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CRM for the iPad: Does It Exist? Can It? You Tell Me

By | April 5, 2010, 10:05am PDT

Summary: I’m sitting here trying to figure out a business justification for the use of the iPad by me and interestingly enough there is more than one.

I got my iPad Saturday.  Of course, I’m  TOTALLY LOVE this thing.  As Agent Seely Booth (played by David Boreanz) said in an episode of Bones about a truffle based mac and cheese, “I want to spend time alone with it.”  But then, I’m a geek without portfolio anyway - love technology “stuff” without being able to build anything.  But I truly get the iPad.

I’m sitting here trying to figure out a business justification for the use of the iPad by me and interestingly enough there is more than one.  I can do blog posting from it, I can do some VERY cool whiteboarding (not waterboarding, whiteboarding!) using Keynote, a la John Madden’s plays on the screen. I can also read all the documents whether they are web pages (Instapaper), PDFs (Good Reader) or presentations (Keynote or several others), plus the Kindle for the iPad app is outstanding too.  All in all lots of business value.

Truthfully, though, my real use of this thing is as a 10″ (9.7″ to be exact) wireless TV so I can watch the Yankees when I’m on the road.

But I’m not going to go into a gushy review of it. You can find plenty of those out there.  Instead, I’m going to propose something to you.

Is there a CRM for the iPad that doesn’t just make mobile CRM on the iPhone bigger, but incorporates some of the unique capabilities of the iPad?   I know that a few vendors are already working on this and as I can, I will show pix and talk about it,  but what I’m interested in is your ideas on the subject and how it would work.  Here’s the plan:

  1. Your suggestion can be general or vendor specific (e.g. salesforce.com could…..)
  2. It has to be something that doesn’t just blow up the mobile CRM apps out there but takes advantage of the true form factor/tablet nature of the iPad.
  3. It needs to be defensible - meaning you can’t tell me that it can be used to behavior modify customers into becoming advocates
  4. However, you can still think outside the box.  Don’t worry about whether or not “there’s an app for that” as of now.  You might be inventing apps.
  5. If I get more than 20 entries, I’m going to pick my top five and then put them up for a vote for the most creative via a survey on this blog.
  6. The winner gets a $50.00 Amazon gift certificate.
  7. Please post all your ideas in the Talkback section of this post.  (thanks to Mark Tamis for pointing out I forgot this. Senior moment).

Ready to go? The contest will be open through April 15.  Let ‘er roll.  Let’s see what you Mac fanboys can come up with. I’ll bet the winner is a Windows 7 guy… Just sayin’.

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Topics

CRM, Blogging, Real Estate, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Internet, Business Operations, Enterprise Software, Software, Paul Greenberg

In addition to being the author of the best-selling "CRM at the Speed of Light: Social CRM Strategies, Tools, and Techniques for Engaging Your Customers," Paul Greenberg is President of The 56 Group, LLC.

Disclosure

Paul Greenberg

Paul Greenberg has no investments in any firms that have CRM related or enterprise related applications or solutions, nor does he have any investments in any stock or other form of ownership in a consulting firms that does any form of enterprise application consulting or CRM consulting. However, at one time or another Paul has had almost all the significant CRM vendors as clients performing services as a consultant who would view and review and suggest product enhancements, changes or suggest how to cure product deficiencies; possible engagements to suggest go to market strategies for each company as they launched a new CRM solution. He has been engaged as a speaker at public events by these companies covering a mutually agreed upon topic and has written white papers sponsored by the vendors - which have no mention of the vendor and do not endorse the vendor�s products- but instead are based around thought leadership and ideas. None of these engagements whether they are consulting or works for hire, ever has impacted Paul�s thinking good or bad, on any of these companies. Paul is in fact known for his honest straightforward public assessments of these companies. They are not immune to his public critique even when they are clients. When it is germane, Paul will disclose his relationship, if any, to a company that he might be writing about in either a positive or negative way.

Biography

Paul Greenberg

In addition to being the author of the best-selling CRM at the Speed of Light: Social CRM Strategies, Tools, and Techniques for Engaging Your Customers" Paul Greenberg is President of The 56 Group, LLC, a customer strategy consulting firm, focused on cutting edge CRM strategic services and a founding partner of the CRM training company, BPT Partners, LLC, a training and consulting venture composed of a number of CRM luminaries that has quickly become the authority for the CRM industry.

His book, CRM at the Speed of Light: Essential Customer Strategies for the 21st Century, now in its fourth edition, is in 8 languages and been called "the bible of the CRM industry". It is used by more than 70 universities as a primary text. It was named "the number 1 CRM book" by SearchCRM.com in 2002 and is one of two books recommended by CustomerThink. The Asian edition of CIO Magazine named it one of the 12 most important books an Asian CEO will ever read. Paul has also authored two other books including "E-Government for Public Officials" (Thompson Publishing, 2003).

Paul is also the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management CRM Centre of Excellence, and the Executive Vice President of the CRM Association.

Paul is considered a thought leader in CRM, having been published in numerous industry and business publications over the years and having traveled the world speaking on cutting edge CRM and topics geared to the contemporary social customer. He has been called "the godfather of CRM", the "Walt Whitman of CRM" and even "the Bob Dylan of CRM" by analysts and organizations throughout the industry. He is known particularly for his work on the use of social media, such as blogs, podcasts and wikis and social networks/communities in CRM as tools and channels for customer collaboration with a company. He is seen often as the "voice of the customer" and is well known within the CRM industry for this work. His blog, PGreenblog has been named the #1 CRM blog every year from 2005-2010 by all industry award providers. He also has a podcast, Experience on the Edge, that has garnered a myriad of industry kudos and his collaboration with Brent Leary on the always funny, often cutting, CRM Playaz" is the most popular broadcast in the CRM world.

Paul was also named one of the most influential people in CRM by CRM Magazine in August 2008. In 2010, he was inducted into CRM Magazine's CRM Hall of Fame.

He is a member of the Destination CRM Board of Experts and the SearchCRM Expert Advisory Panel as well as a member of the Board of Advisors for GreaterChinaCRM for many years. He also sits on the Board of Advisors of the CIE Institute and and multiple other companies.

Currently, Paul lives in Manassas, Virginia with his wife and five cats. To reach Paul, please email him at paul-greenberg3@the56group.com. You can follow him at Twitter or join up with him on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Talkback Most Recent of 20 Talkback(s)

  • Now, pick up an Archos 9, and do a
    ...comparison.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Feldwebel Wolfenstool
    5th Apr 2010
  • Archos 9
    What CRM apps could you imagine on the Archos 9?

    Paul
    ZDNet Gravatar
    pgreenbe
    5th Apr 2010
  • Improved Customer Experience
    Hi Paul,

    I came up with the following thoughts, tell me what you think happy

    I think the iPad is a perfect device for facilitatig a frictionless customer experience in for example food & beverage. Say you want to have a quick bite @ McDonald's (or Starbucks or whatever). You walk in the store, bluetooth picks up on this and activates an app that allows you to order at the quickorder line, or you choose to connect to the store's wifi through that app.

    The app looks at your favourite items and pre-selects if you so wish. You validate and use a micropayment system such as paypal and the app signals when your order is ready so you can go get it at the quickorder line. The shop assistant scans the 3D bar code generated by the app to validate the order.

    Whilst you're having your meal, you can choose your favourite magazine, TV show or content unique to the restaurant and have that streamed to the iPad whilst you're having your drink or meal. You can also provide feedback to the restaurant through the app.

    Potentially you could also choose to seek out 'people like me' in the restaurant to make contact and hook up (taken from FB or whatever as per your permission). You have a more frictionless experience, be entertained without hitting your carrier's datalimit, and have a chance to share the experience with others like you - make new friends!

    The restaurant has fewer and shorter lines, faster order delivery, an insight into your consumption habits and as well as your lifestyle through the content you choose.

    Cheers,
    Mark
    ZDNet Gravatar
    @MarkTamis
    5th Apr 2010
  • background
    I thought of this because I think that rather than focus on the benefit the tool can bring to the company, you should focus on the opportunities of bringing new value to the customer beyond your basic products/services.

    "Don't ask what the customer can do for you, but what you can do for your customer" happy
    ZDNet Gravatar
    @MarkTamis
    7th Apr 2010
  • RE: CRM for the iPad: Does It Exist? Can It? You Tell Me
    Get the order! Have the customer sign the the line that is dotted at the bottom of the display.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    seamuswalsh
    5th Apr 2010
  • Can you Elaborate
    Hey Seamus!
    Draw this one out a bit.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    pgreenbe
    5th Apr 2010
  • Nothing happens until someone sells something.
    As a sales guy, I want to see a sales application to streamline the contract creation and versioning process. That process starts at contract creation and stops in this scenario when the customer signs the contract.

    My dream app would automate that process and allow the customer to sign the Ipad directly. Of course we need the ability to send it to my internal contracts administrator with a press of a button.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    seamuswalsh
    6th Apr 2010
  • RE: CRM for the iPad: Does It Exist? Can It? You Tell Me
    My idea would be to provide convergence of several
    local government CRM and ERP solutions that are out
    there. Currently, local governments provide a number
    of services that include planning, building plan
    check, code enforcement, economic development,
    street/sidewalk repair and maintenance, traffic
    controls, police and fire to name a few. Right now,
    all of those various functions are managed by software
    systems that don't talk to each other very well, and
    that are not great in the field. For instance,
    building inspection involves an inspector going to a
    job site carrying 20 lbs of paper plans, taking notes,
    entering the notes in a database, review of the notes
    by a plan checker, adjustments to plans... all before
    the contractor/architect can resume work on any part
    of a structure that has problems. Imagine if a plan
    checker with an iPad could pull up the electronic
    plans, make notes on the plans in the cloud, notify a
    plan checker and receive a response within hours
    rather than days?

    Economic development people interact with existing
    businesses constantly and frequently run into problems
    that range from potholes to crime. Imagine if when
    meeting with a business that had an issue with traffic
    for instance. The economic development person could
    enter the info about the issue, location of the issue
    and appropriate contacts at the business and have that
    info go directly to the appropriate people at public
    works who would then be forced to respond to clear the
    issue out of a to-do list. As an economic development
    person, I find myself spending several hours a week
    following up on customer service issues that a system
    like this would fix.

    If someone could find a way to meld the existing (or
    create new) CRM, ERP, GPS and 311 systems that cities
    use and include a web enabled iPad application
    everything from graffiti abatement to water bills
    could live in one place and allow our very stressed
    employees to realize some efficiencies, improve
    customer service, improve responsiveness and allow
    cities to learn more about the locational component of
    everything we do (by integrating with GPS). I think
    something like the iPad, with its unique footprint, OS
    and interface is the key to getting this sort of thing
    done. You can do the building inspection on a
    toughbook right now, but it isn't very well designed
    in terms of interface, so all the inspectors carry
    around plans. Same for interviewing businesses... it
    isn't very friendly to put a screen between you and
    your customer while you are talking to them. Fire
    departments could pull up building plans while
    standing in front of a burning building (same for
    police). Just a little bit of imagination and someone
    (email me if you want my help) could revolutionize
    this market and reduce complaints about local
    government by 50% (30% of people will never be happy,
    no matter what!). Thoughts?
    ZDNet Gravatar
    kto1243
    5th Apr 2010
  • Seriously, I will buy it for a good business reason.
    My wife and I own a bed and breakfast, and our booking engine is web-based. We have a phone system that forwards all incoming calls to our iPhones, and thus we do not miss any reservations (at $150 to $240 each). We CAN use the iPhone to enter the reservations, however the additional screen space of the iPad will make our life much simpler.

    We can check availability, accept the reservation, send a confirmation email, use it as a marketing tool to show full-screen pictures of our B&B to anybody who is remotely interested, bring up our guest reviews on TripAdvisor.com to show what our guests think (TA rates us the #1 B&B in PA), and do all of this anywhere there is an AT&T signal.

    Our website is programmed (by me) in pure html with a little javascript and has optimized images so that it loads quickly even on the Edge network, never mind 3G.

    Really I can think of so many business applications just with the web access, never mind iWorks (which I find more than adequate for my needs).

    You can find my address at thecarlislehouse.com to send the Amazon Gift Certificate!
    ZDNet Gravatar
    aldux
    5th Apr 2010
  • RE: CRM for the iPad: Does It Exist? Can It? You Tell Me
    I like these ideas, but they are mostly getting a
    bigger screen for the iPad. To win the Gift
    Certificate (which I will be happy to donate to
    whomever needs it), the CRM app you are looking for
    has to actually leverage the unique features and
    functions of the iPad - not just a bigger screen.

    So, what are these characteristics?

    1. ability to run HTML-4 and HTML-5 apps without
    zooming in and out constantly
    2. ability to run iWork apps
    3. ability to integrate seamlessly, effortlessly, and
    amazingly with multi-media
    4. ability to draw, take-notes, and manipulate images
    and content without using a keyboard, simply by using
    the screen and the tools you indicated above (plus
    others)
    5. ability to run very specialized apps, very fast
    refresh screen, and very incredible graphics engine

    I could go on, but you are getting the idea. Now, I
    know this is not going to blow you away -- but this is
    the Sales workstation we always wanted and tried to
    replicate (and never got quite right) in laptops.
    What else could a sales person want that being able to
    use a touch-screen (instead of a keyboard) to share
    the screen with the customer? demos? check, video and
    online. note-taking? check, update records in CRM or
    other systems? check, catalog and price books -- with
    very nice pictures and even video? check, community
    access to solve problems for customers? check, i could
    go on... but, again, you see how it works.

    this is, to me, the business justification. the
    difference between using this an a laptop / other
    tablet is that the speed in this one is incredible,
    the battery life amazing, and the integration between
    apps very well done (not to mention the apps
    themselves).

    Now, if you don't like this idea -- let's talk about
    this becoming the uber-green-screen of the 21st
    century --- but that is another story.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Esteban.Kolsky
    6th Apr 2010

  • ZDNet Blogger

    And the winner is....
    http://blog.skyytek.com/2010/04/first-peek-salesordercom-
    working-with.html
    ZDNet Gravatar
    dahowlett
    6th Apr 2010
  • Actually, that IS Cool
    Dennis,
    Thanks for bringing that to my attention. That IS
    a cool way of using the iPad. Very useful.

    Paul
    ZDNet Gravatar
    pgreenbe
    6th Apr 2010
  • RE: CRM for the iPad: Does It Exist? Can It? You Tell Me
    MarketCircle's Daylite should be coming soon, at least
    according to AJ. Hopefully it will better than what they put
    together for the iPhone.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    tgarner
    6th Apr 2010
  • RE: CRM for the iPad: Does It Exist? Can It? You Tell Me
    Sit down fella. Yes, the app is cool but is it ready for the enterprise?

    http://www.macworld.com/article/150457/2010/04/ipad_enterprise.html?lsrc=rss_main


    All joking aside good luck with it.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    seamuswalsh
    7th Apr 2010
  • RE: CRM for the iPad: Does It Exist? Can It? You Tell Me
    No one is going to use an iPad at the office. But just
    as people check personal email at work, they could
    also bring the office home on their iPad. Although
    primarily designed for household use, there are some
    key business functionality that can be accomplished
    with it. For example a sales rep or a marketing
    manager could mix pleasure with work on the weekends
    by switching between watching a movie and checking the
    latest metrics on her online CRM instance. Our company
    (Intelestream) strongly believes in mixing work with
    fun and fun with work. That's why we have made our
    online CRM, intelecrm fully compatible with the
    device.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Intelestream
    12th Apr 2010
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