Will Your Shop Benefit From A Tablet ?

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Tablets are popular everywhere, and are often advertised as the solution to all of life’s tasks.  In fact, they are compact, light, go with you, and can do quite a few things.  This leads to the question:  “Will your shop benefit using tablets to handle data ?”

Let’s first distinguish between the types of tablets.  There are two.  Android and iPad tablets run small applets that are specific to individual tasks.  They are popular for reading the news, sharing on social media, playing games, and perhaps with photo work.  Windows tablets are quite different.  They are actually full computers with touch screens.  They usually have slightly larger screens, and can run full business applications just like your desktop and notebook computers.

A Windows tablet can be great for working in your business, if it uses software that takes advantage of the touch screen, and onscreen keyboard.  To make this work you will want a tablet that has a docking station ( for wired internet, connection to a large monitor, and that keeps the tablet charged ).  It also should have Windows 8.1 installed.  You will also want a bluetooth keyboard and mouse.  The tablet resides in the docking station, and it’s screen is off, but your program displays on the large monitor.  This is particularly effective for a service writer’s workstation.  The bluetooth keyboard and mouse make it quite easy to use as a regular workstation, and the monitor makes it always easy to read.

When a client comes in, the Service Writer can simply grab the tablet off the dock, walk out to the vehicle, make the inspection, take photos, and create the Estimate.  The tablet remains in the program and seamlessly connects via the wi-fi.  It’s functioning is always live, so all lookups, and data entry, are immediate.  In fact, from the car, the service writer can send the Estimate to the printer, and the customer can go back to the front desk, sign the master, and receive their copy.

The service writer can move from one client to another very quickly, initiating individual workorders as they go.  When the “outside” work is done, they simply put the tablet back on the dock and continue their work at the desk.  There are no switches to throw or complicated procedures to follow.  The screen automatically comes on when the device is removed from the dock, and transfers to the large monitor when it is replaced.

With this in mind, what type of tablet works best ?  Look for those answers in the next post on this site.