Tablet computers are heavily marketed to consumers, with an emphasis on movies, games and personal productivity. But the iPad and devices like it are also changing how companies in the Tucson region go about their daily business.
The iPad debuted in April 2010, but the last year or so has seen massive business adoption for the device. Apple announced in the fall that more than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies have at least begun experimenting with using iPads. Many even have developed their own proprietary, custom-made apps that are used for specialized business processes.
But it’s not just mega companies that are deploying tablets. The iPad’s simplicity and relatively low price — a basic model costs $499 — have allowed small and medium businesses to capitalize on the trend as well.
A study conducted by New York-based market research firm NPD Group found that nearly three quarters of U.S. businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees have plans to purchase tablets this year.
The iPad isn’t the only tablet computer, of course. There are alternatives, including the Kindle Fire by Amazon and several devices that run Google’s Android operating system. And software giant Microsoft recently announced its own line of tablet PCs that will be known as Surface. But the iPad, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the global tablet market, was the most considered tablet for small businesses in NPD’s study.
Tucson businesses are using the iPad to cut costs, simplify complex tasks and improve customer service. Here is how five Tucson businesses are using the device.
A cooler cash register
Sparkroot Coffee Bar + Fare
245 E. Congress St.
Sparkroot owner Ari Shapiro doesn’t consider himself an early adopter, in fact, quite the opposite.
“I’m actually a bit of a luddite. If I could use an old-fashioned cash register, I would,” he said.
But when the entrepreneur decided to open Sparkroot, a downtown artisan coffee bar, he found himself opting for a completely tablet-based point of sale system over a traditional cash register.
“I’m always one for choosing simplicity,” Shapiro said. “I was intrigued.”
The setup is simple. Using an app called ShopKeep POS, baristas punch in orders on an iPad. Customers either pay in cash or scan their debit or credit card through a scanner that is plugged into the iPad.
ShopKeep also tracks data such as sales and inventory which Shapiro can then review from anywhere.
The iPad has been causing a major disruption when it comes to point of sale, which traditionally has been cumbersome and expensive, often requiring long-term contracts and sophisticated equipment.
Traditional point-of-sale systems can run into the tens of thousands. But the initial set-up at Sparkroot cost about $1,000, including the device and software.
After that, the coffee bar’s ShopKeep POS subscription costs roughly $50 per month.
The iPad is also easier to train employees to use, Shapiro said. The touch screens are easy to navigate and the staff is comfortable with the technology. The iPad also fits with Sparkroot’s hip look and feel.
“It’s easy to use and it’s fun,” he said. “And I wanted something sleek, to go with the environment.”
Paperless planes
Sonoran Wings Flight Training Centre
6720 S. Plumer Ave.
Using an iPad behind the wheel of a car will likely cause an accident, but they’re becoming indispensable in a cockpit.
Jerry Williams, owner of Sonoran Wings Flight Training Centre, is an enthusiastic convert to tablet computing. Students at his school use the iPad for help in everything from dispatching to flight planning to navigation.
“This thing is taking over aviation,” Williams says.
From puddle jumpers to jumbo jets, the iPad is being used to tackle one of the biggest nuisances in the skies: paper.
For years, federal regulations have required pilots to carry heavy flight bags containing aeronautical and navigation charts, airport directories, flight plans and more. The weight adds up, especially in smaller airplanes, Williams said. The Federal Aviation Administration also updates some flight materials nearly weekly, which means keeping paperwork current can also be cumbersome.
But using simple e-reading apps, such as iBooks, pilots can cut down on paper and actually have quicker access to important information swiping a screen than flipping through a heavy chart.
The U.S. Air Force ordered some 18,000 iPads for pilots. Several major airlines, including United and American, also are planning to start using “paperless cockpits.”
Williams said that some of his students use flight-based apps such as ForeFlight, which uses the iPad’s GPS, to help write flight plans and analyze their piloting skills.
The iPad also is handy for looking up weather, which is always on a pilot’s mind, Williams says.
Williams has been working with computers since 1956 and still has the Apple II he bought in 1979.
“Computers are a way of life for me,” he says, “But this is one of the biggest changes I’ve seen since I started using them.”
A tech friendly community
La Posada
350 E. Morningside Road, Green Valley
La Posada, a 700-resident retirement community where the average resident is about 85 years old, is out to end any notion that seniors and technology don’t mix. The nonprofit is dedicated to making its campus tech-friendly.
The iPad is central to those efforts, said Paul Ide, a senior vice president at La Posada.
The community loans iPads from its library and has encouraged informal iPad clubs for residents to share what they’re doing with their devices.
“We try to help the residents use technology to do things they enjoy,” Ide said. “If we can do that, we’re way ahead.”
Ide said the iPad is a good fit for a number of reasons. For one thing, it’s more comfortable to use. Residents don’t have to sit at a computer desk and can move easily with it from room to room. It’s also not susceptible to viruses the way PCs are, making it easier to maintain.
La Posada has also equipped some of its meeting rooms with Apple TVs, which allow residents to broadcast what’s on their iPad to a group. Residents meet regularly to share photos, interesting stories, or simply get more familiar with the device.
“The philosophy is residents helping residents,” Ide said.
When it comes to computing, there is plenty of that. La Posada has a tech helpline staffed by volunteers that offers assistance with frequently asked questions.
The iPad has also been used in Hospice and Memory care, sometimes to play a patient’s favorite music or for video chatting with relatives.
International meetings
Planetary Science Institute
1700 E. Fort Lowell Road
The Planetary Science Institute might have its eyes on the stars, but it also has to keep track of its staff here on earth.
The nonprofit research institute focuses on the exploration of the solar system and works with NASA as well other space agencies. It has about 100 employees, with roughly one-third based at its Tucson headquarters. Others are distributed across 18 states and Washington, D.C., and in countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Russia, Australia and others.
And many of those people spend ample amounts of time on the road, traveling to conferences and meetings. In short, building a team atmosphere can be tough said director Mark Sykes.
The institute started out using iPads to do basic work on the road, like email. But when the iPad 2 came out, and was equipped with a Web camera, Sykes had the institute trade in for the brand new version. Every employee now has an iPad 2.
The institute also built a custom iPad app called PSI Connect. It contains a directory of every employee and shortcuts to connect with them via video apps such as FaceTime or Skype.
“The value of iPads in our business is communication,” Sykes said.
The ability to have live video has been a major upgrade to the institute’s weekly staff meetings. The iPads also helped the institute get around having to buy a pricey video conferencing tool, with a special telephone line and camera.
“We’ve gotten people used to seeing each other. We know what we look like. We talk with each other,” Sykes said. “It builds and helps to maintain our community.”
Remote business management
Z Mansion
288 N. Church Ave.
Tom Hill runs a true home-based business. Z Mansion, the historic downtown wedding and event venue Hill owns, doubles as his family’s actual house. The trouble is, Hill is seldom home.
After a successful career as a writer, then as a Web entrepreneur, Hill splits his time between Tucson and France, and travels around the globe doing a mix of exploring and volunteering.
The iPad lets Hill manage the business of Z Mansion from just about anywhere. The dozen or so vendors Z Mansion works with handle most of the nitty gritty of event planning, but Hill uses Apple’s Web-based iCloud to update and review slideshows, spreadsheets, and the company’s books from the road.
The company keeps everything, from planning worksheets to rehearsal instructions in the cloud where they can be easily updated and accessed from any of the company’s devices.
“It’s really easy to use and update,” Hill said. “And it lets us continue to be involved in a company that we like. It’s fun for us to do this.”
Hill also uses an app called HelloFax to send and receive faxes and electronic signatures. And for staff meetings, he uses the iPad’s camera.
Z Mansion vendors also use iPads to give walking tours to prospective customers using KeyNote, a slideshow app for Mac products. You couldn’t do that with a laptop, Hill said.
“It’s interactive, good-looking and mobile,” he said.
They also can show the house to anyone who might not be able to tour in person using the built-in webcam. For example, one half of a prospective couple toured the venue from a base in Afghanistan.