Buying IT 'more stressful' than moving house

Bosses of small businesses find buying new technology more stressful than buying a house or getting married.

A quarter of the 300 small business managing directors surveyed by AT Communications Group said they would rather go through the anxieties of organising a wedding than invest in new technology.

Getting a new mother-in-law might seem stressful enough but 28 per cent of SME managers would also prefer to buy a house than bring in new IT.

AT Communications Group said much of the stress is the result of the IT industry using too much jargon which confuses smaller business owners.

The survey claimed almost three-quarters of respondents find dealing with multiple suppliers frustrating and indicated a simplified supply chain would make things less nerve-racking.

Two-thirds of respondents believe looking after customers is more important than investing in new technology.

According to the survey, 26 per cent of respondents would find starting a new business less stressful than starting new IT initiatives, despite new commercial ventures being prone to failure in the initial 12 months.