City targets smartphone users

Utilities customers will see something new included on their city of Sarasota utility bill this month: A matrix bar code.

Known as a QR (Quick Response) code, the small black and white square can be scanned with a smartphone to learn more about Sarasota.

“Using a QR code is a great way to market the City,” said District 3 City Commissioner Shannon Snyder. “Many people have smartphones now. Just by scanning the code, they’ll have quick, easy access to all kinds of information about the city of Sarasota.”

The QR code links to the City of Sarasota website: www.SarasotaGov.com. There, users can calculate their monthly utility bill, pay their utility bill online, read the latest news releases, learn about upcoming events at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, review upcoming City Commission and Advisory Board meeting agendas, watch live video streaming of City Commission meetings and much more.

With the combination of QR codes gaining popularity in the private sector and Sarasotans known to embrace new technology, Commissioner Snyder recently suggested placing a QR code on the city’s utility bill. A simple two-step process followed: the City of Sarasota website URL was encoded into a QR code and then formatted onto the utility bill.

The city of Sarasota continues to look for new and effective ways to communicate with residents. In 2009, the city became the first municipality in the Tampa Bay area to incorporate the use of Twitter, and now has more than 4,000 followers.

For more information contact Utilities Director Javier Vargas at 365-2200 ext. 6210.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].