Systems and methods of a portable communications device and a product exchanging direct commands or requests via bar codes to address a condition of the product are provided. Some methods can include the portable communications device scanning a bar code displayed on the product and generating and displaying a bar code to be scanned by the product, wherein the bar codes represent direct commands or requests to be executed by the portable communications device or the product to address the condition of the product. Additionally or alternatively, some methods can include the product scanning a bar code displayed on the portable communications device and generating and displaying a bar code to be scanned by the portable communications device, wherein the bar codes represent direct commands or requests to be executed by the product or the portable communications device to address the condition of the product.