Card system for members.

[secplus]

Ok, I have a client that wants to install a card system for his "bar". I need something with the ability of showing if the member has paid his dues or not. I have no clue where to start looking, so I'm asking for help...thanks!!

 

[zero-degrees]

Ok, I have a client that wants to install a card system for his "bar". I need something with the ability of showing if the member has paid his dues or not. I have no clue where to start looking, so I'm asking for help...thanks!!

This is an extremely vague question with little additional information to help secure an answer, not to mention I'm not sure this is the correct place to get a question like this answered - this isn't exactly an IP Cam question.

However, with that said depending on the POS system they run they may have the ability to add on a module that will handle this. Aloha and Micros are two of the largest POS manufactures in the restaurant and bar industry. I tested a Micros system a few years ago in my brewery, however I was able to find a comparable solution for about half the cost in a smaller companies offering. Both Micro's and Aloha as well as the system I run by Upsolutions offer a "membership" program module that will allow you to issue membership cards and track spending or load rewards. I'm not sure if they would support a "balance due" type situation however the best advice I can give is look into the POS system they run and what if any options it offers.

 

[secplus]

No, no POS, I don't need a text-overlay device. Essentially this is what the client wants to do:

They have a members only place. They want a system that when the member comes, he has to scan a card at the front door to gain access, as long as his "dues" are paid up to date. There is to be a monitor in the bar area where the bartender can see if the member is active, late, or past due for payment. I know this is a IP cam talk, but most of us don't only do cameras, so I figured someone else might have run into something like this before and can give me some sort of start on where to look.

Thank you.

 

[zero-degrees]

So @secplus it sounds like you want access control that is linked to some sorta billing platform. I promise I'm not trying to over complicate this. There are several membership programs out there however based on what your stating you need the following. Also I'm not sure why you referred to the POS - Point of Sale as a "text-overlay device", thats not exactly what a POS is. POS devices can do 90% of what you want here, expect the access control portion.

1. Access control that allows a user in and out of a secure building.
2. Access cards are only active if dues are paid - without paid dues the user can't access the building
3. The monitor in the bar area will show when cards are scanned and if they are current, late, or past due - however if they are late or past due wouldn't that not all them access to the building?
4. When a user pays how/who updates the system?

I've seen solutions to portions of this scenario however I haven't seen a combination solution.

 

[secplus]

So @secplus it sounds like you want access control that is linked to some sorta billing platform. I promise I'm not trying to over complicate this. There are several membership programs out there however based on what your stating you need the following. Also I'm not sure why you referred to the POS - Point of Sale as a "text-overlay device", thats not exactly what a POS is. POS devices can do 90% of what you want here, expect the access control portion.

1. Access control that allows a user in and out of a secure building.
2. Access cards are only active if dues are paid - without paid dues the user can't access the building
3. The monitor in the bar area will show when cards are scanned and if they are current, late, or past due - however if they are late or past due wouldn't that not all them access to the building?
4. When a user pays how/who updates the system?

I've seen solutions to portions of this scenario however I haven't seen a combination solution.

You know, ok, let me try to simplify what I'm looking for. When I said "text overlay device" I meant it as one of those AVE boxes that overlay the transaction on the camera screen. My apologies, but it is the 1st, and I'm still a little hung over...

alright, the layout of the place is like this:

Front door, that leads to a small foyer area where you check in your coat, which then leads to another door that allows access to the main bar area. At the bar, the member hands in his card, the bartender scans it, and the software will tell them if they are paid up or not.

The whole door access part of it was a request that the owner had in case it was possible, but like you said, I haven't found a "universal" solution to this. So I will recommend not to implement this if I can't find a solution.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions btw Zero-degrees.

 

[zero-degrees]

Got it - You may want to look into some RFID card reader/writers then. Very small device the size of a coaster that when a card is placed on it, it either reads the data, or reprograms the data. Also you can order custom designed cards - size of credit cards, so the bar owner could personalize and customize the cards if he wanted. Basically if the member pays a 30/60/90 day or 1 year membership due then when the card is programmed it has the users name and exp date etc. When the user comes back in and scans his card it will show the expiration date and the bar tender will know the status at that time. These re driven off a basic PC via USB. Hope this helps some what.

 

[alphawave7]

My storage facility runs an access system called Falcon/PTI, which appears to do some of what you want..it even has ability to receive payment/swipe right at the access point:
http://www.ptisecurity.com/solutions/payxpress/
A camera view is actually built into the keypad box, so a monitor at the bar can see all access attempts, as well as a pushbutton mic/speaker for two-way comm. HTH!

edit: That little hole you see just above the keys is a camera on my storage unit's keypad.