks and endure every moment of fun guests experience. All-inclusive resort guests can fly down water slides all day, swim until their fingers are wrinkled or go on numerous outdoor adventures without worry of destroying their wristband. Vinyl wristbands can survive any wear and tear. They are so strong that cutting the wristband with pair of scissors is about the only way to remove it.

7.       Enhance brand image. How about a walking advertisement? Custom printing onto vinyl wristbands can achieve just that. When guests participate in off-resort activities, their wristband with an imprinted logo is sure to catch the eye of people they encounter igniting conversations, which will lead to a first-hand testimonial about the all-inclusive resort. Nothing works better than word of mouth advertising!

8.       Sponsorships for joint promotions. Many sponsors are willing to help pay for all-inclusive resort wristband programs if their logo or special promotion is imprinted on the vinyl wristband. It's a lot like selling advertising space. Guests are introduced to the sponsor as soon as the vinyl wristband goes on their wrist—and reminded of the sponsor every time they look at their wrist. Just like the all-inclusive-resort, sponsors also get the benefit of word-of-mouth advertising when guests step out to enjoy adventures off resort grounds.

9.       Keepsakes. Since vinyl wristbands come in vibrant colors and cool designs, they make for great keepsakes. Guests often wear their wristbands weeks or months after their stay, holding onto memories of a fun get-away with their family or friends. For all-inclusive resorts, the extended wear of vinyl wristbands—long after guests have checked out—is bonus advertising at work.

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