5 Ways to Use an iPad for Small Business - Page 2

Mobile Sales Person

The case for mobile sales people using iPads underlines Tauschek’s point that a slate computer doesn’t really replace any other device. Road warriors will likely still need a laptop, and they’ll certainly still need a phone, but the iPad could “definitely bridge the gap for sales people,” he said.

It will mainly come in handy when they visit customers and want to make computer-assisted presentations. Smartphone screens are too small for this, and in many situations, laptops are unwieldy. They can also place a barrier between the sales person and the customer.

The iPad is the just-right device for these situations, Tauschek believes. And Apple’s iWork personal productivity suite for the iPad already includes Keynote, a generally well-reviewed if ‘lite’ presentation authoring tool.

Some mobile sales people may even be able to do most of their computing on an iPad, especially if they use Web-based small business CRM software such as Salesforce.com. (See these Salesforce community blog posts on the subject of what the iPad could mean to users.)

Potential Downside: Most road warriors will need a more expensive 3G model. Data input will be an issue for some, although Apple does sell a physical keyboard that they could keep in the car for typing up longer-form notes after a meeting.

Retail Associate

Tauschek was struck by the way Apple Store associates use iPhones housed in holders that integrate barcode scanning and credit card authorization functions. The associates can complete simple transactions right on the floor.

“[The iPhone] might not be adaptable to a lot of retail outlets,” he said. “But the [iPad's] form factor could be perfect.”

The business case gets better when stores are very busy, such as at Christmas. “If you say, ‘Look, you can turn two or three store associates into mobile checkouts so those customers don’t have to queue up,’ I think that’s pretty compelling,” Tauschek said.

Associates could also use the iPad to check inventory or pricing without having to go to a fixed computer station or cash register, and even to show customers images, video demonstrations or reviews of products.

Potential Downside: Security. You wouldn’t want associates to put an iPad down even for an instant, or it might be gone.

Real Estate Agent

This is another instance where the iPad’s strengths -- screen size and quality, mobility, battery life -- make it a viable solution where alternative technologies are really not satisfactory.

Imagine this scenario: an agent is out with a client and they find themselves in a neighborhood the agent hasn't yet researched. Does the client want to see what is available? Sure.

The agent could use a smartphone to connect to an MLS or company Web site to find appropriate properties, and some do, but the screen is too small to show the client property information effectively. She could also use a laptop, as some do, but laptops are awkward to use in a car and require a 3G modem and power adapter.

A 3G iPad may again be the just-right solution for the problem, Tauschek said. “I think it would also probably be pretty impressive to the client if his agent passes an iPad to him to look at property information -- although that may be a novelty that won’t last.”

Real estate agents are just one example of professional services workers who could benefit from the iPad’s presentation capabilities -- and its possibly short-lived ability to wow customers. Consultants, accountants and others may be able to use the technology in similar ways, Tauschek said.

The iPad may also be the ideal solution, for example, for mobile executives who mainly need to check e-mail, respond briefly, browse the Web and look at online company information. It’s worth noting that at least three makers of business intelligence (BI) software -- MeLLmo, QlikTech and MicroStrategy -- have announced support for iPad.

Gerry Blackwell is a freelance technology writer based in London, Canada. Read his blog, AfterByte