Wireless printing from tablet can make the process of ordering thing, taking payment, and printing a receipt quick, easy, and very customer friendly. The first step is to connect the device to your existing network. Getting this done is sometimes challenging, but most devices have software installed to make the process reasonably painless. Just follow the instructions on the screen and have the technical details to hand in order to fill in the fields for security and connection types. Most SME’s use a local area network (LAN) that will network with the available printers and computers. A wireless network will, of course, be needed to enable printing from the tablet.
The tablet will connect to the network using its setup options. The process is somewhat different from one brand of tablet to another, but making the connection is usually straightforward. With your tablet in Wi-Fi mode the device will search for the WIFI network signal. Once the network’s signal is identified, just tap on network name on the setup page and tap in the correct login details. Once connected to the network, wireless printing can be accomplished choosing your desired printer from the available networked printers, then simply tap the print button.
Adding a portable printer to the mix adds even more flexibility. Many restaurants and retail establishments are now providing their customer-facing staff with a combination of tools that allow them to process the entire transaction at the point of sale. The employees can, with a few taps on a hand-held screen, order products or simply make note of what the customer has in hand and wishes to buy. They can also take payment details and provide a receipt without leaving the point of sale. With all the devices linked into the network, the financial details, stock management information, etc., is all input in real time. The efficiencies this brings to a business are significant.
In a restaurant setting, this also makes service faster. The orders can be instantly put up on a screen in the kitchen, allowing for a quicker start to the preparation process. Notification that the order is ready can also be sent to the wait-staffs tablet, hastening delivery of the food (while still hot)! When the bill is presented, payment can be taken as quickly as the customer would like, while still at their table. It all makes for a faster turnaround of tables, which is good for cashflow, but also makes for a better customer experience.
Most modern tablets already have software installed that allows for printing. For some older devices, you may need to acquire software to provide a correct interface with your printer. While there may be a small cost for some of these applications, there is usually no additional ongoing cost for printing wirelessly from a tablet.
The benefits to businesses that adapt to the use of tablet printers are many. The integration of the entire transactional process with the other systems (delivery, financial, inventory, etc.) brings tremendous efficiency. This allows for much faster decision making as all the data will always be up-to-date. When portable tablet printers are added to the mix, all the efficiencies just mentioned remain in effect, but the added value of better customer service and having hardcopies available is put in place.
The businesses that have implemented these technologies have been extremely positive about the results. The business benefits to process improvements, and management capabilities were one aspect. The better customer service and better overall customer experience were also a strong plus.
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