QR codes, which stands for quick response codes, is a type of barcode that’s capable of storing information on the vertical and horizontal directions, as opposed to the standard barcode’s one directional method. QR codes saw their first use in the automative industry in Japan, but eventually made its way to other industries. The rise of mobile phones with built-in cameras that can easily read QR codes certainly helped with adoption.

Business Usage for QR codes

Businesses have plenty of reasons to consider using QR codes. Most smart phone owners recognize this information packed square and know how to scan one, so it’s easy to use these codes to get information about products, job openings, or other situational information to a wide audience. Another example of using these codes to pass along information is tying product codes to videos of product usage. You’ll show the customers practical applications of the products they’re interested in. Getting this information into their hands also gives you a way to sway those who may be on the fence about purchasing.

One of the big advantages of this technology, other than the amount of information they are capable of containing, is the fact that you don’t need an expensive scanner system to put them to use. QR code generators make it easy to create all the codes that you need, and it doesn’t take long to train your customers how to use them. While the more tech savvy of your clients and customers are the ones who understand the code usage first, it won’t take long before a wealth of information is accessible by everyone that crosses the code’s path with a smart phone.

If you’re more of a client driven company, QR codes are the perfect size to put on business cards. If you’re not using the back of a business card, that’s the perfect place for a QR code describing the products or services that you have to offer.

Getting started

QR codes offer a great deal of features and flexibility, so you might be wondering whether you should even keep standard barcodes around. The answer to that is – it depends. Most stores are already set up for barcode scanning, and shifting over to an entirely QR code based system would take a lot of time. It would also require equipment changes, which are never particularly cheap.

You aren’t going to be able to use barcodes the same way that you use QR codes, so it’s best to keep the two systems separate. Barcodes keep things organized for your store, your inventory, and your warehouses, so it’s best to keep it doing what it does best.

QR codes and barcodes both provide information to a scanner, but QR codes are going to see more and more use as smartphone usage rises across the world. The amount of information contained in them make it tempting in many applications, although bar codes will hang out in the inventory, retail point of sales, and warehousing world.

For more information on barcodes asset management systems, click here.