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Pad-emonium: Do customers really want tablets?

March 15, 2012

Don't get me wrong. I love the new iPad. I'm on the waiting list with everyone else. I spent Saturday in the Apple Store just to get a glimpse. Retailers are clearly getting caught up in the 'pademonium' too. A recent article in the Tech Journal South stated that almost half of retailers are experimenting with tablets in stores.

All of this begs the question: Do customers really want tablets? Or do they want the tablet experience?

When you think about what makes the iPad successful it is:

• Aesthetics
• Interactivity
• User Experience
• Engaging Apps
• Portability

What Apple had done brilliantly is highlight how elegant technology can be. However, retailers need to think about if the tablet is the right tool for the job?

If you are doing shelf-level information or simple guided selling, then we recommend a tablet as a self-service tool. However, in a highly visual environment a tablet can easily get lost. What seems engaging in your airplane seat suddenly looks small in a large retail environment.

So how do you get that tablet experience in a way that gives the customer what they really want?

Aesthetics and Functionality

First you must carefully select the technology—specifically the screen. We've seen some beautiful edge-to-edge, zero bezel screens that rival the aesthetics of a tablet. Next you must look for screens that have the functionality that customers have come to expect. That means look for multi-touch projected capacitive technology that supports gesturing.

Engaging, Simple Applications

Another thing to consider is the application that you put on the device. If you want a tablet experience, your app should feel like something users would want to download. The app has to be single purpose, highly intuitive, graphically engaging with an element of fun.

However, if you want to deliver a self-service device that has deep functionality then you might want to consider a web-base app on Internet Explore 9. This will allow you to easily incorporate gesturing.

Size Matters

One of the challenges we've heard from companies who were earlier adopters of the tablet was that there just isn't enough real estate on the screen to get across their message, highlight their product, and provide space for the transaction. It is critical to choose a size of screen that suits the objective.

Portability vs Ruggedness

Finally, the thing that makes the tablet so compelling—its portability—can be a challenge in retail deployments. You may want an associate to go through guided selling or terms and conditions with a customer. A tablet is ideal for this. However, if you want it unattended then you will need to consider a robust enclosure. Many of the larger screens that we've worked with are not only aesthetically pleasing but are more suited to high traffic, unattended environments.

Like all technology, the tablet has a place. However, you must carefully consider whether or not it is the right tool for the job and if your customers want a tablet specifically or just the tablet experience.