Tablets are more than just high tech toys, and in fact can have many applications for small business owners who choose to integrate the technology into their business models. The wonderful thing about them is that, thanks to downloadable apps and other tweaks they can be applied to a huge range of different tasks with a little programming and imagination. Here are a few ways that business owners are already utilizing tablets to help streamline their operations.
Mobile sales platforms. The more places you can make transactions the better, especially if you plan on taking your products on the road. Many businesses use tablets for this, as with simple sales management software they are able to catalog transactions as well as process credit cards and log digital signatures. Some adventurous business owners even use tablets to log transactions using bitcoins, but whether your business is ready to use cryptocurrency or just wants to branch out how and where it can accept payment is up to you. Collecting and logging signatures is a particularly strong point that tablets have going for them since their large touch screens make it simple for a person to sign with minimal fuss and with less chance that the signature will be misplaced.
Sharing documents. Being able to remotely access important information is often quite important for small business owners, as is the ability to approve and sign documents, go over design concepts and other functions that formerly were restricted to the use of a laptop. A tablet is usually more portable than a laptop computer, and thanks to the use of a stylus can double as a virtual notepad that allows you to annotate document and give your signature. Additionally, a tablet can contain an extremely large number of documents, much more than a single person would most likely be willing to carry themselves. It can be useful for reviewing portfolios and presentations while on the move.
Social media management. One of the reasons tablets are powerful tools for social media users is because of their mobile nature. They allow a business owner who would otherwise not have the time to pursue any social media development to access their profiles and manage updates and responses in their time between meetings or while in transit. Social media is a 24/7 community, so cutting down your response times by bringing it with you is a powerful way to build on the engagement your content and interactions help to create.
Logistics. Tablets have a natural audience in logistics businesses, as they are able to provide both a simple interface for logging information as well as GPS tracking information that is important for these companies. A tablet can be used as the next best thing to face to face contact as well, through applications that allow for video calling. In a pinch, they can be used to great effect to keep in contact with drivers and relay important information to ensure that deliveries go through to the right place when they are supposed to.
Photo Credit to alex skopje on Flickr
