Addresses are old. The first documented use of a postal service dates to 2400 BC, when Egyptian runners delivered documents carved in stone. But, of course, addresses have evolved since then. From identifying houses and shops by signs fixed to their walls, to the use of house numbers in the course of the 18th century in Europe to make it easier to collect taxes.

Why are addresses so important?

No matter what kind of business you run, at some point in time, you’ll have to handle addresses. They help with all sorts, from deliveries to better planning to invoicing. All these uses require accurate addresses and can give your business any of the following advantages: reduced costs, saved time, better efficiency, improved customer satisfaction and increased loyalty.

However, to collect accurate addresses can be extremely difficult. From mistyping with ‘fat fingers’ on small screens, to misspellings or even giving wrong details on purpose. If you trade in multiple countries, you have the added difficulty that address formats are different everywhere. Across the world there are more than 130 different address formats used.