rF Deueloping an e-business strategg

TI he dust from the shakeout in the Internet world hasn't ful in accomplishing their objectives. A fact that Mayer quite settled and despite all the news about the demise of blames at leist in part on poor execution, design and the new economy. businesses are still finding ways to evaluation of business models. use the Internet to drive profits, according to Linda

On the other side, businesses list a commitrnent from Mayer, senior vice president-marketing for Moen. executives'and a thorough understanding of customer

"Originally, everyone thought that the (Internet's) needs as the twc biggest factors contributing to the sucHoly Grail was going to be selling, but it really has to do cess of an e-business stfategy. Companies that have *ith streamlining business procedures. The number one built a successful e-strategy around their strong commitpriority of all companies' e-business initiatives is ment to a plan and comprehensive understanding of improving customer satisfaction-selling is at the bottom what customers want, have been among the many winend," Mayer said in a National Hardware Show presentation.

Mayer went on to point out that most executives who are not satisfied with their companies' e-business success should look more closeIy at their companies' e-business strategies.

'"The main barrier to success for most com-

/ panies has been a weak in the first starts with a company identifying its e-business opportunities and setting a realistic RO[ expectation; proceeds on too prioritizing opportunities in a more formal action plan; developing a framework to apply the plan, and then measuring the plan's benefits and pidalls.

By following a logical step-by-step e-business plan and determining how a company's e-strategy can be integrated throughout the organization, business are more likely to find success an the Internet, Mayer added. Without a comprehensive, actionable and measurable plan, however, most companies are destined to face efailure.

Mayer supported this point with statistics that show only 38Vo of all e-business initiatives have been success- co-presenter Don Belt, v.p. of GMT Consulting. ners in the new economy, according to success stories just haven:f been as highly publicized as the monumental failures, he added.

According to Belt, a successful ebusiness strategy should stad by getting a Mayer then walked attendees tfuough the e-business planning process, which hEALERS and wholesalers that L,Tsell to panelized builders realize that the most important consideration in the panelized construction industry is time. From the time it takes to frame a building inside their facility, to the time it takes to have a completed building on the job site-time is key.

"There is a lot more success in e-business than people might think," Belt said. The realistic view of your company's internal and extemal positioning. Internally, a'company will want to examine its capabilities, goals and past ebusiness succes$es and failures. Externally, a company will have to Eke into consideration its market needs, its supplier need$, opportunities for growth, and its competitive position.

Once this initial analysis has been made, a strategy begins to take place. The second step is to massage this strategy into a clear action plan that includes objectives and priorities. Finally, only after a strategy has gone through the first two steps should a company move on to implementation, where a site is designed, content developed, and a marketing and advertising campaign launched.

"The whole heart-throb of panelization is cost reduction, not only at the job site but within the plant," confirms Phil Barkey of panelized builder LRC. Suppliers, therefore, should find attentive listeners when pitching timesaving new framing products, such as the new breed of engineered headers and beams.

Many of these products are lighter than solid sawn lumber, making them much easier to maneuver in the shop.