Small firms are being warned to seek advice before spending huge amounts of money on new technology, it has been reported.

Speaking at an event at the University of Warwick, business owners were told that expert advice can cost nothing but that splashing cash on unsuitable technology could leave them out of pocket, according to the Malvern Gazette.

Martin King-Turner of the National B2B Centre told the employers, who were all based in the Worcestershire and Herefordshire regions, that seeking advice was key for those who wanted to get ahead – particularly online.

"All too often, small businesses make decisions on buying technologies without the right advice," he said.

"The National B2B Centre exists as a funded and impartial organisation to help them make informed choices on things like CRM (customer relationship management), which can help them manage their customer information better and generate more repeat."

According to the newspaper, firms in this part of the country spend millions of pounds a year on computers and software but much of this was not suited to the business itself.