Despite the dominance of Windows in the business world, our company has chosen to go with Apple for business functions. Why? Isn’t Windows the default? Unprecedented compatibility with the rest of the business world, cheaper hardware, familiarity across users – there are some definite benefits to Windows. But let me tell you why we have chosen Apple, and why Apple is better for business than they get credit for.
Using Apple for Business: The First Reason
The first reason why Apple is great for business is the user interface. Despite the familiarity of the Windows UI, my team and I consider the macOS interface to be easier to navigate, increasing efficiency. Despite a (very short) learning curve for new users, the operating system and its interface are extremely easy to figure out, especially if a user is familiar with other Apple products like the iPhone or iPad. One of my employees, a new Mac user, commented on how similar the Mac launchpad is to a traditional iOS interface.
Using Apple for Business: The Second Reason
The second reason is the iWork suite. Yes, you heard me! Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. Again, these applications play to Apple’s biggest strength – simplicity. Most people have never even heard of these apps and even Mac users seem to use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint instead of their Apple counterparts. The great thing about the iWork suite is that it is free and can open all MS Office documents, as well as export to the same formats. In other words, a user can create a Pages document and export it to Word format (.docx) for a Windows user to open. This could lead to possible formatting issues, but I have never experienced any personally. The software is also very user-friendly. Format menus are able to be hidden away, allowing the user to focus solely on the page they are working on. And while there may be a few features missing from Apple’s suite compared to MS Office (Pivot Tables being one), there are no features missing for everyday use. I mean, let’s be honest here, if you’re a company who uses a lot of different tables and graphs, you’ll be better off using a software like Tableau for those features over Excel anyway.
Using Apple for Business: The Third Reason
The third reason is reliability. While a standard Windows machine may be hundreds of dollars cheaper than a Mac and repair costs are lower, in the business world, the benefits of a reliable machine that does not break down outweigh the acquisition or switching costs. The closed-source of macOS is a bit of a double-edged sword, but on the positive side, it is much harder for a Mac to encounter viruses or run into any internal problems. Having a reliable computer is a necessity for productive business operations. Mac computers last for a long time, and that’s what a business needs.
Some Cons
All of that said, we should take a second to acknowledge the negative side of the closed-source operating system: incompatibility with specialized software. While most software seems to have a Mac app, there are a select few which do not. For example, ArcGIS is a Windows-only software. If your company works doing geography-related services, I would not recommend Mac. With some research, I could find more software, but that is not the purpose of this article. At the end of the day, make sure to do research to make sure that your computer meets your software needs.
Summary
For those of you in the finance, accounting, or business services world, I would highly recommend looking into Mac computers. They pack a lot of punch, operate smoothly, come pre-installed with an adequate software package, and will last your company for years. And, of course, their premium builds and sleek designs will give you a little extra confidence at your next in-person consultation. Do your research and get the best machine for your needs, but don’t sleep on the Mac.
