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Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rank backup as one of the highest computing priorities but half of these companies have experienced a loss, new research shows.

A study from Symantec shows of those who reported a loss a third saw missed sales, 20 per cent saw a decline in customers and a quarter said the incident caused 'severe disruptions' within the business.

Susan Shea Cameron, clinical director and partner at one such company - Cameron Consultation - says a lot of business owners do not think the loss will occur to them.

Chris Schin, senior director of product management at Symantec, says: 'In a small or mid-sized business, where money and staff time are at a premium, there's always something more pressing to do than manage backups.'

The research from the company shows when firms do employ backup tactics more than half store the information in the same place as the original, leaving themselves open to problems and permanent loss.

It was recently announced that the Information Commissioner's Office, which regulates the access to and use of personal information, can issue harsher penalties to firms who deliberately or recklessly lose information.

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