That four-year process produced phenomenal economic results. In 2001, every penny counts. Companies can't afford to move things up and down the chain anymore. They should make the transition now. Secondly, I think that companies need to help their best customers get through this recession in the best way possible.
Companies interact with customers and suppliers in extremely expensive, slow, and frustrating ways.
Companies like Cisco, Dell, and Schwab have figured out how to digitize many of those interactions. They have learned to reduce costs dramatically while increasing satisfaction as customers get their answers more quickly and accurately. But even Cisco and Dell are struggling now. A great business model does not exempt any company from the laws of an economic slowdown. Great business designs took a financial hit in 1991, but they bounced back quickly, because their relative position was much stronger than their peers'.