About QR Services

General

QR services are an environment to count all kinds of goods and services distributed. When people receive anything and you want to make sure everyone gets one but not plenty of the items, you can use QR services. It can be goods like clothes, shoes, food items, or a slot for a shower or the use of a washing machine. Even a virtual currency is included where people can receive and pay with virtual money.

How it works

First, people have to receive a QR card. (More about registering below). After the person has a card, any NGO can create a service. This service sets the parameters for what the card holder is entitled to. Let's have an example: Every card holder should have the right for three cup of tea per day. For that a new service is created "tea", with parameters 3 items, frequency 1 day. When people come for tea, the card is scanned with a phone and the person gets a tea. When the person comes a second time, the the phone will show that the person had a tea already, etc. Another example: Winter shoes. In that case the parameters are set to 1 item in 360 days. If the person comes to collect the shoes. If the person comes again, the service will show that the person already got some shoes.

Requirements

After setting up the service (with help from us), all you need is a phone from us and Internet connection. The checking of QR codes is done by web, not by app. (iPhones don't work AFAIK).

Collaboration

As the service works via Internet, different outlets can cooperate.

Usage

The services are useful when there are many, 500 plus, people around for a longer time. For few people and smaller numbers it is less useful as the same people will not ask for a service twice or those in charge know what they distributed to whom.

Surveillance

As much as I detest a police state where everything is controlled, the service is thought to make sure that all people in need receive their fair share. If the number of people in need is high and misuse becomes common, it might be meaningful to use this system to limit abuse.

Useful cases

This are situations where the service can be helpful

Food distribution

Food distribution for many people where there is not enough. The service ensures that everybody gets one and no ali baba ...

Queues

The service can manage queues with preprinted numbers. The people get their number (ticket) and then they do not have to stand in line but can wait until their number is called. (needs a printer for the tickets).

Slots

Pre-given slots for showers or washing machine usage or any appointment can be created

Precious items

If you want to prevent that people will sell expensive items like winter shoes or winter jackets on the black market whilst others don't receive any.

Goods for vulnerable

The service has sophisticated options like giving out diapers per age with quantity based on the age. The card stores the baby's age so that the up to 3 months old get more diapers than the 6 months old, etc. This sounds silly on first look but if there are many people and the diapers outlet has to check papers in each case, the task becomes very slow. With the diapers service it only takes 2 seconds to get the approved amount. That makes distribution much faster and efficient.

virtual currency

If many services are offered in a e.g. a day centre, services can work on virtual currency where the card holder pays.

Registration

The ease and comfort of the services have their price. That the services work well, proper registration, i.e. issuing of cards are needed. This is a difficult task as the card issuer has to find ways to identify to high certainty that a card holder is the right card holder. This project works only when there is sufficient use, otherwise the amount of work to create and maintain the cards properly will surpass the benefit.

Please contact us for using QR Services and issuing cards.