Are you looking to connect your offline and online worlds seamlessly while driving customer engagement with your brand? Quick Response (QR) Codes might be the solution you’re looking for.
These pixelated squares have transformed how businesses link customers to digital resources, acting as bridges between physical and online spaces.
And the best part? They’re incredibly versatile. Whether you’re guiding customers to your website, social media, or checkout page, QR Codes offer a world of possibilities—and they’re easier to implement than you might think.
Keep reading to learn how QR Codes are used across industries to enhance customer experiences.
Note: All brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
1. Retail: Interactive in-store promotions
If you’re a retailer, you can elevate your in-store promotions by integrating QR Codes. By connecting your physical store with engaging digital content, you enhance the shopping experience, which can, in turn, drive sales.
There are many ways to use QR Codes in your store. You can:
- Add them to product displays for quick access to coupons or loyalty programs.
- Place them next to products to offer detailed information, like ingredients or tutorials.
- Position them throughout your store to unlock exclusive content from your marketing campaigns.
Rad Power Bikes, a brand known for electric bikes and great customer experiences, uses QR Codes to seamlessly direct in-store customers to their website during sales. This approach not only simplifies the customer journey but also increases the likelihood of conversions by making online purchasing more straightforward and accessible.
It’s worth noting that there are two main types of codes for your retail needs: Static and Dynamic QR Codes. The key difference is that Static codes are fixed and can’t be altered once created, while Dynamic codes are editable, offering more flexibility.
If you’re looking for a long-term solution that allows you to update the destination link—such as changing promotions, seasonal offerings, or product details—Dynamic QR Codes are ideal.
2. Hospitality: Contactless menus and payments
The hospitality industry has quickly embraced QR Codes, with roughly half of full-service restaurants using them for menus.
You can find these codes on traditional paper menus—some restaurants add them on these menus to direct customers to more detailed food and drink descriptions online—or even on tables. Embedding the codes on tables increases their longevity.
These digital menus improve the customer experience by enhancing convenience. With QR Code technology, customers simply scan designated codes to browse offerings and place their orders. This leads to faster service and greater order accuracy.
QR Codes also facilitate contactless payments, further boosting customer experiences, as this eliminates the need to carry cash or credit cards everywhere.
3. Education: Easy access to course materials
QR Codes are making waves in education, offering a fast and effortless way to share learning materials. Instead of printing endless handouts, simply link materials to QR Codes and place them around the classroom for students to scan.
These codes are not just cost-effective—they’re also incredibly adaptable. You can link to videos, images, websites, and other resources beyond the textbook, offering a richer educational experience.
The University of Texas at Arlington uses QR Codes in a clever yet practical way, making it easy for students to check study room availability and book their preferred spaces with a quick scan.
4. Events: Simplifying ticketing and entry
First impressions matter, especially at events. Your ticketing and check-in process sets the tone for what attendees can expect. After all, this is often the first point of direct contact between you and your customers.
QR Codes can help you start on the right foot by streamlining these processes—you can send these codes to attendees after ticket purchases and ask check-in staff to scan them during entry instead of manually checking each ticket. This not only cuts down on wait times but also keeps things running smoothly.
Want to make your QR codes work even harder? Dynamic QR Codes can seamlessly redirect attendees to guest speaker lists, bios, or event schedules, enhancing their experience as the event unfolds.
5. Real estate: Virtual tours and property details
As a real estate agent, coordinating property showings around everyone’s schedules can be challenging. QR Codes eliminate the hassle by offering potential buyers virtual tours and detailed property information anytime, anywhere—even across states or time zones.
Private Property Global, a luxury real estate agency in Sydney, has taken an innovative approach by using QR Codes in print ads. Instead of relying on lengthy text, they direct interested buyers to videos that provide more detailed information about their properties.
6. Healthcare: Streamlining patient information access
In the healthcare industry, QR Codes are revolutionizing how patients retrieve their records and manage appointments. Instead of dealing with physical paperwork, healthcare providers can generate QR Codes that lead patients to secure portals where they can find everything they need.
Telehealth providers also use QR Codes to provide quicker access to their services. Rather than waiting in line for a lengthy check-in process, patients can scan designated codes (which can be sent via email) at in-office kiosks to let staff know they’ve arrived.
7. Transportation: Contactless ticketing and information
QR Codes can be integrated into public transportation systems, like train and bus stops, for contactless ticketing. Instead of using magnetic stripe cards or paper tickets, passengers can download digital tickets with embedded codes on their mobile devices. This way, conductors can scan the codes to grant entry, or passengers can scan them at entry gates themselves, making the process smoother and more convenient.
QR Codes can also provide real-time schedules or route information which is perfect for when travelers are running late and need to know if their train is too.
8. Nonprofits: Facilitating donations
Whether fighting pollution, helping those in need, or saving animals, streamlining your donation process is key to encouraging more support. QR Codes can be a game-changer for your nonprofit, allowing supporters to scan and donate quickly via their mobile devices.
By linking codes to your donation page or a landing page explaining your cause, you make it easier for people to give. Include QR Codes on marketing materials like business cards, brochures, and direct mail. If you regularly hold fundraising events, project them on live displays or print them on event tickets to boost accessibility.
9. Tourism: Enhancing visitor experiences
Tour guides can only share so much information about new destinations, but QR Codes can enrich tourists’ experiences by offering more. These codes can direct visitors to historical facts, guided tours, and multimedia content like audio or video recordings.
Many destinations are already using QR Codes for these purposes. At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, QR Codes on trailhead signage link to short videos and more information about the park, enhancing the visitor experience.
10. Retail: Product authentication and traceability
Counterfeiting is a growing global concern, with 68% of consumers in 17 countries reporting being deceived into buying fake products in 2023. As counterfeiting threatens consumer trust, retailers must find ways to protect their brands.
QR Codes can play a crucial role in this effort, allowing customers to verify product authenticity and access traceability information before purchasing. Some manufacturers encode unique product identifiers in their codes, others add production details like production date and location, and others link the codes to certification and compliance data, making verification easier for customers. This builds trust and offers transparency amid rising concerns about counterfeit goods.
11. Fitness: Accessing workout plans and nutrition guides
QR codes have quickly become a valuable tool in the fitness industry. Gyms and instructors use them to share workout programs, nutrition guidance, and instructional videos, empowering clients to take control of their health and wellness.
But that’s just the beginning. Barry’s, a popular fitness studio with multiple locations across the U.S., uses QR Codes to direct clients to a page that helps them find their ideal bike settings every time they visit. This not only personalizes the workout experience but also streamlines the process, allowing staff to focus on more meaningful interactions with clients. By simplifying routine tasks, QR Codes help Barry’s maintain top-tier customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
The applications for QR Codes are virtually limitless in the fitness world. Whether you’re driving app downloads or amplifying your digital marketing efforts by linking to your social media profiles, they make it easy for fitness enthusiasts to stay connected and engaged with your brand.
12. Corporate: Streamlining employee onboarding
Gone are the days of bulky physical training manuals—say hello to a more efficient, paperless onboarding process. Today, you can streamline orientations by linking QR Codes to new employee materials, company policies, or training resources. This gives new hires quick, easy access to the information they need at any time.
To make this strategy effective, strategically place QR Codes in areas frequently used by new hires. Pair each code with clear calls to action (CTA) like, “Scan to access our company policies,” ensuring employees know exactly what each code offers.
Consider adding brief descriptions to help new team members quickly understand how these resources can support their integration into the company.
13. Museums and galleries: Interactive exhibits
Museums and galleries can elevate visitor engagement by using QR Codes to offer additional information, audio guides, or interactive content. For example, in a human evolution exhibit, unique codes can provide details about when artifacts were discovered, by whom, and why they are considered an important part of history.
Many institutions already benefit from this approach—like The National Museum of Scotland, which uses QR Codes for audio tours. These codes allow guests to explore trails at their own pace and make the museum experience more accessible, including for visually impaired visitors.
14. Automotive: Vehicle information and service history
Automotive dealers and service centers can use QR Codes to give customers instant access to vehicle details, service history, and maintenance tips. This not only enhances transparency but also boosts customer satisfaction by making critical information readily available at their fingertips.
By leveraging QR Codes, you streamline customer interactions, reducing the need for back-and-forth communication. You can also use these codes to schedule service appointments, offer special promotions, or even provide quick access to vehicle manuals.
15. Food and beverage: Traceability and ingredient information
Many manufacturers have incorporated QR Codes on food and beverage packaging, providing consumers with detailed ingredient origins, nutritional facts, and traceability information. Deoleo’s Bertolli and Carapelli are just two brands that use QR Codes to verify the quality and origin of their olive oils.
In this industry, QR Codes promote transparency and empower customers to make informed decisions. If you want to use them for this purpose, follow best practices such as:
- Link to up-to-date product information: Ensure QR Codes reflect the latest product or ingredient updates.
- Adhere to size guidelines: The minimum size for a QR Code is 2 cm x 2 cm.
- Position for optimal visibility: Place the code in an easily scannable location, like the center or top of the packaging.
- Keep the background clean: Avoid clutter around the code to improve scannability.
Drive innovation and efficiency with Bitly’s QR Code solutions
Whether you’re in the hospitality, medical, manufacturing, or events industry, there’s always room for better customer experiences and more efficient processes. QR Codes help by bridging the gap between physical and digital worlds. They can link to detailed menus, patient portals, product identifiers, tickets, and more!
With Bitly, there’s no limit to how you can use QR Code technology in your industry. We offer trackable, customizable Dynamic QR Codes that allow you to share everything from your contact information and website URL to more dynamic content like videos, empowering you to offer better experiences in your niche.
Ready to unlock the potential of QR Codes? Get started with Bitly today to create and track customized QR Codes that help you stand out in your industry.
