The emergence of the tablet computer has meant big changes for the way both individuals and corporations use technology. Many businesses have found interesting ways to integrate iPads into their operations, but there are still quite a few others that may believe while the new technology may be advantageous in some fashion, the price tag on that kind of tech upgrade is a bit too steep. Along with custom application development, iPads can be a worthy investment if business owners use it for the right reasons.

Making big sales is one of the best functions a company can use a tablet computer for, as long as it has the right software. With the ability to access a remote database right from an iPad, the sales team can update or search for information at the point of sale. This could be also done on a laptop, but the nature of using a tablet during a sale make a conversation more one-on-one, according to an article from InformationWeek.

Using database software, the warehouse can become a streamlined operation with all workers on the same page. The iPad can scan barcodes with its camera, and log that information into a main database using a custom application.

Tablets are great for customer relations, too. Some businesses like Royal Caribbean are actually providing customers with iPads to check schedules, book activities and find promotions, reports the news source. But, other clientele uses could be for waiting room entertainment or for taking service satisfaction polls.

Business owners who are interested in using tablets for any of the aforementioned uses should talk to a FileMaker consultant that can develop a custom FileMaker Go application that's optimized for iPads, iPhones and iPod touches.