Industry Exchange: What company has the most savvy Internet offering

Gary Meshell

director, electronic financial services

Price Waterhouse

"American Express. They're going after a group of customers that show similar types of behavior, attitudes and needs for their own personal asset management. They are the first and only true direct bank that's offering products and services across the Internet. They crafted American Express Direct to play to young, up-and-coming dual-income households, with incomes of $75,000 to $100,000, that don't have the ability to hire a personal banker, but who want that perceived need of relationship management."

Michael Sanchez

chairman and CEO

Sanchez Computer Associates

"MSNBC has got it right. They're using traditional channels to promote the new channel. So the use of the old model-television-to draw people into the new model-the Internet-was a brainstorm on Bill Gates's part. He brought instant credibility to the content with Tom Brokaw and all the people you see on T.V., who now you can interact with over the Net."

Dennis Roman

director, banking & financial markets

Hewlett-Packard Co.

"Federal Express. They're world-class in how they've used the Internet to launch a tracking system, which was originally developed for internal use. By actually putting themselves on the Net to (help customers track packages), you would think that they may be disintermediating themselves from their customers. But they are maintaining-and I would submit, extending-the loyalty of their customer base because of this avant garde attitude toward them. "