Techno

EMPOWERING SALES STAFF WITH TABLETS

Giving your team the opportunity to work on tablets with instant access to stock holdings, order checking and contactless payment brings some real advantages, and whole new and efficient way of working, says Chris Partridge

Mobile devices will be standard issue for sales staff soon. Already, most restaurant servers have tablets to display the menu, take orders and send them wirelessly to the kitchen. And even the shelf stackers in Tesco have smartphones they use to locate stuff for confused shoppers.

In the fashion trade, it is now possible to equip sales people with a tablet that can browse the catalogue, consult stock lists and availability at suppliers round the globe, take orders and accept contactless payments. All without having to nip into the back office or drag the customer to a payment point. It can make the customer experience much smoother and more enjoyable as well as faster and more efficient for the salesperson.

The first decision when choosing a smartphone or tablet for sales is which operating system to go for - Apple iOS, Google’s Android or Microsoft Windows.

Windows has the advantage of being sort of compatible with most retail back-office systems, but devices such as Microsoft Surface are expensive and designed mainly for typing and drawing.

Apple’s iPhone and iPad ranges are superbly designed but intended for consumers, so they have a lot of technology that is unnecessary at work, such as top-of-the-line cameras and professionallycalibrated screens. As a result, they are eye-wateringly expensive. An added possible drawback is that you are effectively trapped inside the Apple ecosystem, which restricts your choice of both hardware and software.

Choice is not a problem with Android devices, which come in all shapes, sizes and price points. A vast number of weirdly-named Chinese makers sell tablets on Amazon very cheaply – you can get a 7in tablet for under £50 – but they tend to be slow and the screens dim. Paying a bit extra for a trusted brand is usually preferable. Screen sizes range from around 6in to a massive 15in on the impressive but expensive Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

One hardware advantage smartphones have over most tablets is near field communications (NFC), the radio system that enables contactless payments.

The latest tablet from HMD Global, the Finnish company that licences the Nokia brand for smartphones and tablets, the T21, is aimed particularly at commercial applications and includes both NFC and mobile data in its premium model. NFC and 4G transform the T21 into a powerful device for trading both in the shop and at wedding fairs and so on, allowing business to be completed even without wifi.

The T21 features a smart, durable aluminium case, a big battery and a reasonable speed, certainly fast enough for Electronic Point of Sale (epos) purposes. The 10in screen is bright and supports pens using the AES 2.0 system, such as Wacom’s Bamboo Ink, which allows sales staff to use handwriting recognition if they want to, as well as make sketches. The tablet even includes Wacom’s Bamboo apps. Another interesting possibility is the ability to take customers’ signatures Contactless payment became standard during the pandemic, and now most restrictions on the maximum amount that can be paid contactlessly by smartphone have been lifted because of their built-in security systems, the T21 will allow retailers to take payments via Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay with ease. The 4G version costs £240 at nokia.com.

The next decision is the software.

Belkin BoostUp wireless charger

Nokia G60 smartphone

A wide range exists, from simple apps such as myPOS Glass (mypos.com – Android only) to integrated cloud systems that do everything from CRM to inventory control, payroll and accounts such as Square, which is available on both Apple and Android.

NEW TECHNOLOGY

Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charger If you have all the Apple gear including an iPhone, Watch and AirPods, charging them all can be a mess of wires. A stylish alternative is the Belkin 3-in-1 wireless charger, which has a place for each device – the phone and watch are held upright so you can see the screens (it supports Watch Nightstand mode) and the AirPods sit in their case behind the watch. Nice and tidy. £90 on Amazon Belkin BoostUp wireless charger If, on the other hand, you have an Android phone you may like the BoostUp charging stand (though it works with iPhones, too.) The smart cradle holds your phone either in the portrait or landscape position depending on whether you are WhatsApping your colleagues or watching video at your desk. Ideal for keeping your mobile charged to the end of the working day.

The fastest Qi charge rate possible (7.5W for iPhones, 9W for Samsung phones) is delivered automatically. £29 on Amazon

Nokia G60 smartphone Launched with the T21 tablet, the G60 smartphone is a powerful device at a budget price. The screen is generous and bright, the front camera is perfect for video calls and selfies, and the rear cameras feature a 50MP main sensor, which gives sharp, reliable shots in good light, and a 5MP ultrawide sensor, which fills in the side areas when taking wide angle shots. There is also a depth sensor. One of the plus points is the basic Android system – no annoying bloatware.

The G60 will appeal powerfully to eco-warriors. Recycling is a big feature – both the plastic back and the aluminium frame are made from partly recycled materials. And it can be bought on subscription, which means when you change phones Nokia will take back the unit and either refurbish or recycle it as appropriate. If you continue the subscription, you get a new phone. In addition, Nokia plants trees when you buy. £250 on Amazon