Are QR codes confusing to you? They were confusing to us at first, too. Mostly, we found them confusing because, at Confero, we use the term Quality Review (QR) to refer to our detailed process of quality assurance for each mystery shopping or audit report. We are now getting used to seeing “QR” (Quick Response) codes everywhere. If you have customers who have Smartphones, “QR Code” is a good term to understand.

QR codes are those odd looking square patterns that seem to be cropping up everywhere. If you have not noticed one, look at most any print magazine ad and you’ll find one easily.

 Here’s how they work:

1. The QR code is developed and printed on ads, brochures, customer surveys, POP, etc.
2. The QR code has a link embedded into it, usually to a website, video or additional content.
3. A Smartphone user may download a free QR code reader app. Just search your phone’s app store for “QR Code Reader” for a list of choices.
4. A Smartphone user then opens the app, uses it to take a photo of the QR code.
5. The website, video or content comes up on the Smartphone.

Now, you may ask, what does this mean for you? For your customers? Here are a few examples of how QR codes can change how your customers engage with your business:

• A big ticket item’s QR code can link to detailed information, customer ratings or online price comparison sites.
• A restaurant’s QR code can link to an email coupon marketing sign up.
• A bank’s POP about various accounts might include a QR code for each one with detailed information and required financial disclosures.
• A QR code can link to your mobile customer survey.

At Confero, we’re using these codes to help clients engage with customers more easily and quickly. We use QR codes to:

• Link to mobile customer surveys.
• Link to mobile manager or store visit reports.
• Link to our own marketing materials.
   

To see how this works, use your Smartphone reader app to click on the QR codes shown at the top of this post.

Note: QR codes are usually used in print media because they bridge the gap between the print world and the digital world. However, most QR code readers will recognize a QR code on a computer screen anyway. Therefore, if you’d like to see these samples, you most likely won’t have to print this page in order to try the QR code.