Smarter work

BT has signed an agreement with smarterwork.com enabling BT's small business customers to work 100 per cent online with qualified suppliers from anywhere in the world. Thousands of individuals and companies have qualified to provide services on the site, including Web designers and builders, journalists,copywriters, researchers, graphic designers, desktop publishers and secretaries. These online services have been fully integrated into the UK's largest small business portal, btclick for business (www.btclickforbusiness.com) since 1 April, providing a simple source of online business information and services. In addition to sourcing suppliers, BT customers in appropriate service industries will also be able to benefit by extending their customer base to a global scale by using smarterwork.com's quality-assured online pitching service. Grant Broster, head of Internet for Businesses, BT said: "BT is continually working to improve the Internet services available to our small business customers. Working with innovative companies providing quality-assured services such as smarterwork.com will further strengthen the btclick for business portal." Since its launch in mid-March, smarterwork.com has established a global market over 6,500 registered users in more than 60 countries. BT is the first company to announce a relationship with smarterwork.com. Integrating smarterwork.com into the BT SME portal extends the variety of services offered to small businesses. These already range from Internet access and Web hosting, to e-commerce and premium services such as business and legal advice, BA Travel Shops and company information.