Small businesses have been dealt a horrible hand this year. COVID-19 has caused closures and lockdowns, realigned business thinking and a lot of reassessing and reevaluating.
For those small businesses that have survived the pitfalls of 2020, Australia is starting to open up more broadly, and trade, in particular, is being encouraged.
The key for these small businesses is to ensure they can now stay open and not risk having to close again. These operators have dug deep in their pockets to keep the lights on, and now they must embrace all tools and technologies to aid in their economic recovery.
One piece of technology small businesses are implementing is the QR code. A QR code (quick response code) is similar to a barcode. It provides information via a matrix that can be read by a smartphone’s camera.
Customers are encouraged to “check-in” via the unique QR code system that businesses can adopt – here we have some level of knowledge of who has visited your establishment, as long as all the contact information is entered correctly.
QR codes became mandatory across New South Wales in late November, making it compulsory for cafes and restaurants to electronically check in each guest.
Similarly, the Victorian Government is currently developing a specific QR code check-in system that hospitality and retails stores will be asked to use, so data can be linked to the State’s new contact tracing system. The system will hopefully integrate into the existing Salesforce contact tracing program.
The QR system is the first line of defence in keeping the doors of small businesses open but it doesn’t provide a fully comprehensive and safeguarded solution to protect business owners in the fight against COVID-19 outbreaks.
The QR code is reliant on human engagement and commitment to “checking in”, while there is also no mandatory “check-out” component. This leads to queries around data being sold to other companies and whether or not the QR system is compliant with Australian Privacy Act and GDPR regulations.
Additionally, as the respondent for the QR Contact Tracing program typically lies with the Department of Health, positive cases may end up being notified several days later. This dilemma means the positive case has spent a substantial amount of time in the community and other establishments – as we know, breeding grounds for locally acquired transmission.
Importantly, the QR code doesn’t consider proximity data to other users. This means that in the case of an outbreak the whole business – particularly those in hospitality – will have to close, deep clean and those deemed close contacts will then be informed, regardless of how close you actually were to the outbreak.
Solutions that help Australia get back to business and quell further COVID-19 outbreaks have to be robust, include informed consent and give the power of privacy, trust and reliability back into the hands of Australian businesses and customers alike.
If you’re a small business, staying open and having a constant flow of traffic and customers will be of paramount importance. QR codes, hand sanitiser, social distancing and face coverings are just the start, you must protect your business with technological advancements and any additional precautionary measures that can be put in place.
Nick O’Halloran, Co-Founder, Contact Harald
