By Paul Berkovic, Co-Founder and CCO of Rayven

As the industry becomes increasingly tech-driven and swayed by sales periods that consumers plan around every year, retailers are being challenged with how to streamline and appropriately automate their operations.

This is where real-time data has become critical for retailers, and yet many are still failing to implement or use real-time data effectively. If retailers can get good, reliable, free-flowing, real-time data it’s possible to do much more than just improve their operations; they can transform the way they work, make processes more efficient, and drive better customer experiences across their organisations.

One area in which real-time data has become increasingly important is the integration of QR codes into retail and supply chain systems. The transition away from traditional barcodes means retailers now have thousands of QR codes to create, manage and update at any one time. Beyond the creation of the QR codes themselves, the other challenge is seeing QR codes as more than just a gimmick. Instead, retailers need to be thinking about how they can turn QR code data into a powerful way to streamline operations, track assets and engage customers at scale.

Here are a few things to look out for when building out your QR code strategy: 

  • Bulk QR code generation: Retailers are generating thousands of codes at once, therefore finding a way of efficiently doing this via automated batch creation will streamline processes for product labelling, event management, inventory tracking, and more.
  • Dynamic QR codes with real-time updates: QR codes should be dynamically linked to changing data, so that, for example, a QR code printed on packaging can provide updated product information or real-time inventory status by synching with your data platform. 
  • Personalised QR codes for customer engagement: Through integration with CRM systems, each customer interaction can have a unique, personalised QR code. This makes it possible to deliver individualised offers or content directly to customers.
  • Role-specific QR code access: Certain sensitive or proprietary information contained in a QR code should be given restricted access. A role-based access system will ensure that the data or actions associated with a QR code are only accessible to authorised users, even when deployed at scale across multiple locations.

Particularly during sales periods like Black Friday or Boxing Day, it’s important to not simply see QR codes as a marketing tool. Once integrated with real-time data and dynamic systems, QR codes can also drive efficiencies across the organisation, from inventory tracking to personalisation and security. 

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