6 Ways Tablet Usage is Increasing in the Workplace

Some retail businesses that need employees on the floor at all times have started using tablets to give workers access to the information that they need to serve customers better. Since they can carry the tablets easily, they can look up product and service information without leaving the customer's side. That adds a personal touch that keeps customers coming back time and time again.

Point of Sale

Many businesses also use tablets to replace traditional cash registers. With the right hardware and software, tablets can accept credit card payments. Some of the most popular credit card readers for tablets include:

• Square
• PayPal
• SwitchPay
• Intuit GoPayment

By turning tablets into "cash registers," employees can serve customers better while eliminating long lines.

Managing the Warehouse

Businesses have always struggled to keep accurate information about what products they have in stock. Tablets make it easier for those companies to keep stock information updated so they always know what items they have.

Giving warehouse workers tablet computers gives them the opportunity to scan items when they put them into or remove them from storage. Tablets can also provide simple directions that help employees find the items they need. That improves efficiency behind the scenes so that the storefront can function better.

Meetings on the Go

Between airplane tickets, car rentals, meals, and hotels, companies can spend more than $1,000 sending an employee to an out-of-town meeting. Computers give companies the opportunity to save that money. Instead of traveling, employees and managers can attend meetings online.

Typically, that means sitting down at a computer to communicate with colleagues and important clients. That's a better situation than sending someone on a long trip, but online meetings still leave some hurdles behind. Tablets lower those hurdles by giving people a way to attend meetings no matter where they are. They don't have to sit down at a desk to check in with the home office. With tablets, they can connect to the Internet from any location. That frees up time for other important tasks.

Using Social Media

Today's customers want better service, and they want it faster than ever. Giving employees tablets makes it possible for them to communicate with customers via social media sites. If a disgruntled customer posts a complaint on Facebook, customer service reps with tablet computers can respond quickly.

Employees who only have access to desktop computers can't respond as quickly. Informal breaks (such as getting a snack from the vending machine or stepping outside for quick breath of fresh air) make it impossible for employees to stay connected at all times. When they have tablets, though, they can respond to customer needs from any location.

The right TV and Internet services reduce the barriers between employees and customers. That's exactly what today's companies need to keep their customers happy.

Giving Customers More Control

A handful of hip restaurants use tablets to entertain patrons while improving efficiency. Instead of using printed menus, these restaurants have opted for a tech-savvy approach that puts the customer in control.

Tablets allow customers to browse menu items, learn more about their selections, and place orders directly from their tables without any delays. That's great for busy restaurants that want to improve efficiency without hiring more waiters.

When Stacked, a restaurant that serves create-your-own burgers and pizzas with a lot of options, started using tablets, it found that each order reached its guest about five minutes faster than when waiters took orders. Five minutes might not sound like a big deal, but those minutes add up quickly. Even if a restaurant only serves 100 people during dinner, that's over eight hours of saved time.

Has your workplace adopted tablets yet? Do you think they offer enough improvements to change the workplace forever, or are they just a fad that will disappear in a few years?