Small businesses in the West Midlands are being encouraged to develop a competitive edge through mobile technology.
The West Midlands e-business centre of excellence - the National B2B Centre based at the University of Warwick - is hoping to give regional firms an advantage by helping them become more mobile.
At a launch event businesses were shown how working with mobile devices out of the office can save time, provide opportunities to improve sales data collection and cash flow, and improve customer relationships.
Antony Perrett, from data2go, one of the presenters who already uses a mobile sales system, said: "This improves our cash flow simply by allowing the team to record sales wherever they are back into our business management system and generate invoices.
"Before we get back to the office an invoice has been sent."
Rayhan Abdulmughnee, a National B2B Centre consultant, said: "It is important that small businesses understand the benefits that mobile technologies can offer their business, particularly if they have staff out on the road.
"It can streamline their work with office colleagues but also have an impact on the bottom line when mobile colleagues are equipped to take orders, log them quickly then move onto the next.
"Introducing mobile technologies at work will be new to most people but it doesn't need to be costly or difficult - the National B2B Centre is here to provide free, independent advice to help you get started."
Small businesses can learn more about mobile technology at a Mobile Marketing seminar tomorrowat the National B2B Centre at the University of Warwick.
The National B2B Centre is part of WMG at the University of Warwick, and funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Advantage West Midlands.
