21 August 2006

Businesses in Scotland could be missing out on revenue by failing to use the Internet to their advantage, Lloyds TSB has claimed.

Some 40 per cent of Scottish production and manufacturing companies, and 28 per cent of service companies do not have websites, the company stated.

Furthermore, 24 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) believe that it is hard to keep pace with advancing technology, the study revealed.

Donald MacRae, chief economist for Lloyds TSB Scotland, said: "There appears to be a group of companies who are hesitant towards using the Internet.

"When it comes to e-Commerce and payments via the web, again it would be interesting to find out if the figures are low because of concerns over online security or a general mistrust of technology."

Charlie Stewart, head of e-Business at Scottish Enterprises warned that businesses could become overtaken by more efficient competitors if they fail to invest for the future.

An expert at JupiterResearch recently claimed that the Internet is a "vital tool" for SMEs to conduct business effectively.

© Adfero Ltd

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