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Has anyone else noticed how many different facets of our lives that Apple’s iPad has changed? Education. Yep. Healthcare. You bet. Entertainment. For sure. As we move into 2012, another iPad trend is forming. iPad is starting to change how businesses and customers interact. Call them what you want, “businesses, website owners, authors, speakers, colleges, etc.” these folks are beginning to use iPad as a tool for interacting with their customers at a physical location. Restaurants are using iPad as menus and making apps that allow patrons to place orders and pay their bill from their table. Retailers are building iPad apps that play educational videos to store visitors. Speakers are using iPad as a teleprompter for speeches. The list is starting to grow. We see a new trend forming and we wanted to see what you think about it.
As we started to get into above, there are a number of different ways for businesses to leverage iPads for interacting with their community. Here are a few ideas for using an iPad to interact with your community at a physical location:
The uses are many, and yet we are still at the very beginning of what we see as a HUGE coming trend.
Image from OnSpotSocial
Using iPad for customer engagement is such a simple idea, but it packs a powerful punch. Here are a few of the many benefits that businesses will receive if they start using iPad for customer engagement:
This is just the beginning of the list of benefits. There are many more once you determine how you want to use iPad as a customer engagement tool. More and more companies are building their own iPad apps, as well as, 3rd party companies popping up with iPad business tool apps.
As seen on USA Today
There are already a lot of organizations out there that have jumped on this new iPad trend. Most of these companies have built their own custom apps to use with customers in their stores or at events. With that said, there are also more and more iPad apps being built around this new trend, which means more businesses will begin to buy 3rd party iPad apps to use for engaging their customers at a physical location. Here are a few companies that are currently taking advantage of this new trend:
As you can see, there are companies out there who are already using iPad to engage their community at a physical location. You might be thinking, “I don’t have the money or the skills to build my own iPad app”. That’s OK. Again, there are more and more 3rd party apps coming out that you can buy. You can also use iPad for more simple branding tactics, like playing educational videos or displaying your website at an event or in your store.
If you want to display your website to your community at an event or at a physical location like a store or trade show, be sure to thinking about downloading a web browser app for your iPad. There are some limitations with using the built-in Safari browser. These apps expand your web browsing capabilities, which will aid the customer experience when they’re interacting with your website on your iPad.
Do you have a Facebook page set up for your website? How about a Twitter feed? If so, then why not use an iPad in your store to display real-time social media updates to your customers while they are in your store. Using iPad at a physical location like your store or an event is a great way to increase your social media following. Social Media for business really caught fire in 2011. 2012 should be the year of using iPad as a retail tool. Let’s combine these two trends to find ways to allow your customers to interact with your social media through an iPad. Collect Facebook Likes at an event on iPad. Display your Tweets in your store on iPad. Get those who visit your booth at a trade show or conference to opt-in to your email newsletter program by having them input their email address into a form on iPad. With these two trends seemingly converging at once on the business world it’s inevitable that we will begin to see more and more people using iPad for social media marketing.
What do you think? Is iPad coming to a retail store near you anytime soon? Have you ever considered using iPad to engage your community at live events? What other iPad uses can you come up with for businesses? Leave your comments below. We look forward to hearing what you think.
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Ryan Taft is a twenty-something entrepreneur with a passion for helping small businesses use online marketing tools to reach more customers and prospects, build relationships with those folks, and ultimately grow sales.
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 15:20
Well, it’s probably an effective customer engaging tool because of the brand. It’s one of the biggest trends nowadays and it looks like based on experience, it can transcend to other aspects of business that doesn’t only pertain to customer engagement.
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 03:20
Wow apple fan much? I love my tablet and use it every day work work and play, but it’s not an ipad and there’s no good reason it should be.
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 12:06
Just to comment, all of the stores I’ve seen here that employ tablets on their stores only use iPad. I don’t know why, maybe because of the brand?
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 20:17
I just recently went to a restaurant that was using iPad’s to handle the overflow customers waiting for a table. The iPad was mounted near the bar and had a drink and quick appetizer menu for easy ordering. Our local food truck vendors also use them to process credit cards. I can see tremendous benefit when meeting with clients or just to make impromptu presentations.
Monday, February 13th, 2012 14:31
it really is a great and handy little thing :) like @Durham Web Design said…great in restaurants, coffee shops,…
Monday, February 13th, 2012 05:38
I used to use a lap top to display my portfolio to prospective clients. I now use an iPad to show them my web design portfolio. It works well in restaurants, and it really makes a great impression on them.
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 18:27
I have seen iPads being used to collect customer opinion after a meal.
Not just engaging customers but using it for business intelligence. Think we will see much more tech being brought in to add value to businesses.
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 18:00
We are looking to create a load of forms with email capabilities that are currently pdf for the ipad.
I am assuming the best course of action would be to create an app to easily fill these forms out.
Is there a specific 3rd party app that someone would recommend ?
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 15:04
My iPad really changed my typical working day ! In meeting with customers it’s now better and faster to show our previous works or other stuff for conversion.
Very great revolution !
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 14:23
I would agree, sales teams of the future may not even require laptops. The move toward iPads could show a shift away from laptops and desktop computers to allow for an easier, cheaper, and moreportable set of devices.
Friday, February 24th, 2012 09:18
G. D. I. , You are right. In future Desktop and Laptop will remove by iPad or Microsoft Surface.
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Jayce
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 14:23
I would agree, sales teams of the future may not even require laptops. The move toward iPads could show a shift away from laptops and desktop computers to allow for an easier, cheaper, and moreportable set of devices.
Robert
Friday, February 24th, 2012 09:18
G. D. I. , You are right. In future Desktop and Laptop will remove by iPad or Microsoft Surface.
Larry Jam
Monday, February 13th, 2012 05:38
I used to use a lap top to display my portfolio to prospective clients. I now use an iPad to show them my web design portfolio. It works well in restaurants, and it really makes a great impression on them.
Charlie
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 18:27
I have seen iPads being used to collect customer opinion after a meal.
Not just engaging customers but using it for business intelligence. Think we will see much more tech being brought in to add value to businesses.
Miron
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 18:00
We are looking to create a load of forms with email capabilities that are currently pdf for the ipad.
I am assuming the best course of action would be to create an app to easily fill these forms out.
Is there a specific 3rd party app that someone would recommend ?
Fred
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 15:04
My iPad really changed my typical working day ! In meeting with customers it’s now better and faster to show our previous works or other stuff for conversion.
Very great revolution !
modra ideja
Monday, February 13th, 2012 14:31
it really is a great and handy little thing :) like @Durham Web Design said…great in restaurants, coffee shops,…
Simon
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 18:14
awesome article, We are changing our Business Mind.
Dan
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 15:20
Well, it’s probably an effective customer engaging tool because of the brand. It’s one of the biggest trends nowadays and it looks like based on experience, it can transcend to other aspects of business that doesn’t only pertain to customer engagement.
Maggie
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 20:17
I just recently went to a restaurant that was using iPad’s to handle the overflow customers waiting for a table. The iPad was mounted near the bar and had a drink and quick appetizer menu for easy ordering. Our local food truck vendors also use them to process credit cards. I can see tremendous benefit when meeting with clients or just to make impromptu presentations.
Phil
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 03:20
Wow apple fan much? I love my tablet and use it every day work work and play, but it’s not an ipad and there’s no good reason it should be.
Rean John Uehara
Sunday, February 19th, 2012 12:06
Just to comment, all of the stores I’ve seen here that employ tablets on their stores only use iPad. I don’t know why, maybe because of the brand?