Some companies have been able to sell products online and capitalize on the nascent trend toward electronic commerce, but for most firms it's the gritty business functions that provide the greatest return on investment. People generally go online looking for information. The easier it is to navigate a site and find what they're looking for, the more likely they are to use it over and over again. In most cases that translates into functionality rather than eye-popping graphics. For example, one of our Clients, uses Cold Fusion a web base application we implemented for them to keep track of fuel claculations at Honolulu International Airport.
Airlines can log in and see how much fuel left they have at the airport.
As a result the company reports fielding fewer phone calls and the conversations that do take place are shorter than before. One of the biggest advantages that small companies have is that they can band together to create a network or value chain. By interlinking data and sites, it's possible to form alliances that directly compete with much larger organizations. This allows companies to merge organizational charts and let everyone pool information in new and unusual ways. As a result, these firms can often provide faster product delivery and bring costs and pricing down.