Many Businesses Use Tablets Successfully

When IT buyers were asked if they planned to get tablets or if they already had them, 7 percent said their company provided employees with tablets, and 14 percent planned to get tablets in the first quarter of that year. A projection of that number to the entire IT market indicated that tens of millions of tablets were already in use for business at that time, and the number has grown, according to PC World.

If you are unsure how tablets can benefit your business, consider how other companies are using them to improve their business.

Presentations

A tablet is lightweight and can be carried anywhere. Designers are using them to show high definition photos of furniture, pieces of art, or color palettes. Repair technicians are also using tablets for tasks such as accessing appointment information, diagrams, and repair instructions. Applications like Keynote are great for putting together animated presentations. As NFIB explains, just plug your tablet into a projector, and you’re ready to share your presentation with an audience or send it via email. You can use a tablet for anything that is traditionally paper based—all while with your customers and without returning to your office. This saves costs on printing and can help increase sales.

Issue Estimates/Invoices and Conduct Inventory

Most of the tasks you usually do on a desktop or laptop can be done on a tablet. If you call on an existing or prospective customer, a tablet allows you to issue estimates, invoices and receipts on the spot. Just download any of the available accounting and invoicing programs. This is a service that is not only a convenience for your customers, but is also more efficient and could get you paid sooner.

If your business has inventory, a tablet can make tracking and auditing that much easier. Instead of taking notes and running back to your computer for those tasks, use your tablet along with an app like Inventory Tracker. You’ll save time and increase productivity.

Document Creation and Editing

You can manage and edit contracts with your tablet in your car, on the way to the office, or in front of your client. Being able to do this while with your client can ensure that there are no misunderstandings, thus completing any business quickly and thoroughly.

Client-relationship management can also be handled from a tablet. The ability to respond to client emails at any time shows customers you are professional and efficient.

Sales

A tablet can be used as a mobile sales platform. Using one as a credit card processor, for example, is far less expensive than traditional point-of-sale systems. They are a great way to modernize your business while reducing costs. They are also convenient for customers, since you can bring a tablet to the client at any location to confirm payment.

Many restaurants are putting tablets in the hands of servers to process orders, or installing them at tables so diners can place their own orders. While a server still brings the order to the table, using a tablet can cut down on the amount of employees needed to process orders. There is even a POS system called ISISPOS that makes it easier for restaurants to seat customers, update menus, and accept payments.

Tablets can also make payment processing easier for other businesses. Just swipe a credit card through a small card reader attached to your tablet. Customers sign their names on the tablet and you email them a receipt. It works much like the Square card reader for smartphones. This saves money you would normally spend on merchant service equipment. You only pay per transaction. Mobile providers like T Mobile are ramping up their sales on tablets, as the industry becomes aware of the touchscreen’s surging trend in retail.

Conduct Training

Training presentations can be displayed on your tablet or viewed by your employees on their own tablets via a service, such as Lynda.com. The mobility of tablets combined with e-learning allows you to conduct training meetings anytime. Online resources and search capabilities provide effective learning and performance-based assessment. It’s much more efficient than traditional classroom training, as employees are able to participate at their convenience, and without interfering with productivity