The last few years have allowed us to witness a technological revolution, and there is nowhere that this has been more apparent and influential than in the world of mobile phones, smartphones, and tablets.
In a relatively short space of time, cell phones have gone from devices designed purely for making and taking calls to incredibly powerful portable computers, permanently attached to their owner.
Along with the developments in designs of smartphones themselves, there has also been an incredible rise in the popularity of apps and using these to make our lives faster, easier, and more effective.
QR codes have formed an essential element of this technology, and are now commonly seen and in use across a wide range of settings.
As the working world continues to change, a growing number of workplaces and businesses are constantly on the hunt for methods of streamlining existing processes, and making life faster, easier, and more efficient.
QR codes look set to play a key role in this, and can be used in a range of modes and ways.
What Are QR Codes?
We should kick things off by establishing just what we mean by a QR code – while the tiny black and white “squiggle” may be instantly recognizable, few of us acknowledge or understand its true power.
A QR code is actually a two-dimensional barcode; a series of numbers and characters that are used to store information about something, or someone.
Typically, they are found on products, packaging, posters, websites, billboards, and other places where text would normally go.
When scanned, those unique little squares that make QR codes so distinctive will not only tell you what product or company they belong to but how best to buy it, order it, or whatever else needs doing, all without leaving your phone screen.
You can even take a picture of them by touching the screen and choosing either the camera or scanner mode.
This latter option uses the barcode as if it was a physical object, recording both the distance and angle at which it is held relative to your device’s sensor.
In addition to letting you find out about the object itself, you can use QR codes to access websites, call businesses and pay bills – there are a huge number of possible applications.
There are a number of different versions of such codes: some are one-dimensional (with black-and-white bars), others are 2D (black-and-white squares), and even 3D (which can be stacked like building blocks).
Types Of QR Code
As you may expect, not all QR codes are identical. They typically fall into one of three categories, depending on how often users scan them:
Quick Response (QR)
These are generally the most common type of QR codes.
They were developed as a means of increasing efficiency within the retail industry, allowing quick scanning of a barcode directly onto a smartphone, tablet, or similar device.
The first QR code scanners sold for around $60, and since then prices have dropped considerably. These will most likely be the most suitable option for a school or workplace.
Data Matrix (DM)
A newer alternative to QR codes, data matrices allow companies and individuals to pack a lot of information into a single square. However, unlike QRs, DMs can’t be read automatically.
Instead, you need to download an app specifically written for reading data matrices; currently, the most popular software application is called BarCode Scanner Pro. There’s also an Android version available.
Aztec (AZTEC)
Like QR codes, Aztecs are usually smaller than DM codes, and have far higher resolution.
AZTs are used mostly in advertising campaigns and public relations work – their high resolution allows them to stand out from real QR codes, and therefore become much more eye-catching.
Because they’re so small, you don’t necessarily need a large area to place them – any adverts, flyers, or leaflets worth displaying can benefit from the extra attention they’ll attract.
Some people prefer to write them out using inkjet printers, instead of trying to fit all the details into a barcode.
Static Versus Dynamic QR Codes
As well as the types of codes seen above, you can also divide this technology into static and dynamic QR Codes.
Static QR Codes
As the name suggests, a static QR code cannot be overwritten or edited once it has been generated – once the information is in place, it remains fixed.
These types of QR codes tend to be popular in situations where the information does not need to be updated – such as the details of students – or for one-off events.
Popular uses for static QR codes include:
- Directing customers to your website – the code can be placed on flyers, billboards, and brochures
- Directing emails to a particular email address
- Directing customers to your phone number, and a pre-set message
- Display a coupon code or line of text
- Allow users to scan the code and access your contact information
- Connecting customers to Wi-Fi and saving the credentials in the recipient’s phone
Dynamic QR Codes
Dynamic QR codes, by contrast, can be edited as many times as required, without the headache and expense of reprinting codes each time.
This allows URLs and links to websites to be adjusted without the effort of a whole new print run, making things easier for businesses.
In some cases, dynamic QR codes can also be used to provide you with information regarding the number of times the code has been scanned, the exact location of the code scanning, and the operating system that was used – this can all be used to work on converting leads.
Using QR To Take Attendance
There are a number of ways that QR codes can be used by businesses and workplaces, and some of the most common examples include:
Employees Working From Home
QR codes can make it easier for your employees to work from home. They just need to enter their name into a computer and scan the QR code before starting to work.
Then, they can scan the QR code again when they finish for the day.
Each time they scan the QR Code, they enter their name and the necessary information is stored in a corresponding spreadsheet, and this is easy to check and access as required.
These details include the dates, times, and locations of the staff members, as well as the devices that they are using to work.
This method will help you manage who works where at any given time and ensure that everyone has completed his/her tasks on time.
You will also have full control over what they do all day long, so there won’t be any issues with non-compliance or absenteeism. This way, you don’t lose valuable time waiting around for them to get back to base.
If you use the same QR codes each day, then you don’t even need to worry about losing data. It’s already saved.
Visitors Passes
Businesses are busy places, and taking the time to print and check a Visitors pass for each visitor to the site can be a lengthy and time consuming process.
With a QR code, you can ask any guests to scan the code, and ensure that the details to this allow a Visitors pass to be printed automatically, saving your workplace time and money, while still retaining security.
This also makes it easier to see who is in a building at any given time, simply by accessing a single, simple database – if there is a fire or other emergency, this could make a significant difference.
Clocking In And Out
The benefits of a QR code do not only have to apply to your employees who are working from home; they can also be great for replacing traditional clocking in and out systems for employees who are working on site.
By setting up a QR code that is specifically programmed to allow users to clock in and out at any given time, you can make the whole process faster, easier and more effective – all that employees need to do is scan a particular QR code, and they will be instantly clocked into a workplace, with the time, location and name recorded.
Once again, this improves the efficiency of your workplace, but also helps to ensure that security and attendance are both consistently recorded across all staff in the business.
Final Thoughts
By switching to an app or service powered by QR codes, businesses and workplaces can significantly reduce administration costs, while ensuring staff attendance and management is carried out efficiently.
In fact, because there are no longer any fixed expenses associated with printing, distributing, and processing forms, business budgets could also be reduced in most cases.
