Quick response (QR) codes have been around for many years. They’re initially used in the vehicle industry to track parts. However, their uses have changed over the years. They’ve become an accepted marketing tool, especially in this contactless lifestyle.
Businesses now use these codes to direct users to sites, videos, and other crucial resources. However, one question remains: How can you use QR codes to boost your customer experience?
This article outlines what you need to know about QR codes. You’ll learn about their significant uses and how they can improve customer experience.
What Are The Types Of QR Codes?
QR codes are the advanced version of barcodes holding a wide range of information. Customers can scan the code and access the needed information using a smart device.
- Dynamic QR Code: You can edit content or URL here, saving you printing money and effort. It is mainly used to track metrics, making it ideal for collecting customer data. Thus, following the audit trail is easier, ensuring you have more profound insights into your marketing effort.
- Static QR Code: This type is fixed and can’t be edited once created. It usually keeps information such as workforce ID, event tickets, and one-time marketing campaigns.
Ways To Use QR Codes
QR code usage is limited only by your team’s imagination. Here are ways you can use QR codes in your operations:
- Incorporating Into Your Business Cards
A business card helps convey essential details such as the name, contact information, and site. However, when you put in such information, you’ll have a bulky card. But if you incorporate a QR code into your physical or electronic business card, you can easily share the necessary details without increasing the size. Additionally, it’ll be easier to track the number of visitors who access your site via the provided code.
- Product Manuals
This is another way you can use QR codes. For many years, businesses have been providing hardcopy manuals. Such instructions increased the printing cost. Also, the customer can easily lose them.
Embedding a QR code into your product makes it easier for customers to access the needed instructions. Additionally, you can put them on your sites or give access with a QR code from link and have customers access the manuals by scanning the code.
How Can QR Codes Boost Customer Experience?
Providing a better customer experience plays a massive role in influencing your customer base and, ultimately, your cash flow. Hence, businesses are always looking for ways to elevate the customer experience. The following are ways QR codes can boost customer experience:
- Gain Valuable Insights
Knowing where you’re going is challenging if you don’t understand your current standing. This is truer when you want to boost your customer experience. If you don’t have a deeper insight into your users’ shopping behaviors, elevating their experience is impossible.
Businesses have been sending surveys to record and track customer feedback for years. These manual processes were time-consuming and costly, which could reduce your overall effectiveness.
However, you can easily track and record customer data with a QR code. It allows you to create code-embedded fields where customers can leave their feedback. It also makes it easier to trace visitors’ browsing patterns.
Businesses can use these data insights to provide personalized approaches. Today, customers want to feel your company cares about them, and customization may help you achieve this.
However, you must adhere to the set standards when tracking and recording customer data. Otherwise, you risk exposing it to rivals. Also, non-compliance may lead to penalties, destroying your overall reputation.
- Remove Customer Journey Friction
Customer friction is any part of the shopping journey that makes it hard for them to place an order or use a product or service. In other words, customer friction is anything that stands in the way of the customer. It ranges from minor inconveniences to more extreme ones, such as security breaches.
Any friction may affect the customer experience, eventually lowering your sales. Here are ways QR codes may help reduce friction on the customer journey:
- Reduce Errors
Customers may be required to enter their account number when paying for a service or product. Manually typing may increase the chances of making an error. Results: This may lead to frustration, and they may skip the purchase.
However, they can quickly scan the bill if you incorporate a QR code, reducing the chances of making an error. This increases the speed and accuracy of the transaction and guarantees them a frictionless experience.
- Cut Down On Wait Times
Do you remember that one time you had to wait for hours before you could pay? Besides being time-consuming, you may brush shoulders with other shoppers, affecting the whole experience. However, embedding QR codes on your site makes it easier for customers to pay without waiting in long queues. Also, you can strategically place the check-out QR systems in your local stores, reducing traffic to the main cashier.
Reducing customer friction hugely influences your bottom line. It’ll be easier for them to do what they want, which includes placing an order.
- Offer Mobile Rebates
Rebates are one of the effective ways to offer discounts to your customers. However, utilizing the offer is usually a hassle. It may require the customer to mail it or go through a friction-filled online process, affecting the whole experience.
However, a QR code may help simplify the process. You can place mobile rebates on the receipt. Thus, customers can easily use their smartphones to scan the QR code and enjoy the discount.
Besides rebates, customers can use QR codes to enjoy coupons, giveaways, and other promotional programs. This will boost their shopping experience and save them some money.
Bottom Line
QR codes have become a crucial tool in the modern world. They provide you with a range of opportunities to enhance your customer experience. However, it’s necessary to research extensively to identify the ideal ways you can use QR codes to your advantage. With the right strategy in place, you can leverage these codes to build brand awareness, drive sales, and foster deeper connections with your customers.
About the Author
Emily Davis is a digital marketing specialist with a passion for exploring innovative ways to improve customer experience. With her expertise in QR code usage and other digital tools, Emily aims to help businesses of all sizes take advantage of the latest trends and strategies to succeed in today’s competitive market. When not working, she enjoys hiking, reading, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.
