GSA FAS QR Code

Mobile Gov Experiences are agency stories about creating anytime, anywhere, any device government services and info. This entry is a story shared by GSA.

The General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service Customer Accounts and Research (CAR) Office created a QR codes presentation for the 2011 GSA Expo to teach government attendees about the benefits of using QR codes to interact with their customers.

Why We Did It

GSA FAS CAR Office developed the QR codes presentation to show how government agencies can use technology to engage the customer in new ways. GSA FAS CAR also considered the use of QR codes as a good way to introduce organizations to mobile technologies.

What We Did

GSA FAS CAR developed an “Interact Central booth to educate attendees on how to use QR codes. The QR code they developed for the Expo went to a mobile friendly welcome site on GSA Interact which showed a welcome page and a video. Expo users also encountered QR codes at the following locations:

• At the GSA Flagship – to access digital publications (PDFs) or register for specific buying interests
• In the GSA training rooms – to access electronic copies of the training presentations
• At the GSA Publications booth – to access hundreds of publications (PDFs) or order a hard copy

How We Did It

Two months prior to the Expo, GSA FAS CAR began the project with a software review of QR code generators. Based on the tight timeline, they restricted their search to previously approved QR code generators that had acceptable terms of service. GSA FAS CAR worked closely with their Legal department to make sure the chosen vendor’s terms of service met with the legal department’s approval.

GSA FAS CAR also developed a mobile friendly site on GSA Interact with a welcome page and created a video featuring the FAS Commissioner, Steve Kempf, that would be supported on various mobile platforms, including Blackberry. The GSA FAS CAR advertised on the GSA Expo web site that QR codes would be used at the Expo and provided links to QR readers and information on how to use them. At the Expo, GSA FAS CAR staff trained Expo workers on the use of QR codes and also staffed a booth that would help participants download and use the QR reader.

What We Learned

QR Codes can provide a mobile-friendly way to advertise your products and services and it is very iimportant for the QR code to link to a mobile-friendly site in order to provide the best customer experience.

What’s Next

GSA FAS CIO has developed a QR code generator for FAS that can be used more broadly than FAS when feasible. QR Codes (PowerPoint presentation, 2 MB, 19 slides)