You may have seen these strange, blocky-looking square icons popping up in various places and wondered what they’re supposed to mean. They’re called QR codes and they form the basis for a new trend in mobile communications that could benefit your business in interesting ways.
QR (or “Quick Response”) codes are essentially the next generation in bar codes. They’re also known as 2-dimensional bar codes because scanning devices read the pattern both horizontally and vertically. Compared to the familiar UPC-type bar code that consists of a single row of lines, a QR code can store a much larger amount of data in a compact area.
QR code technology was originally developed in the mid-1990s for use in Japanese manufacturing, and was then adopted in the shipping business as an ideal means of tracking parcels. The need for specialized scanning equipment previously restricted QR codes to industrial and institutional use, until a popular new invention came along: the camera-equipped smartphone.
Now consumers can have easy interactions with the technology by taking pictures of QR codes and using software on their mobile device to decode and use the stored data. The end result might be a link to a web address, a special offer or some type of electronic transaction.
QR codes can serve as a convenient shortcut between the physical world and the online world. It’s like having the ability to insert hyperlinks in our everyday surroundings, which is especially helpful for directing people to a lengthy, database-driven URL that would be impractical to write down or type into a browser.
Signs posted on homes for sale make a great example. A prospective buyer can simply can simply scan a QR code on the “For Sale” sign to get immediate details about the property instead of having to look up listings on the real estate agent’s site or try a hit-or-miss search on Google.
But QR codes have wide-ranging potential uses besides delivering web links. Here are a few examples of other business applications:
Conferences and tradeshows can print identifying QR codes on attendees’ name badges. When people meet and wish to exchange contact information, they can simply scan each other’s badges instead of trading business cards.
A number of airlines including Continental, American, Delta and United are offering “mobile boarding pass” and “paperless boarding” options using QR code technology. Passengers receive a virtual boarding pass on their phones that can be scanned at airport security checkpoints without needing to be printed out.
Google has created a system of Google Favorite Places as a feature of Google Maps. Businesses can place QR codes in their store windows or ads linking to their corresponding Google Place Page, where people can find detailed information, customer reviews, special offers, etc.
Companies like QRickets and EventBrite are introducing systems for organizing events online and sending electronic tickets to attendees in the form of QR codes to be scanned for admission.
QR codes can be used to facilitate online payments. A company called PortaPayments generates QR codes that link to a pre-populated PayPal payment form. This makes it possible to set up a virtual tip jar or print QR codes on invoices for easy payment.
Want to learn more? Contact Signal to discuss how clever innovations with QR codes might be Quite Right for your business.