Pub. 12 2014-2015 Issue 3

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S 29 new jersey auto retailer W W W . N J C A R . O R G dealership wants a tablet that supports an interface to the OEM as well as their mobile apps. • There are times when information will have to be manually typed in. Is the dealership staff comfortable using the touchpad keyboard or would they prefer the option of adding a snap-on keyboard? • Is the dealership’s wireless network reliable? Regard- less of which tablets are purchased, a dealership will need to have a fast network that doesn’t drop con- nections. Once a dealership determines how they want to use the tablets, they can look at the different options available. Currently the tablet space is dominated by three architec- tures: iPad, Android and Windows. Here are some pros and cons of each: iPads The iPad was the first tablet to market and remains the most popular brand. It’s user-friendly and looks great. iPads have more apps designed for them than any other tablet. Just about every service vendor has a solution for the write-up process that works with the iPad. However, if a dealership wants to do more than write-ups on the tablet, they may run into compatibility issues with business applications. The majority of dealerships still run on Windows PCs. iPads use the Safari web browser, which may not work with OEM websites. Android Android OS tablets offer all the same features and ben- efits as the iPad at a less expensive price point. Unfor - tunately, like the iPad, the Android OS tablets may not run the majority of the applications that are running in a typical dealership. The Android uses Chrome as a web browser. Any web applications the dealership utilizes will have to work in Chrome. Windows Tablets Windows Tablets don’t carry quite the same cache as the other two tablet brands. Yet a Windows Tablet is the only tablet that offers a true, viable replacement for a PC. With a dock and keyboard, a Service Writer can use the tablet at his desk like a PC, then take it with him to the service drive and continue to use all the same apps in tablet mode. Also, virtually all of the DMS solutions run in Windows, so everyday tasks can be performed on the tablet, such as parts inquiries, sending e-mails, and updat- ing spreadsheets. When considering a Windows Tablet, I would not recom- mend the cheaper “RT” version as they can’t run most Windows applications. If you’re going to go this route, choose the version that can be used as a PC replacement. Though this tablet may be more expensive than either the iPad or Android, consider these devices can be used in lieu of PCs. Both iPad and Android tablets are great if all a dealership wants to do is use tablets to greet people in the service lane and convert appointments to RO’s. But if they want a device that’s more fully compatible with DMS and OEM applications, a Windows Tablet may be the best option. The Tablet and Your DMS Some dealerships have experienced problems with how tablets interact with their DMS. Before deciding upon a brand of tablet, a dealer should ask their DMS vendor what specific applications will run on each tablet and ask to see demos, if possible. Keep in mind that just because the vendor says certain DMS applications will run on a tablet, does not mean they will run very well. The important thing to know is if the applications are “remote” or “native.” A native application is designed specifically to run on a tablet or mobile device. A remote Before implementing any new technology, taking the time up front to perform a needs-analysis will result in fewer frustrations and less money wasted. DEPARTMENT  continued on page 30