Written by Doug Cook:

Your family doctor has referred you to a specialist.  Already, you are concerned about your health.  On top of that, you know that when you go to that first appointment with the new doctor, the receptionist will hand you a clipboard with a dozen paper forms to complete and authorizations to sign.  Then, someone will try to read your handwriting and type all your answers into a computer.  If you are lucky, your personal health information will be documented accurately.  If not, maybe the name of that medicine to which you are deathly allergic will be entered into the system as something else with a similar name.

Oh, the Paperwork!

So, you trudge into the specialist’s waiting room and gird yourself for the onslaught of the paper.  You check in with the receptionist and you reach out to grab the clipboard that you know is coming.  Wait a minute – that’s not a clipboard; it has a screen.  It’s an iPad! In 2010 – just eight years ago — Apple introduced the now ubiquitous iPad. Other major players in the computing world followed suit by offering Android-based tablet computers, and developers all over the world started cranking out thousands of “apps” to run on at least one of the competing operating systems, if not both. Many businesses recognized the incredible versatility of tablets and found ways to use them to boost employee productivity, reduce paperwork, and become more efficient and competitive, while often producing greater customer satisfaction, too.  And we’re not just talking about small businesses.  Within 90 days of the iPad’s release, half of the Fortune 100 companies were buying them[1].

According to a 2016 New York Times article[2], Apple sold $25 billion in gear and services to companies and other large customers in its fiscal year ending in September, 2015.  In fact, nearly half of all iPads are now bought by companies.  Why?  They realized that this new tool could be used to improve their customers’ experience – and their corporate bottom line.

And the iPad at the doctor’s office?

Yes – getting back to the story:  so you take the iPad and follow the simple instructions on the screen.  You find that your demographic information is already filled in on the forms, thanks to your family physician having sent your info electronically in advance of your appointment.  You answer several questions about your symptoms, click a couple authorizations, and you are done in a few minutes.  The information is fed into the practice’s database immediately over an encrypted WiFi signal, and a nurse appears calling your name.  The doctor is ready to see you.  Wow – that’s way easier than what you expected.  (Although, sadly, you did not get a chance to check out that three-year-old People magazine in the waiting room.  So Letterman is really retiring?)

That doctor’s office has found a way to eliminate some paperwork, speed up data collection from patients, improve the accuracy of patient data, and automate the process of entering data into its office system.  All with one type of tool — tablet computers.  And that’s just one way a business might use a tablet. Commercial pilots are using tablets loaded with flight manuals, giving them fast, convenient access to whatever details they need. British Airways has built more than 40 custom iPad apps for its workforce, extending their use far beyond pilots.  They are using the devices for passenger manifest, maintenance records, and even rebooking passengers when a flight is cancelled.

Sometimes, it makes good business sense to put a tool (like a tablet) into the hands of the customer.  The Royal Caribbean cruise line put iPads in its staterooms so that guests “can check daily activities on the ship, book shore excursions, and receive personalized promotions,” according to an Information Week article[3].

So, what about your business?

Have you considered how new tools could improve your bottom line and/or your customers’ satisfaction?  Think bigger than iPads – maybe it’s cutting-edge tech, like 3-D printers.  Or, maybe it’s something simpler, like a smartphone app that your customers can use to access their account information – and cut your call center staffing costs in half.  Experienced business consultants can help you to identify opportunities to improve the way you do business – whether that includes use of tablet computers, or something quite different.  They can analyze each of your business processes and find the bottlenecks, delays, risks, dependencies, and then develop options for you to improve each process.

Sometimes, employing the convenience of a tablet or some other gadget is the right tool, and sometimes it isn’t.  The bigger question is whether you have creatively considered how technology can be used to help your business to not only survive – but to thrive.  Perhaps you have simply not had time to do this kind of thinking.  That’s a great reason to hire professionals to help.  Maybe you think consultants just won’t understand your business.  Perfect!  That means that they will bring a totally fresh perspective to their analysis.  “But they will ask dumb questions!,” you might think.  Sometimes “dumb questions” elicit enlightening answers that lead to meaningful cost savings and process improvements.

Maybe you are thinking that employing a new tool isn’t worth whatever you imagine it will cost.  You might be right.  But there’s a way you can explore that issue by having a consultant calculate your projected cost and your return on investment.  But wait – they can first investigate whether the proposed tool is the right tool for the job.  Then, armed with this information, you can make an informed decision.  If you’ve been focused on the cost end of the proposition, you could be surprised to find that the savings (or additional revenue) makes the new tool a great investment.

By the way, utilizing a new tool often requires new processes, a new workflow, and new skills.  A business consultant can help you to establish the processes and workflows you need, and can train your staff on how to succeed with the new technology.

If you are ready to engage professional business consultants to help you improve your business by using the right tool in the right way, contact Momentum, Inc.

[1] Clevenger, Nathan (July 29, 2011).  “How the iPad Conquered the Enterprise”. Datamation.

[2] “Once Taunted by Steve Jobs, Companies Are Now Big Customers of Apple,” by Vindu Goel, New York Times, August 7, 2016.

[3] “9 Powerful Business Uses For Tablet Computers,” from informationweek.com

Doug Cook –  Consultant

Doug Cook is a senior consultant with Momentum, Inc. with extensive experience in various types of analysis, research, technical writing, and project management.  He has vast healthcare consulting experience with subject matter expertise regarding Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program and legislative process.