How the iPad Can Grow Your Business

By Don Mayer, Small Dog Electronics, CRN April 17, 2012

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Many of Small Dog Electronics’ business clients have embraced the iPad, though it serves a very different purpose with each organization. From hospitals to construction firms, clients have each used the power of iOS to serve a different set of functions, and each has grown their business as a result.

For example, Northfield Savings Bank in Waterbury, Vt., is using iPads to demonstrate the bank’s web interface and mobile banking options to prospective customers, and also to lighten the load of its board members for whom iPads have replaced bulky board books.

iPads have also replaced large computing carts in two Vermont hospitals because of their portability and the ease with which the iPad can be sterilized when housed in a waterproof case.

Another client employing iPad’s mobile solutions is a local construction firm that deployed the iPad in the field with on-site technicians. They chose iPads because the devices are more portable than laptops, and can read blueprints and interface with the company’s software, keeping technicians connected with email and calendars while at a project site.

Not to be outdone by local businesses, the State of Vermont has successfully rolled out the iPad to its Legislators, replacing the 400 page books that they were previously required to bring to each session. These legislative iPads allow for easy collaboration among committees, in addition to providing access to email, calendars, and web research tools while in session.

Do It Yourself

Because every business is different and has different needs, you may determine that your business would be better served by developing an app that is specific to your industry or organizational structure, or that does something that an off-the-shelf app from the App Store cannot satisfy. The same powerful development tools that Apple uses to create apps have been made available to the developer community to create iOS apps for unique businesses and business functions.

If you have the expertise and resources to develop an app, designing your own allows you to own the code, ensuring that no other business is employing your solutions. Developing an in-house app is great for many businesses because it can be distributed among all employees, ensuring organizational cohesion, promoting collaboration and increasing efficiency across the board.

The new iPad looks and acts much like the iPad 2, but that is in no way a bad thing. Both devices are capable of increasing productivity and growing your business through cloud-based computing, cross collaboration among employees, and specialized app use. Most importantly, though, the iPad will grow your business by connecting you and your employees with technology in a positive and productive way.