Businesses in the Highlands are pioneering the use of new software which will make trading more effective and efficient after Brexit.
Inverness Chamber of Commerce is the first Scottish chamber to introduce the EdgeCTP system to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) streamline operations and comply with new trade rules and tariffs following Britain’s exit from the EU.
The cloud-based system is the first combined trading platform (CTP) for SMEs and Inverness Chamber believes its exclusive use in the Highlands puts the region ahead of other areas in being Brexit ready.
Stewart Nicol, Inverness Chamber’s chief executive, said: “This is a unique and exclusive product which Inverness Chamber is bringing to SMEs in the Highlands and Islands as part of its commitment to further strengthen its support for the business community and their ambition for growth in very uncertain times.
“EdgeCTP will support SMEs across the Highlands as the challenges of Brexit come to the fore. It will enable SMEs to have complete see-through in their supply chain, giving owner managers the chance to link all of the different elements together, providing up-to-the-minute data.”
EdgeCTP has been developed by Glasgow-based software developer Morgan Goodwin Limited. It brings together all business processes into a single web-based application accessible round the clock from anywhere in the world on a phone, tablet or laptop.
This includes processes of sales workflow, stock and warehouse, purchases, logistics, shipping, customs and payments, as well as banking, foreign exchange and logistics carriers. It has the ability to handle multiple currency sales and purchases and also facilitates the generation and authentication of Certificates of Origin by Inverness Chamber.
EdgeCTP has in-built access to the trading rules that will emerge after Brexit, allowing users to easily access those that affect their goods. The software will be up to date as soon as new trade rules and tariffs are announced.
Businesses can sign up to the platform via Inverness Chamber and pay a monthly fee for services bespoke to their needs. Some of the basic tools are free to use.
Stewart Nicol added: “Inverness Chamber is always seeking to innovate through new products and services and is constantly seeking to understand and respond to the needs of its trading community.
“The Certification service within Edge is available now, with Inverness Chamber the sole provider in the Highlands and Islands. It is just one of many services we provide and our partnership with EdgeCTP further extends our support strategy.”