BMW (UK) has launched a national interactive business television network for its dealerships to cut down on mileage covered by staff. Instead of executives at the firm's 156 UK dealerships all travelling to meetings with each other, they can now conduct business immediately through the hi-tech system, which uses BT analogue telephone lines, satellite and a receiver station.

Mike Evans, director of Ocean BMW dealerships, said: 'It is a great way of communicating. To have 156 dealers converging on any one point in the country is not a good use of our time. The interactive business TV network enables us to keep up-to-date with information which is important to us all, from the comfort of our own offices.'