Entrepreneur's Custom App Turns into a Global Business with HP Indigo
While smartphone technology was readily available to create the app, Bill Atkinson still needed a way to print cost effectively to make his idea really fly.
If you could create any app, what would it be? Software developer Bill Atkinson knew his answer long before smartphone technology even existed. He wanted to enable cell phone users to send printed postcards from their mobile devices. In December 2009, his idea became a reality. Bill Atkinson PhotoCard allows owners of Apple's iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to send a PhotoCard from their phone for e-mail or postal mail delivery virtually anywhere in the world.
While smartphone technology was readily available to create the app, Atkinson still needed a way to print cost effectively to make his idea really fly. After careful research, he decided on HP Indigo digital technology, including the HP Indigo press 5500, for its affordability, high quality and scalability, a combination Atkinson says was hard to find.
"We needed to find the perfect combination of quality and affordability because we're making an artifact that's going last. HP Indigo proved to be the answer," said Atkinson. "People think they have to give up things like postcards for the convenience of technology, but that's not the case."
Atkinson knew from experience that his business success would depend on his ability to offer PhotoCards at a competitive price. "I wanted people to be astounded by the cards' quality and affordability," he said.
He set out to find the right technology to meet his target price point, and he discovered HP Indigo digital presses delivered. With HP Indigo digital presses, Atkinson can offer PhotoCards at a price that competes with the cost of a traditional preprinted retail postcard and postage. Customers can order PhotoCards and have them mailed for as little as $1.50 in the United States and $2.25 anywhere in the world.
"My prices wouldn't be possible without the HP Indigo digital press," said Atkinson. "It's the best possible solution for an app like this."
The PhotoCards are printed by a local print service provider using the HP Indigo press 5500, designed for high profitability to help start-up businesses like Atkinson's get off the ground. Operators of HP Indigo digital presses benefit from extensive automation, streamlined workflow and minimal downtime-all of which can increase productivity and reduce labor costs. They can then pass on these savings to entrepreneurs like Atkinson.
Atkinson also knew the cards needed the highest possible print quality, whether users customized their PhotoCard with one of their own photos or with one of the 150 professional-quality nature photos included with the app.
While pricing different printing options, he thoroughly evaluated their quality as well. "After testing a few brands, the only digital press that gave me the quality I wanted was HP Indigo," said Atkinson. Along with needing the highest print quality for the photos, Atkinson wanted to ensure that the postage on the cards added to the look. That's why users can choose from 150 different images for the custom, high-quality postage printed directly on the card.
Each HP Indigo press 5500 can produce 2,400 four-color, double-sided PhotoCards in one hour. And, because the quality is consistent, Atkinson can use several HP Indigo digital presses at any given time and get the same impressive results. "HP is a leader in color management. Once calibrated, HP printers give true and correct colors every time," Atkinson said.
Another critical requirement for Bill Atkinson PhotoCards-and any other app-is scalability. Atkinson's promise to customers is that the cards will be printed and shipped within two business days. With 75 million prospective users, that could add up to a huge number of cards to deliver in a short time. Using HP Indigo digital technology, Atkinson is confident he can deliver up to one million PhotoCards per day.
In the first few months of their availability, Bill Atkinson's cards have already been sent to and from 76 countries, including one sent from Patagonia. As a professional photographer and software developer, Atkinson says HP was a natural choice to help launch his business.
"I think lots of companies would benefit from using an HP Indigo digital press based on the affordability and quality it delivers," he concluded.
