When barcodes were invented in the late 1940s they developed to become excellent tools for reading data quickly. However, the market still called for a more complex system of decoding information. This is when "Quick Response" (QR) code was invented. Unlike barcodes, QR-Codes are two dimensional, which means they can store information in both the vertical and horizontal directions. So, a QR-Code can contain greater volumes of data than a standard barcode and connects via people's Smartphones to information stored online such as videos, music and websites.
At present, QR-Codes are being used in magazines, advertisements and promotional campaigns for providing information, directions, links, maps and the like to its end-users and can be easily generated for free using QR-code generators. As creating and using these codes is very cost-effective this technology is useful for most businesses and particularly Non-Profit Organizations as they can use QR-Codes to support their work in endless ways.
Engage Visitors at Museums
Place a code next to a painting or object in the museum. Visitors can scan the code to find out more about the artist, watch a Youtube clip about the time period or perhaps receive an instant promotional message on their phones giving them discount in the café or direction to another part of the exhibition. Alternatively, provide a call to action when a visitor scan the QR-Code to for example "Like" or "Recommend" the exhibition on your Facebook page.
Involve Tourists at Sightseeing Tours
Mount metal decals or signs on specific areas of a tour so tourists can scan and discover even more about the area or particular building. These decals could even act as a "Virtual Guide" to give visitors new directions on Google Maps to the next location accompanied with additional details. If you wish to enhance the user experience even further, then why not link each QR-Code to a specific Tweet which deals with that part of the tour which the group could reply to. This way you remain involved with your consumer even if you are not present.
At universities and colleges
Universities and schools could make great use of QR-Code technology by adding QR-Codes to badges or T-shirts for Fresher's Week, concerts or other events. Students can scan each other's code to discover more about each other by accessing for example their Facebook or Twitter pages.
QR codes have already seen a rise in popularity during 2010-2011 with more and more companies using them to promote their products, but the way QR-Codes are utilized is still only in its infancy. Is Quick Response codes really only an advertising tool or could QR-Codes be used to engage your office staff or provide information at conferences? How can you use this affordable technology to engage consumers with your ideas, products, events or services?