Trico turns to Smartphone technology
Trico has turned to Smartphone technology to simplify wiper selction with the introduction of another innovation to the European automotive aftermarket to help consumers and technicians quickly and easily find the parts they need for their vehicle at the point of sale.
Trico’s parts catalogues now feature dedicated QR codes, linked to ‘mobile’ website-based interactive blade catalogues. By simply entering make, model and year, users can select the appropriate replacement blades. There are separate blade catalogues for the company’s Premium, Mid and Heavy Duty product ranges.
QR codes are rapidly gaining acceptance amongst users of smart phones as they enable a quick and easy method of accessing website pages without the need to remember, or type in, long URLs. Simply holding the smartphone over the printed QR code will focus the phone’s reader and fire the web page. There are a number of free code reader apps readily available to both iPhone and Android users.
Nigel Cole, Trico’s Director of Aftermarket Operations, Europe, commented: “Operating right across Europe presents us with constant challenges with regard to languages when we design and produce marketing and point of sale materials. We believe we were the first wiper blade manufacturer to devise a catalogue that’s primarily graphic, rather than language based. We have a long history of anticipating trends with first-to-market wiper products and technologies, the introduction of QR codes further demonstrates our drive to make blade selection as easy as possible for the widest possible spread of customers right across the region.”
“These codes will also help us in-store as they remove the need for retailers to stock printed reference catalogues or provide space-hungry point of sale selection guides. A QR code on the product stand is all that’s needed for the customer to access the complete range as and when he wants” he continued.
The interactive blade selectors are an adaptation of Trico’s proven online blade catalogue that can be accessed through the main website, www.trico.eu.com, with streamlined operation and minimal text content, specifically for mobile users. Most blades can be selected within 30 seconds of firing the site code.
Trico aftermarket products are distributed throughout Europe by a network of over 200 distributors in 36 countries, and are available in a wide variety of end-user outlets from independent garages and body repair shops to motor factors and retail parts and accessory stores.