Anybody use a tablet with Servicemonster?

[PTMatt]

My wife does all our scheduling and I'm tired of seeing her carry around an old school scheduling book and notepad when she's out of the office. I want to buy her either a tablet or netbook. We use ServiceMonster for scheduling and I was wondering what others are using when on the go?

 

[Brian R]

I'm using my smart phone out of the "office"

It's a little too small...So I'm not really happy about that. (yes, ConnOr, that's what she said. :roll: )


A tablet would be pretty awesome but I just haven't bought one. I played with one at the sprint store (No ConnOr that's not the name of a gay bar that I know of)

And it worked really well....As long as you have service...Which isn't as huge of an issue as much as it used to be.

 

[PTMatt]

Didnt even know Sprint had tablets. I have Sprint service so maybe I'll stop by tomorrow and check them out.

 

[Brian R]

Matt...They've got the Galaxy 10-1 or whatever it's called.

It's the best tablet made that I know of.

It's about $500 last I looked....But I don't think you can get the service with it......WiFi only.

You can tether it to your phone....But not sure how fast it would be.

There is the option of using your customer's wifi.....But that could be hit and miss.

 

[tmdry]

Not every client will let you access their wifi, you're better off getting a tablet that comes w/ 3G/4G already if you're going to be using it in a client's home or place of business. You can tether with your 4G phone, but like my HTC Sensation 4G it'll drain the battery even faster, so you gotta have it connected to the car charger the whole time. I use my iPad 3G whenever I am in the van, also use it as a GPS while connected to Pandora. Just bought the new Nook color version (retails $249), it's smaller than the iPad, didn't buy it for me but as a Xmas present. If you go to Best Buy, they'll have over 10 different types of tablets to choose from.

Ps...I just bought the old school scheduling book, it's still the fastest way to schedule a client while you have them on the phone in a client's home or in the truck. You can use the 3-4G tablets but it takes a while to log onto Servicemonster, click on schedule, wait for it to load, etc. I still use the tablet for Servicemonster to look up previous orders, accounts, etc. No way could I use my Droid, way too small imo.

 

[Bob Foster]

First, forget about using a customers WiFi. You would have to configure your tablet with their password to allow access. Not a question to ask a customer plus it takes too much time and they won't remember it without going and finding it. It would be like asking a customer to use their computer because if you had their WiFi code in many cases this potentially could allow you to browse their hard drives.

Second, the connectivity dongles on a Samsung Galaxy tablet suck, but they do have the best video quality. If you want a better tablet with non-proprietary connections got to an Asus. Their Transformer will even allow you to snap on a keyboard if you want to.

But the idea of using a carrier tethered tablet sounds good. That's where I might head. At the same time you can email them your invoice and now you also have captured their email for further use if they approve.

 

[CleaningLA]

I use my iPad I can use my iPhone as a hot spot and thats how I get Internet access

 

[Brian R]

Using my phone as a hot spot costs $30 per month... a tablet with it's own service is probably closer to $60.

The hot spot is a little slow when I use my laptop with it...but it works.

For the most part the tablet isn't the greatest thing to bring into the house unless you need to check availability.

I just take notes on a peice of paper, input later and email them an invoice copy.


Not 1 problem yet and I've been doing it for months.

I'll look up the address on SM on my phone and use that for GPS to get to the job.....One sheet of paper for the whole day...That's as close to paperless that I've been.

A tablet "might" cancel that paper.....Because I would probably use the tablet Word equivialent to take notes instead of trying to go through the motions with SM.

 

[Demien]

I do it all on my iPad.
I price,invoice and email on site!
It's awesome!!
I shut off the Verizon G3 and got a Mifi. It's way faster.

Service monster mobile 2.0 rocks!!!!

D

 

[Bob Foster]

Chris M does the same thing and he loves it too.

 

[dgargan]

We use our iPads and iPhones with service monster mobile 2. Works great

 

[clean image]

I have tried all

In the field:

Paper and pen cannot be beat for speed, then transfer

Allot depend how you are using it. For entering 1 jib a day or less and you have time on your hands, iPad 3G will work, albeit slooow.

Even the 4g tablets, mobile are not quick enough for me.

The mobile is just slower (for me) than the explorer version. Compare for your self on windows side by side.

I am new to SM, and find myself using full version

What I have gone with is Toshiba Ultra Book and samsung hot spot. Best buy just had sale. Fast

Runs a SSD, boots up in 3 seconds, 6 hour battery, backlit key board, 2.5 pound, 1/2 inch thick, laptop you carry between 2 fingers running full win7.

Makes tablet look like a toy. Ultra books are the future portable computing



Really, just comes down to how important it is for you to run it in field


Also. We have HP printers with there own email that allows to email to customer or to us to print, scan in the truck.

Side note, is anyone using iPad to capture customer signatures directly on SM work order and uploading(saving) it to customer <activities> tab

How many SM users, anyone, still collect signatures on work orders? Electronic stored or filing cabinets?

 

[PTMatt]

I bought this one for my wife today so she can use for scheduling while shes not in the office. It's pretty cool, even comes with a stylus pen and when you write on the screen it actually looks similar to writing with a real pen on paper. Great for note taking.




HTC EVO View 4G

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/shop/ph ... Tab1820005

 

[Chris A]

We bought a Samsung Galaxy II tab in hopes of using SM for everything in the field, unfortunately its still a lot slower than writing it down. We are using the tab with google calenders now and writing notes on a note pad.

 

[Bob Foster]

All this crap smart phones, tablets, software etc....


I'm hoping this is a break through year that this junk will actually be more efficient and easier to use. It's only worth it to me if it makes me more money because what I am using now works, its dead simple and it doesn't cost me any money.

The money I hope to make with this junk has more to do with follow up and reminders.

 

[tmdry]

I take notes on the notes app that comes pre installed on the iPad when I have clients on the phone, than later I will input on the main laptop @ the office on SM, but yes writing it down is no comparison when you're in a rush. I've been emailing invoices for over a year now with SM, never had any issues giving invoices this way, just emailed them a copy from SM when I get back in, or if I have some time I'll do it from the truck using the 2.0.

Clean Image - There's an app called Signmypad, that you can edit PDF files on the screen, it'll let you add boxes, signature lines, and also let your client sign/check w/ finger/stylus. You just upload all your pdf files to it by browse from iPad or URL. This works good for people w/ work authorizations forms, however using it with SM would just take even longer and IMO it wouldn't be worth it due to the time it takes. I haven't had any issues w/ no signatures on my work orders, just switch them over to invoice/paid. I also have the HP mobile printer (460 version) but never had to use it.