Laptops lose out as tablets take over

Research from EE reveals that more than half (52 percent) of UK workers say tablets will replace laptops in the workplace within ten years. Almost a third (31 percent) said that workplace laptop usage is declining, and 24 per cent of workers have now transitioned to tablets.

Businesses are also keeping tablets for longer, with 30 percent keeping their tablets for over three years. In response to this changing behaviour, EE is launching the UK’s first 36-month tablet plan for businesses, a cost-effective tariff that better reflects how workers are using tablets. The plan will save subscribers approximately 25 percent per month in comparison to the 24-month plan, as well as providing businesses with flexible options to meet their business needs.

Sailing holiday provider Sunsail is deploying ruggedised 4G tablets from EE as well as digital form and data capture app Canvas to improve the way it runs day-to-day processes including marketing, customer relations and inventory management.

Sunsail’s digitised systems have led to more efficient inventory and safety check processes. This saves time every time a yacht is taken out, which over the course of a busy season, will save in excess of £6,000 in labour. It is also more efficient and sustainable than dealing with paperwork. This saves over £3,000 in copying, toner and paper annually and helps to protect Sunsail’s reputation of being the only yacht charter company in the UK to hold ISO20121 for Sustainable Event Management. 

Simon Boulding, Director at Sunsail, says: “We’ve used 4G tablets and EE’s smart forms bundle with Canvas to improve the way we work, replacing our old paper-based forms and manual procedures for everything from customer relations and performing checks on our boats as they come in and go out. Since introducing tablets into the business, we’ve seen a 60 percent increase in customer engagement and we predict we will save over £10,000 per year on labour and direct costs – directly benefiting our bottom line

Despite most existing tablet tariff plans lasting two years, the research reveals that 30 percent of tablet owners have had their device for more than three years.  This length of ownership outstrips that of phones, and is supported by recent research by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners indicating that the refresh cycle of a tablet is comparable to that of a laptop, rather than a smartphone.

In response to this changing behaviour, EE is launching the UK’s first 36-month tablet plan to provide additional flexibility specifically for small business customers and complement existing shorter term plans*. The plan is more cost-efficient for businesses, saving subscribers approximately 25 percent per mensem in comparison to the 24-month plan, as well as providing businesses with flexible options to meet their business needs.