Cutting costs becomes an important part of the operations of the company. It is obvious. Usability is an extremely effective cost cutting tool. Usability helps designers create more simple products. Simple products are cheaper to build.
Simple products are easier to sell and they are also easier for customers to maintain.
That should sound pretty good to you. I know that it sounds good to me. Because you can drive down costs. Usability will help you maximize your investments. Many people think that salvation comes from an increased number of features.