'Early adopter' SMEs stand to benefit most from technology

Experts are drawing a distinction between those small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who are quick to embrace new technology and those who struggle to cope with change.

So-called 'early adopters' stand to gain the most from technological advances by gaining a competitive edge in their marketplace, according to Phil Flaxton of IT support organisation Technology Means Business.

"There are SMEs that have embraced and implemented new technologies and are always 'early adopters' and there are others that struggle," he said.

Mr Flaxton singled out IP telephony solutions as one key area where SMEs have an opportunity to streamline operations and maximise their profit margins.

"For those who are early adopters and are prepared to look at implementing new technology there are of course substantial cost savings that can be achieved by using VoIP," he said.

According to the Office for National Statistics there has been a widespread uptake of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) over the past decade, with 93 per cent of SMEs now making use of personal computers.

However, the figures also revealed that SMEs consistently lag behind larger companies in adopting ICT. Just one in ten SMEs currently sells goods or services online, compared with 40 per cent of larger companies.