Should you use QR codes for customer feedback?
To QR Code or not QR Code is a timely question for any brand these days. As a college or university, you may also be scratching your head, wondering if this is still a relevant trend worth investing time and energy into adopting on campus.
QR Codes have been around since 1994 if you can believe it. They really became popularized in the 2010s before waning to obscurity. Then, in 2021 you have seen a resurgence in QR Code usage among marketers to share information with customers and lead to a direct call to action.
In the COVID pandemic era, QR codes offered a contactless way for brands to connect with customers digitally. You can’t go into a restaurant these days without seeing a QR code to access the menu, for instance.
So, what role can QR Codes play in your on-campus businesses? And should you use them? Here are four compelling reasons why QR Codes are a good choice these days and their outlook in the year ahead.
They Can Provide Direct Access to a Webform
Do you have something you want your students to sign up for? What better way to get them to fill out a form than simply throwing up a QR Code that will take them directly to it?
From event sign-ups to subscription opt-ins, a QR Code can help you capture many people just by having one flyer up somewhere your students are frequenting. They may not check their emails, but if they see a flyer and are interested, it’s easy for them to take out their phone and take the necessary action right then and there.
QR Code Readers Come Standard These Days
The technology itself for QR Codes is old hat, and all the latest cell phones have QR Code readers built right into their cameras. The Google Pixel and iPhone cameras read QR codes instantly and then populate the web address right on your screen.
Knowing that this technology now comes standard rather than needing to download a separate app to read QR codes means it will only become more accessible and easier for people to use. And the easier things are, the more they get used.
Get Clearer Student Feedback
SMS feedback is super convenient and doesn’t require the internet, but QR Codes can take feedback collection to the next level. This is because you can link the QR Code directly to a multi-question or open-ended web form.
Things like, “How was your meal?” with a QR code on a receipt or just sitting in the dining hall make it easy for students and staff to rate their experience. Or after an event or special presentation, showing a QR code on the screen that students can scan to offer real-time feedback for what they just attended. It’s easy, and it’s inexpensive. It’s a no-brainer.
Log Complaints and Issues More Easily
Ever go into a restroom that was out of something you needed or where there was an issue with a sink or toilet? You want to report these things, but how likely would you be to tell someone if there is no one around? With a QR Code up in a staffless bathroom, students and staff can easily report an issue that maintenance workers can resolve right away.
Many of our clients use QR Codes for this very reason through our FixIT solution. Essentially any self-service can use these with great success from bathrooms, vending machines, parking lots, and other unattended areas. They give your customers a direct pathway to report issues, and that’s a win-win for everyone so that problems can get resolved quickly and effectively.
Conclusion
QR Codes will probably only get more exciting as time goes on. With their popularity growing in the eCommerce space and the sustainability appeal it offers by allowing brands to go paperless, QR Codes are poised to stick around. Marketers will undoubtedly leverage this technology to improve customer experiences, facilitate more robust, action-oriented campaigns that make digital and print ads shoppable, and drive people to download apps more effectively.
QR Codes are the one technology that plays well with all other forms of communication from print to direct mail, online, and in-person. It’s highly customizable, cost-effective, and highly measurable with the right back-end tracking and reporting. There is no good reason not to use QR Codes as part of your overall marketing and customer satisfaction strategy.
If you’re ready to implement a student experience program on your campus using QR Codes, be sure to reach out to us here at Touchwork to unlock what’s possible.
