Inforino Russia – Directories and Navigators in Russia

In our ongoing series of articles about Russian navigation systems that can enhance your business’s marketing efforts in Russia, we turn our attention to Inforino. In a previous article, I discussed 2GIS, and today we delve into the details of Inforino.

Inforino

At first glance, Inforino may appear to be a directory. It allows users to search for companies and provides their location on the map using “Google Maps.” However, its primary function differs significantly. Inforino serves as a platform for feedback between companies and their clients. While many companies develop their own applications, this approach is not always successful. Not everyone wishes to solely rely on a single chain of filling stations or restaurants, and installing numerous “corporate” applications can be impractical due to limited phone memory. In response to these challenges, the creators of Inforino developed an application that assists different companies in retaining their customers.

The homepage of Inforino features concise information about the company, including its address, telephone number, and accompanying photos. A company representative can log into the application to make any necessary updates. The functionality provided by the application is accessible to holders of paid accounts. Such accounts allow companies to showcase detailed information about their services, such as a fitness club’s training schedule or a restaurant’s menu. Users will receive instant notifications about any changes made to the company’s page. Moreover, the advertisers, if they can be referred to as such in this context, can send messages to customers who have marked their company’s page as a favorite.

One notable aspect of the application is that companies with paid accounts are encouraged to persuade their clients to install the application on their smartphones.

Disadvantages

The primary drawback of the application is that despite being promoted as a directory, its creators have overlooked the functional aspect. This means that anyone can add information about a company, regardless of its authenticity. There is a complete lack of content control, which opens the door to various opportunities for negative publicity.

This issue stems from the fact that the directory functionality takes a peripheral role, and the designers have not given it sufficient attention. “Inforino” primarily focuses on facilitating communication between companies and customers. However, this approach has had an unintended consequence, leading to a significant number of user rejections from those who have downloaded the application and found it dissatisfactory.

Steps for Company Registration

Prepare yourself to test your patience as the registration forms are haphazardly and poorly designed. Some functions, like the transliteration of street names from English, are mentioned but don’t actually function.

To begin, click on the “Create a company page” option in the top menu.

Following that, the website will redirect you to a page where you’ll be prompted to provide essential information about the company in various fields.

Subsequently, an email will be dispatched to you, containing a link for registration confirmation and a password to access your personal account. However, upon clicking the link, you may find it rather vexing to discover that you are required to re-enter the information about your company in the fields. It may be quite humbling.

Once you have successfully dealt with this inconvenience, the directory will prompt you to input the company’s addresses.

Creating a personalized company page: A step-by-step guide

There are two ways to reach out to company managers: via phone or through the feedback form on the website.