Following my club Birmingham City's promotion to the Premiership this summer has been busier than most. Most of my time as managing director has been spent outside the office, be it travelling overseas to hold talks with transfer targets, arranging sponsorship deals, or meeting players to tie down contracts. As a result I’ve become much more reliant on mobile technology to keep in touch with people internally, as well as keeping up-to-date with all the goings on around the football club.
In the past I had always relied on both a BlackBerry and my mobile phone. More recently, however, I switched over to a smart phone which combines both, the T-Mobile Vario II, which means I no longer have to worry about carrying numerous pieces of kit and have the ideal mobile office device that can fit nicely in my handbag.
This Vario II has really turned me around to the mobile internet - the ability to monitor share prices, check Google alerts, or keep up-to-date with the latest news without having to be at a computer means that I can utilise deadtime like I never could before.
I am keen to see other employees at Birmingham City FC making a similar move and try their hand at mobile working. Considering it is just one slight change, it has made a great impact on my own productivity and efficiency, and I would happily pass these benefits on to the rest of my staff.
If you head up a business, you need access to the internet on the move. You need to be in touch with colleagues and business associates 24/7 and you need an electronic diary to ensure that you are as organised as you can be.
For these needs, the Vario II is the perfect device and can do everything you ask of it. Perhaps the only challenge is to take the time to go through the many features on the device and ensure you are using it to its full potential.
Karren Brady has been the managing director of Birmingham City Football Club since becoming fooball's first female MD in 1993, aged just 23. In 1997 she became the youngest woman to run an AIM-list company.
