Utilizing Technology

Advances in technology, such as the internet, have revolutionized commerce. Companies are free to research their global competition without leaving the office, and virtual marking can be virtually cost free. The internet has streamlines communication, and increased the speed of business. The question is, are companies utilizing technology to gain a competitive advantage?
I was formerly employed by a third generation owned formal wear company that was flirting with the idea of internet marketing. The company has a decent website, but until recent improvements were implemented conducting a Google search for St. Louis Formal wear yielded the company’s webpage on the second page of listings. The owner would like to blog, tweet, or facebook, but has no idea how to get started or how to get people to read his posts. The technology is available, but the company lacks tech savvy sophistication to fully utilize existing technology.
Is there room in the dot com era for a traditional formal wear business, or any business not effectively connected with internet marketing and online tools? I think the internet can be a valuable tool to get customers in the door or make an initial purchase, but it’s old fashioned customer service that keeps customers coming back. However, good companies can fade away without proper exposure on a medium that’s here to stay, the internet.