Practice Management Member Conversations

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I am curious how firms are handling the purchase of ipads for use by their staff.  We have a number of early adopters for whom the firm has purchased iPads and pays the monthly service through Verizon or ATT.  Currently apps are the responsibility of the individual and are not reimbursed.  We are considering a number of options for further distribution coupled with many requests.  There is no doubt the device is useful for business but also a very personal device at the same time. 

Some of the possibilities we have considered are:

    Continue purchasing the devices through the firm and pay for service.
    Buy the device but leave service up to the individual
    Provide a stipend/voucher to the individual for the initial purchase and/or service
    Simply adopt a Bring Your Own Device approach.

The firm also currently provides and pays for approximately 30 iPhones to senior staff, who are also requesting ipads.  One thought is to pay for one or the other but not both.  For iPads we could be looking at up to 40 devices, so the numbers get pretty big in both capital and ongoing expense.  Further, this is primarily a financial and policy question not really about the justifyability of the device or network security.

What are other firms doing?

Thank you,


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Steven Haines Assoc. AIA
Director
Centerbrook Architects & Planners
Centerbrook CT
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We have a small staff of ten and I purchased iPads for all employees as Christmas presents last year. We had the firm name and their nemes engraved on their device. We also had a setup lunch and they downloaded specific apps and the firm reinbursed the employees for those apps. Employees are able to access their firm desktop computer, retrieve files, complete time records, and do other business directly from their iPad, when at home or in the field.

Employees can use the device for both business and personal use. Employees are very happy to pay for their own apps and exchange information on both free and paid apps. We have setup a reference document section on the firm server for employees to download reference documents to their iPads for field use. We are also developing forms to be used in the field on their iPads.

So far this has been a great prac tice tool and a great perk for employees. While we have not done a formal evaluation of the program to determine any changes, I am pleased with program and so are the employees. 

 
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Dennis Hall FAIA
Chairman ' CEO
Hall Architects, Inc.
Charlotte NC
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I use the best of both worlds meaning I use an Android device that has mobile hotspot ability and then use a wi-fi only Ipad.  Your paying for the cost of data on one device (my phone) but can have up to 5 others use your wi-fi.  For example, two of us will go out to a job site and link off my phone with our Ipads.  You will need more data (depending on personal use), but it's been working for us. 

If you already have and pay for the Iphones, then your out of luck (until Apple of course catches up).  You can just give them the wi-fi, Ipads, save information into a "dropbox" and send it via their Iphones or from your office who are linked to that "dropbox".  That would work too.  Good luck.
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Joseph Buda AIA
Project Architect
George A. Held, AIA, & Associates
Clifton NJ
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Steven,

We weigh out these decisions on two things:

1. If the expectation is that the device will be used for business, like the phone, then the firm pays for the entire purchase and ongoing service, and the employee returns it upon leaving the firm.  If it is a bonus or perk, then it's theirs to use and maintain including the cost of service. If used for firm business, I prefer to maintain control of the device and it's service for consistency and insurance purposes.

2. Policy-wise we strive to be even and fair, but not under all circumstances.  By this, I mean that an employee who just starts with the firm (even if they are senior level) should not expect the same as a veteran. Likewise, employees who spend 99% of their time in the office do not need mobile devices that benefit a PM's role and need to be available/connected outside of the office and on off hours.

That being said, and disregarding my new-employee comment above, are you hiring (my older iphone and ipad are just getting a bit tired...) ? 


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Andrew Fethes AIA
President
Andrew Fethes Architects PA
Oradell NJ
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