Pointr Express™¶
Many of our customers and converts have come to us in need of maps & wayfinding, but have one of two challenges: they don’t have an app, they’re having trouble driving app adoption.
Pointr Express™ lets you offer interactive maps and blue dot wayfinding for your building without requiring visitors to download an app and with no app integration work on your end.
Overview¶
Pointr Express™ utilizes app clip technology on iOS and lightweight experiences on Android. It provides instant access to maps, blue dot locations, and directions through scannable QR codes, URLs, or NFC tags. Users can access maps without downloading an app, eliminating the need for integration work. This approach saves development costs, enhances user adoption, and simplifies wayfinding.
Additionally, Pointr Express™ allows you to reach any mobile user, with or without an app. It encourages more mobile users to download your app by offering a “try before you buy” experience, boosting customer engagement.
See for yourself¶
Scan the QR code or click here to try the Pointr Express experience.
See Pointr Express in Action at Harrods
How it works¶
Here’s a quick guide to who handles what:
| Task | Client | Pointr |
|---|---|---|
| Provide CAD files of maps | ☑ | |
| Digitize maps | ☑ | |
| Create topology of AP’s and/or needed beacons | ☑ (If needed) | |
| Install Hardware (if required) | ☑ | ☑ (Assistance) |
| QA Strategy and Testing | ☑ | ☑ |
| Marketing Strategy | ☑ | ☑ |
| Success Metrics/KPI’s | ☑ | ☑ |
Common Use Cases:¶
- Find Points of Interest (POIs): Easily locate a specific facility and amenity in the building. Try it out: Catch Your Shuttle: Scan and Go
- Filter the Map by Category: Explore by category (food, shops, toilets, etc.) for focused browsing. Try it out: Need a Bite? Scan to Find Food
- See Your Location:
- Mobile: Scan to get instant maps and blue dot for to know your current location (Hardware Required).
- Web (Kiosk, Web browser): Get instant maps and know your current location.Try it out: You Are Here
- Get Directions (Wayfinding): Navigate to any destination with predefined destination and routing within your venue with turn-by-turn guidance. (Hardware required for mobile users). Try it out: Discover Food Paradise. Scan to Navigate.
Highlights¶
- Works for Everyone: Get maps, search, and blue dot wayfinding for all visitors - app or no app (no integration required). If you have an existing app, you can easily integrate it with Pointr Express with just one link.
- Rapid Setup: AI maps, no-maintenance beacons, and multiple access options (QR codes, NFC, links, etc.) mean no complicated app integration needed.Pointr Express is hardware agnostic. It can work with your existing Bluetooth-emitting smart IoT devices. If needed, we also offer easy-to-install beacons to enhance your existing hardware or provide a complete deployment solution and support.
- Multiple Launch Options (No app download or development needed)
- QR Codes: Print or display QR codes strategically throughout your venue. Users can easily scan a QR code with a smartphone to access your interactive maps.
- Web Links: Embed links into your website, emails, or messaging platforms. Clicking the link will launch the Pointr Express map experience on your mobile or web devices.
- NFC Tags: Tapping an NFC tag with a compatible smartphone instantly launches your Pointr Express map.
- Support Multiple Platforms (We handel everything for you)
- iOS: Users access your maps through a lightweight App Clip named “Express Maps” published by Pointr.
- Android: Your maps launch directly within a standard web browser on Android devices (this is due to Android devices has limited location support for their app clip technology) with options to access mobile experiences by downloading the Pointr Maps App, offering a familiar and seamless experience as would inside of any integrated mobile app.
- Deeper Visitor Insights: Pointr Analytics are automatically enabled, regardless of whether users have your app. Collect anonymized data on usage, search trends, popular POIs (facilities, stores, products, amenities), and user interactions with maps to optimize your space. Click here for an analytics demo.
- Drive App Adoption: Strategically placed banners within Pointr Express can encourage users to download your main app for a richer experience with a seamless transition directly from Pointr Express.
- You own your data: We don’t capture any PII, so we’re (GDPR) the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) compliant. Everything from where users are standing when they start a trip, to what they’re searching for, how they’re interacting with the map - it’s all available to you via the Dashboard or API.
Launch Express directly from your app¶
Express can be launched directly from your application, the same way a URL is opened.
Example:
let appClipURL = URL(string: "https://appclip.apple.com/id?p=tech.pointr.express.Clip&t=TOKEN&s=SITE&a=ACTION")!
UIApplication.shared.open(appClipURL)
Parameters to be included in the URL¶
| Parameter | Key | Value | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Token | t | Check with our team | YES |
| Site Id | s | Site internal id | YES |
| Building Id | b | Building internal id | NO |
| Level Index | l | Level Index | NO |
| POI | poi | POI id | NO |
| Action | a | map (show map); wayfinding (start wayfinding to a POI, only works when POI is included); mcar (mark car location); car (show car location) | NO (default is map) |
How does Device ID work with Express¶
When running an app clip, the system (iOS) returns an identifierForVendor which is all zeros (not documented by Apple). For this reaon, Express generates the UUID in the SDK and stores it as device id.
Because App Clip data is deleted by the system after 10 days of non-use, the stored UUID gets deleted well. When that happens, the SDK generates a new UUID (device id).
Technical resources¶
To get started with implementing Pointr Express in your venue, we’re preparing a Pointr Express program. Please get in touch with our support team or contact Sasha for more information.