A number of mobile applications automatically scan and upload business cards. The problem is, none of them is completely accurate, so users still need to fiddle with the entries to make sure they’re correct. The makers of an application called Econtact Pro say they’ve found a more reliable transcription method — human beings.
Econtact Pro runs an office where workers actually transcribe the cards. So users just snap photos of any cards they’ve collected, upload then into the app, then get the transcribed contact information within 24 hours, which they can add automatically to their iPhone address book. The application (iTunes link) costs $3.99 and includes credits for 10 cards, then users can buy additional packs with pricing between 10 cents and 20 cents per card (the more you buy, the less each card costs).
The app was built by a developer named Fabien Sauleman and was launched with faberNovel, a French “technology innovation agency” that helps with development and promotion.
Julian Nachtigal, faberNovel’s business development director, demonstrated the app for me and also responded to some of the concerns he has heard. Privacy is a big question, he said, with users wondering whether their contacts will be shared on a crowdsourcing service like Amazon’s Mechnical Turk. That shouldn’t be an issue, since Econtact Pro operates its own transcription office and stores the data on a secure server, where it can be deleted anytime. Also, if you think a card has been transcribed incorrectly, you can file a complaint, and if the complaint is borne out, your card can be transcribed again for no additional charge.
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The app is available in both France and the United States, and it has hit #1 in the business category in France and #2 in the US, Nachtigal said. More than 150,000 credits have been purchased or downloaded. Moving forward, Econtact Pro wants to offer a customizable version for sales software companies, or companies that operate a large salesforce of their own.
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