Over time, the site will be made more interactive and customer friendly, said Hiromi Matsumoto, managing director, Sony India Limited, at the inauguration of an exclusive outlet `Sony World' in Chennai. The site is expected to be in place latest by March 2000.

The need to have a strong IT base has been the main focus of the company since 1999, so as to sustain the present growth rate in the market, he added.Initially, to become an IT driven company, ``We had created a successful communication link between regions, warehouses and the factory for continuous online data and voice transmission through leased lines and VSAT's,'' says Prem K Nair, deputy director and general manager sales and service.

Subsequently, the company started working on implementation of SAP module in metros at an outlay of Rs 4.5 crore. To begin with, the module will provide a common software platform for all major business functions of factory operations, finance, logistics and information systems and provide better supply chain management. The first phase of the project, is expected to be completed by March 2000.

The company still has to invest Rs 1 crore for the completion of the project, he added. In the second phase, which is also estimated at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore, the company is planning to extend the facility to the aftersales service area and also to the business partners.