The Internet As a Change Agent

Analytic firm QDI Strategies talks about the Internet both in terms of a dedicated channel focused on a single brand, as well as a broad-based channel for ease of use and service.

The first type, that of a single brand, is best used by vendors to deliver information and services around that brand. A good example of this is Compaq's Web site, which offers a wide array of business services, links to support resources and help with configuring the vast array of the company's products.

"The Internet has made it easier for partners to now have extensive access to real-time product announcements and marketing materials," says Sandy Potter, director of business development at Optimus Solutions, an Atlanta-based integrator. "This can be a valuable extension of a manufacturer's own resources,".

But the Internet is also useful for broader applications, and can make customers more comfortable as they browse around the site as well as deliver customized product solutions. Most of the major PC vendors now have the means to customize just about every component inside their boxes via a Web configuration tool. Cisco's Web site, for one has been successful in eliminating duplicate or impossible configurations as a result of its Web-based configurator.

A good example of this second type of broader influence is CDW.com. The solution provider offers a slew of products, yet makes it easy for customers to find what they are looking for and to track their orders

Bobby Orbach, an independent consultant in New York, says both types of Internet influence are valid. "Everything is now on the table for discussion," he says. "Companies can put a menu out there and let their customers order any way they want."