Why Tablets for Field Service

For field service workers in industries like insurance, utilities, healthcare, and logistics, versatility is the name of the game. They move around a lot, and the environments can be tough on electronics. Many need the power of a laptop, but those devices can break easily, and they’re often hard to charge on the go. That’s why rugged tablets are replacing many laptops in field services. They’re more portable, are packed with features, and are less likely to be damaged if they’re bumped or dropped.

Field Service Tablets are Many Devices in One

The argument for laptops is they’re the closest thing to a desktop experience, but tablets are crammed with hardware and software that, in many ways, make them more powerful. There’s little they can’t do with their extremely helpful tools like GPS navigation and industry-specific applications. They’re handy for collaboration, keeping track of tasks, and taking pictures or videos.

Some tablets like Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+ can be paired with an optional Book Cover Keyboard that turns them into a mobile workstation. They also come with the S Pen for note taking and drawing too. A detachable keyboard is what makes tablets so versatile. Laptops are heavier and bulkier, which means they’re far more cumbersome to carry around. You don’t have to put a tablet down on something to use it like you usually do with a laptop.

There are options for scanner add-ons for many tablets that are directly integrated. Laptops usually require an external device which makes them even more cumbersome.

Why the User Experience is so Important

The whole point of giving field workers mobile technology is to make them more productive. If devices aren’t easy to use and genuinely helpful, then employees won’t use them. That’s a wasted investment. As companies look to capitalize on digital transformation, field service tablets offer the kinds of great user experiences that drive solution adoption and employee satisfaction. They also mean faster data entry and more data. That information can be leveraged to find new efficiencies and opportunities for business growth.

How to Choose the Best Tablets for Field Service

Evaluating tablets for business use cases goes far beyond price and availability. You need to filter out solutions that aren’t rugged enough, don’t have the screen size required, or lack the processing power and storage to run the necessary applications. Many enterprises require a high level of customization in both devices and software, so they may decide to choose the Android operating system, which offers more ways to create custom applications and workflows.

Need Help?

Mobile technology is often a new area for IT teams, and finding the right device, price, and features to match use cases can be challenging. Stratix is here to help. Our solution architects can study your needs and business goals to help you design a tailored enterprise mobility program that’ll get you where you want to go.