New research commissioned by service management company Tertio SMS shows that a large number of consumers, 45%, are experiencing 'techno-rage', an acute level of annoyance with organisations over technology hitches in service delivery.

According to Tertio, the study reveals that technology-based service failure is a widespread problem.

Every week, nearly a quarter, 23% of the population find themselves unable to use services, such as cash machines, mobile phone networks or the internet - when they want to. One in ten people encounter problems on a daily basis. Despite how common this is, consumers have extremely high expectations of service reliability, with more than three out of four (79%) expecting technology to work when they need it without fail.

With half of consumers laying the blame for technology mishaps at the door of the company delivering the service, regardless of whether they are at fault or not, the findings have serious implications for big business.

'Whether customers are shopping online or making a mobile phone call, companies need to look beyond their systems in purely technical terms and recognise that IT failures are having a significant impact on their reputation,' said Alan Greenberg, chief executive at Tertio SMS.

Greenberg continues: 'Big business is being judged by a consumer-base that has rising expectations of service delivery. Techo-rage is significantly worse amongst young people, 85% of those aged between 18 and 24 expressing strong dissatisfaction with poor service delivery. Brought up in a 24x7 world, they have little patience for technology services that don't work.

According to Greenberg, retailers, banks, utility and phone companies alike are being blamed when technology systems go down. 'For every customer who complains about service delivery there are also many others who do not speak up,' he said. 'They bottle up their dissatisfaction, getting more and more annoyed until they take their business elsewhere. Techno-rage is fuelling this and big business is facing a serious threat from 'silent attrition' within its customer base.'

Tertio's CEO believes the reliability and safety of systems and the processes used to make sure service levels are met, are all key compliance issues. 'Organisations must make sure they are properly monitoring their IT systems and understand how customers perceive their service delivery,' Greenberg stressed. 'If they don't, they face not only growing consumer wrath, but potential penalties for failing to act in accordance with industry standards.'