In a world of global competition and relentless price pressure, more and more products and services are becoming commoditized. High quality and low cost are givens. Often, the winning competitor is the one who responds first, has the easiest-to-navigate Web site, gets the order right the first time and suggests complementary products that actually fit the customer's needs.

Once their order is placed customers want to track or change it over the Web; via e-mail, phone, or fax; or through existing standards such as EDI (Electronic Data Interchange). They also want consistent, correct answers whether they're talking to the vendor or a reseller.