locked out of their business for good (Royal, 1999). Graybar introduced its extranet just in time to meet customer demands. For some businesses, however, going on line may not provide a competitive advantage. Phoning a local restaurant for carry out is still quicker and simpler than ordering carry out on the Internet.

Recommendation. In response to increasing customer expectations for service and support, small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) should reassess their service and support capabilities and revise them, as needed, to remain competitive and to seize new market opportunities. SMEs should develop an understanding of the opportunities provided by various Web technologies and, if appropriate, create a Web presence.