Bulky accounting systems yield poor results

The survey of personnel responsible for financial and business software of more than 1,000 businesses found that respondents were least satisfied by ERP systems such as those supplied by Oracle and SAP, while smaller products like Sage's Instant Accounting package, costing less than £100, achieved the highest levels of customer satisfaction.

Worryingly, the survey revealed that there was still a risk to the business, whether it is using a cheap, simple package or a complex, expensive one - twelve percent of respondents reported a business critical systems failure over the last two years.

Paul Druckman, president of the ICAEW, said: 'It's not really surprising that there is greater satisfaction with the smaller and cheaper accounting products as there's the perception of getting a better deal.

'What is surprising is that the providers of the biggest packages are falling so far behind on customer service. They should beware as this may create a gap in the market for a provider to step in and excel in this area.'