[30.05.2007 first posted on silicon republic]
Chambers Ireland is predicting a substantial increase in the number of Irish small and medium sized companies accessing the internet via broadband since the last survey of 2005, when it revealed fewer than 30pc of companies used broadband.

Chambers Ireland policy director Seán Murphy told siliconrepublic.com that this time round he is confident a considerable improvement will be achieved when the Chambers next e-business survey is published in July.
However, a new set of dilemmas is likely to top the agenda, says Murphy and a critical issue will be moving SMEs rapidly beyond 1MB entry level broadband to faster speeds of 15MB, 20MB and eventually 100MB.
“My own perception is that on the broadband front things will not look quite so dire as they did two years ago,” explains Murphy. “But there is a danger of complacency and a need to reach and excel beyond international benchmarks.”
Bringing SMEs up to speed with their international counterparts in terms of technology and know-how is an integral part of the Chambers’ current strategy, he said.
In many ways the organisation has moved to prove this by rolling out a customer relationship management (CRM) system across 10 local Chamber websites, with the aim to hit 25 out of the organisation’s 60 affiliated websites by Christmas.
Chambers Ireland worked with Eircom to develop the CRM system to enhance the various Chambers’ productivity and interaction with local business communities.
“It is a key initiative which will provide Chamber members and the wider business community with key information to help them be more successful,” explained Eircom marketing director Eoin McManus.
The head of Chamber Development at Chambers Ireland, David Bourke explained the aim of the CRM project was to establish a system that was user friendly to Chambers staff and volunteers.
He added the aim is to build a solid website system nationwide. “The CRM system has enhanced our service offering and makes it easier for businesses to access information about their local chamber.”
Seán Murphy said that a key aspect of the Chambers’ work in recent years has been training and knowledge for SME owners and staff. “The Chambers Business School has been working with Fas on e-enablement and training initiatives.
“One of these was the Grow Your Company IQ programme on innovation management to help businesses to license and commercialise their own intellectual property.”
He said that large IT companies are struggling to sell technology to small companies in Ireland despite a healthy appetite amongst business owners for innovation.
“There is massive demand and potential that is all too often unmet. In 2005, our e-business survey found that companies were willing to spend 4pc or upwards of turnover on technology.
“SMEs in Ireland at the moment have a recovering appetite for IT. Five or six years ago they were sold a dream that didn’t materialise and they got burned. Despite a vast appetite for technology they are mindful of failure.
“Large bluechip technology companies don’t seem to know how to sell to Irish SMEs, a discerning community of time poor managers who want products that work and tech support that is meaningful.”
Murphy succeeds that much of the problem is that the cultural differences between what is an Irish SME and their US counterpart often gets lost in translation.
“In America an SME is defined as 1,200 people or less. In Ireland 92pc of SMEs are sub-50 worker enterprises for whom it is hard to justify having a full-time IT person in-house.
“Technology providers will need to realise this difference and develop service level agreements that are actually meaningful to Irish SMEs,” Murphy warned.
The 10 chamber websites that have rolled out the new CRM system are:
 http://www.ballinachamber.com”>http://www.ballinachamber.com  http://www.carlowchamber.com/  http://www.clonmelchamber.com/  http://www.enniscorthychamber.ie/  http://www.kilkennychamber.ie/  http://www.limerickchamber.ie/  http://www.midletonchamber.com/  http://www.shannonchamber.com/  http://www.wexfordchamber.ie/ 