Location Services FAQ

The H-D Promo Tool uses device location services in a few different ways. Primarily, if a customer wants to check-in to a geo-fenced location in exchange for points or contest entries, they must allow access to their device's location in order to proceed. 

Additionally, if a keyword is "Locked to Location", they'd need to allow access to their device's location so that the H-D Promo Tool can confirm whether or not the user is located inside a geo-fenced area (typically, a dealership) prior to accepting the keyword.

Diagnosing issues with Location Services can be tricky, because the steps vary from device to device, operating system to operating system, and browser to browser. Two customers using the same model phone might need to follow different trouble-shooting steps because they may have different versions of the operating system, different browsers, different versions of the same browser, etc. 

Here are a few Frequently-Asked-Questions that can hopefully help point a customer facing difficulties in the right direction.

1. I am being asked to allow or deny access to my location. What's the difference?
2. I was never prompted to allow or deny access to my location. Does that mean there's a problem? If so, what do I do?
3. I told my device to "allow" location access, but I still can't check-in. 
4. My location services are turned on already, but I can't check-in. 
5. What do you do with a customer's location data?
6. Can I still participate even if I don't allow access to my device's location?
7. Where is the "Check-In" button?
8. My customer got a message when they tried to redeem a keyword that said "This keyword is valid, but you must be at [dealership name] to redeem it." What does that mean?
9. Nothing is working. What can I do?

I am being asked to allow or deny access to my location. What's the difference?

First, let's take a look at what the location prompt might look like on an iPhone and an Android. Below are examples of each, with an iPhone on the left and an Android on the right.

If a customer allows access to location services, they benefit in a few ways:

1. It often provides a shorter path to registration, because the H-D Dealer Promo Tool doesn't need to learn which participating dealership the customer is visiting. 
2. It enables the user to check-in for points or entries (if check-ins are enabled on the Campaign Effort. For all Rolling USA campaigns, they are enabled). Check-ins typically offer more entries as a reward than keywords do, so it provides customers with a faster path to maximizing their chances of winning.
3. It allows the user to redeem keywords that have been "Locked to Location", meaning they can only be redeemed when the user is at a geo-fenced dealership. 

The dealership benefits too:

1. When the customer allows access to location, it eliminates the possibility that they can accidentally select the wrong dealership during registration, which would lead to their data being routed to the wrong CRM.
2. It increases customer engagement and satisfaction. They can register with fewer clicks, they can earn entries faster, and they are incentivized to visit the dealership regularly. 

If a customer chooses to deny access to their location services, they can still register for all campaigns on the H-D Dealer Promo Tool. 

I was never prompted to allow or deny access to my location. Does that mean there's a problem? If so, what do I do?

If a customer was not prompted to allow or deny access to their device's location, it does NOT necessarily mean there is a problem. They may have:

1. Set their device to ALWAYS allow access to their location. 
2. Set their browser to ALWAYS allow access to the specific sweepstakes website (this has happened with customers who frequently engage in multiple campaigns). 

The customer should proceed with registration, because the check-in button won't be visible until after they check-in. If they were not prompted to allow or deny access to their location, AND they cannot see the check-in button, follow these steps:

1. Confirm that check-ins are enabled for this particular campaign. If it's part of the Rolling USA series, they are. 
2. Have you had other customers successfully check-in? If so, we know it's most likely a device-specific issue. Read on.
3. Ask the customer to disable wi-fi. Wi-fi can fool GPS because the i.p. address of the network may appear to be physically located somewhere outside of the geo-fenced area.
   • To disable wi-fi on most iPhones and Androids, swipe down from the top-right (start above the screen). Tap the wi-fi icon.
4. Refresh the screen. This should force the browser to prompt them to allow or deny access to location.  
   
   • To refresh the screen on an iPhone using Safari, look for the incomplete circle with an arrow next to the address in the URL bar and tap it. Depending on the version of Safari, this is either near the bottom right of the screen, or near the top right. 
   • To refresh the screen on an iPhone using Chrome, either tap/hold the screen, pull-down and release, or tap the ellipsis menu (three dots) at the lower-right, and look for the incomplete circle with an arrow, usually labeled "Reload" or "Refresh," and tap it.
   • To refresh on most Android phones, tap the ellipsis menu (three dots) near the top-right. Look for the incomplete circle with an arrow and tap it. In newer browsers, there is no "reload" or "refresh" label, so just look for the icon.
5. If the customer is now prompted to allow or deny location access, the problem is solved. They can re-authenticate (they don't have to re-register) and proceed. 

Still not prompted? Read on.

Is the DEVICE or the BROWSER blocking location access? 

• • To check this on an iPhone:
    • Go to Settings. Scroll down to "Privacy & Security." Tap it.
    • Near the top is a section called "Location Services." Is it On? Even if it is, tap it and let's go a bit deeper.
    • Scroll down. You'll see a list of apps. We're looking for the customer's browser. Is it Safari? Chrome? If it's Safari, you'll find an option called "Safari Websites". If it's Chrome, it will just say "Chrome". Find it and tap it.
    • Make sure that "While Using the App" is checked, and ideally, that "Precise Location" is toggled to ON. One more thing to check if they are using Safari - 
    • Go back to the root Settings menu. Scroll down. Find "Safari" and tap it.
    • Scroll down again, usually to the bottom or close to it. Look for "Location" and tap it.
    • You should see a section that says "Location Access on All Websites". Is it set to "Ask", "Deny" or "Allow"? Update this selection as needed.
    • Close settings, return to the browser and refresh again.
  • To check this on most Androids:
    • Go to settings. Scroll down and find "Location". Tap it.
    • Is it turned on? If not, the customer can't check-in. 
    • Below the main toggle is a menu that says "App permissions." Tap it.
    • On this page, there are several sub-headings: "Allowed all the time", "Allowed only while in use", "Ask every time" and "Not allowed." Find their browser (usually Chrome). Which sub-heading is it under? If it's under "Not Allowed", tap it and change it.
    • Return to the browser and refresh.

I told my device to "allow" location access, but I still can't check-in. 

If the customer was prompted to allow or deny access to location, but still can't check-in, follow these steps:

1. Disable wi-fi. 
2. Refresh and tap "allow" again. Why? Many of us tap "deny" by default. It's an automatic reaction. Sometimes a customer will think they tapped "allow" but didn't. 
3. After tapping "allow", what's the next thing you see? Does it immediately prompt for the phone number? Or does it ask if you're at a participating dealership? If it immediately prompts for the phone number, the issue is fixed. If it asks if you're at a participating dealership, read on.
4. Have other customers successfully checked in? If not, and the check-in button is not appearing after you've confirmed the customer allowed location access, there may be an issue with the address mapping of the dealership. Contact Mighty Loud.

My location services are turned on already, but I can't check-in. 

If you've confirmed that a customer's location services are in fact turned on, but they are unable to check-in, follow these steps:

1. Disable wi-fi.
2. Were they prompted to allow or deny access to their device location? Refresh the screen, which should re-prompt them. Confirm that they select "allow."
3. If the prompt doesn't appear, they may have device settings configured in such a way that they always allow access to their location. Confirm this by following these steps:
   
   
   • To check this on an iPhone:
     • Go to Settings. Scroll down to "Privacy & Security." Tap it.
     • Near the top is a section called "Location Services." Is it On? Even if it is, tap it and let's go a bit deeper.
     • Scroll down. You'll see a list of apps. We're looking for the customer's browser. Is it Safari? Chrome? If it's Safari, you'll find an option called "Safari Websites". If it's Chrome, it will just say "Chrome". Find it and tap it.
     • Make sure that "While Using the App" is checked, and ideally, that "Precise Location" is toggled to ON. One more thing to check if they are using Safari - 
     • Go back to the root Settings menu. Scroll down. Find "Safari" and tap it.
     • Scroll down again, usually to the bottom or close to it. Look for "Location" and tap it.
     • You should see a section that says "Location Access on All Websites". Is it set to "Ask", "Deny" or "Allow"? Update this selection as needed.
     • Close settings, return to the browser and refresh again.
   • To check this on most Androids:
     • Go to settings. Scroll down and find "Location". Tap it.
     • Is it turned on? If not, the customer can't check-in. 
     • Below the main toggle is a menu that says "App permissions." Tap it.
     • On this page, there are several sub-headings: "Allowed all the time", "Allowed only while in use", "Ask every time" and "Not allowed." Find their browser (usually Chrome). Which sub-heading is it under? If it's under "Not Allowed", tap it and change it.
     • Return to the browser and refresh.

What do you do with a customer's location data?

Once the H-D Dealer Promo Tool accesses a customer's device's location and confirms whether or not the device is located at a dealership or other geo-fenced area, it discards the latitude and longitude coordinates. The database stores a piece of information that says the location was confirmed, but it does not store the coordinates.

Can I still participate if I don't allow access to my device's location.

Yes, absolutely. Access to the customer's location is not required. There are benefits to the customer and the dealership, but the customer can still register and submit keywords. They won't be able to check-in or redeem keywords that are locked-to-location.

Where is the check-in button?

If the customer allows access to their device's location, the check-in button will appear after they have completed registration, next to the speedometer. See the image below for reference. If the button doesn't appear, either the customer didn't allow access to their device's location, or check-ins are not enabled for the campaign (for all Rolling USA campaigns, they will be enabled.)

My customer got a message when they tried to redeem a keyword that said "This keyword is valid, but you must be at [dealership name] to redeem it." What does that mean?

That means that they are trying to redeem a keyword that is locked-to-location, but they haven't allowed access to their device's location. To redeem a keyword that is locked-to-location, the H-D Dealer Promo Tool must be able to verify that the customer is located in a geo-fenced area (usually, the dealership).

If you want to use the locked-to-location function, it's not a bad idea to also have a few keywords that are NOT locked-to-location that you can share with customers who are having difficulty with their location settings.

Nothing is working. What can I do?

Sometimes, nothing works. It's possible that the GPS on the device simply does not work or is being fooled. You still have options.

1. Use your device. As long as you're standing with the customer, use your device, allow access to location, and either fill out the form for them, or hand them your phone. The device itself won't remember any of the info that they input, so they don't need to worry about inputting personal info on your phone. And later, when they try again with their phone, it'll synch up all of their registration and entry information, because all of that is linked to their phone number and email address, NOT their (or your) device.
2. Got a dealership iPad or spare laptop? Have it on standby and ready to use in situations like this. The customer must be there with you so that when they receive the one-time-passcode to their phone or email, they can relay it to you. Once one customer enters and you need to engage with the next customer, just refresh. The device won't remember the previous customer's information, so you'll have a clean slate.