Whether they are creating new opportunities, I have my doubts. On the procurement side, substantial work is happening. On the customer and customer-supply side, it is very early days. A lot of pilots and experiments are taking place. Most opportunities lie in procurement and sales and distribution.
Benefits are largely in the form of reduced delivery time and better inventory management.
The opportunities that companies can leverage on through the Net are largely in the logistics and customer service areas. Quality and reliability of services and products can be improved through the Web initiatives. The phone penetration is huge in India, so look at that. Logistics is hugely fragmented, like retail. There are thousands of small truck owners.