The Mobile Barcode Value Chain

Introduction
The Mobile Barcode converts online- and mobile interaction to a location. It’s a new way of distributing tickets to start a journey or enter a venue to visit: Concerts, Events, Movies, etc. But it also converts online interaction into traffic to Shops using a Mobile Coupons or enhancing Loyalty.

Mbarc as Auto-ID solutions manufacturer often gets the question what is needed to implement Mobile Barcoding. This article explains in general what parts of the chain are needed to enable your business with the new opportunities of the Mobile Barcode. We follow the Mobile Barcode Value Chain from the first interaction with the user.

Step 1: Initiation
Depending on the nature of the solution you can enter your phone number and mobile phone brand (and model) on the Internet or by sending a SMS with key-word and phone brand. The interaction on the Internet can be part of a booking application for instance when booking and paying a ticket as explained on the SMS Ticketing page. The Interaction on your mobile can be part of a marketing action on location as explained on the SMS Couponing page. Many cross over solutions are possible too.

Step 2: Internet- and/or Mobile Platforms
The Interaction with the customer runs on an existing Internet- and Mobile Services Platforms. These platforms range from Airline Ticketing Platforms to Mobile Marketing Platforms. Key element in these platforms is their ability to build up large databases with information and respond personalised engaging customers in better services.

The Market of Internet Platforms is a Multi Billion Market with very advanced options and diversified into various vertical markets adding a lot of value to many Brands, online retailers, etc. This Market is limited to online interaction and that is where Mobile Platforms are active combining the advanced options of online platforms with mobile interaction.

We see many Internet Platforms expand their business into Mobile to convert online Interaction into offline Interaction. This is where the Mobile Barcode Solutions are enabling many new opportunities. In the Mobile Barcode solutions the output of Internet- or Mobile Platforms is a “unique key”, a “key” representing a ticket to enter, a coupon to get discount or something else.

Step 3: The Mobile Barcode Gateway
First critical element to the Mobile Barcode Solution is the Mobile Barcode Gateway. Many Mobile Platforms specialized into generating and distributing graphic content to Mobile Phones face the same challenge: optimising content for every specific Mobile Phone that is out there or that is newly launched. The Mobile Barcode is the “unique key” delivered by the Internet- or Mobile Platform converted into a 1D- or 2D Barcode. This barcode is a graphic file that needs to be optimized by the Mobile Barcode Gateway for every specific phone to ensure good scan ability on location. The Mobile Barcode Gateways are able to deliver Barcodes by SMS, MMS, WAP Push or other mobile distribution standards.

Companies specialised in The Mobile Barcode Gateway are Mbarc’s Partners. A growing number of partners that are located all over the world.

The Mobile Barcode is an open system; Mbarc’s Partners serve roughly 98% of all mobile phones. The Mobile Barcode is a paperless distribution method able to distribute Barcodes seconds before you want to enter.

Step 4: Scan- and Validation Solutions
Second critical element to the Mobile Barcode Solutions is the Scan- and Validation Solutions and this is Mbarc’s core business. Mbarc’s products are developed to scan Mobile Barcodes with the highest scan rate from all Mobile Phone screens and decode them into the “unique key” as generated by the Internet- or Mobile Platform in Step 1. Depending on the solution validation needs to be performed by the Mbarc device with the databases of the Internet- or Mobile Platform. In a ticketing solution a “check” needs to be made if the “unique Key” is not yet used earlier to enter- or start a journey. In a coupon solution the data from the “unique key” needs to be synchronised to enrich the customer’s profile.

The database can run offline on the Mbarc device, a local system or the Mbarc product approaches on a real time basis the central system for validation. The Mbarc product range is designed to enable any desired architecture for validation.

Scanning The Mobile Barcode is easy, accurate and self-service. Open the SMS, MMS or WAP page and put it on the scanner with the barcode facing the scanner. When it beep’s the scan is successful and after validation the Mbarc product will inform the customer about the validity of the Barcode. Based on the solution the Mbarc Product is integrated the interaction with the customer starts.

Step 5: The Handshake
During the validation process the real value of the Mobile Barcode solutions are made by the Internet- and Mobile Platforms. During the validation of the “unique key” there is a Handshake between: a known user (based on data of profile and historic interaction), a known location (based on data of Initiation phase) and with known action (based on data of Initiation phase) and a system. Based on this handshake an advanced system can respond real time, for instance combining a Mobile Ticket with real time travel info by SMS, like gate changes on Airports.

Step 6: Location
The Mobile Barcode converts online- and mobile interaction to a location. It’s a new way of distributing tickets to start a journey or enter a venue to visit: Concerts, Events, Movies, etc. But it also converts online interaction into traffic to Shops using a Mobile Coupons or enhancing Loyalty.

Mbarc and its partners are dedicated to serve end-to-end Mobile Barcode Solutions enabling cross channel and cross market services. We hope this article is clearing many answers about what is needed to implement Mobile Barcoding. Questions or interest please contact us info@mbarc.nl