Ultimate Assessment Products was an old established companythat supplied psychological assessment tools to domestic andinternational organizations of all sizes. Discount merchandisersand superstores were spreading rapidly and altering the traditionaldistribution channels once the industry norm. The growing power ofthe superstores was forcing all industry stores to improve customerservice. The traditional assessment organizations were beingchallenged by new companies more willing to cut prices and usetechnologies favored by the superstores such as electronic ordersand billing. Ultimate Assessment Products was losing market shareand profits were declining.