NFC reading on mobile sucks!

Let me set the scene, I'm deep in a networking event where I've been listening to a potential client talk about their great new techventure, they ask to swap contacts. Delighted, I pull my NFC card out and begin waving it around their phone like the tech wizard I am... they stare at me with bemusement as the dance continues for a good 15 seconds. It dawns on me that this is not going to work again, and so begins the inevitable explanation of what was supposed to happen... it's awkward. I have probably purchased over 50 different NFC Tags over my life. I love NFC technology, to the uninitiated, it feels magic when they see their phone pop up with my contact or they get a notification to visit a website. The trouble is the number of times I'm left with an egg on my face as someone stares at me waving a tag around their phone, trying to get their phone to read it. It's just not consistent enough. I have bought antennas for long-range and short-range, varying size tags and different formats. Nothing seems to give me consistent results that make it worthwhile. What's the answer? Will mobile devices' background readability improve, will QR codes continue to be the preferred method? What is the answer?!