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AnswerThink Offers End-to-end, Tailored Web-based Solutions

20 March 2000

AnswerThink Offers End-to-end, Tailored Web-based Solutions for the Automotive Industry

    MIAMI--March 20, 2000--AnswerThink announced today the introduction of Automotive Solutions, a new practice that offers the Company's unique combination of end-to-end services in interactive marketing, strategy and technology expertise to automotive companies.
    A leading eBusiness consulting company, AnswerThink is combining its vast knowledge of transformation in the automotive industry and its best-practices expertise into a solutions group that is focused on helping auto manufacturers, suppliers and customer-facing networks to compete in the new electronic economy. By offering eProcess transformation and eTechnology, Automotive Solutions is designed to help companies in the automotive industry realize the benefits of participating in collaborative purchasing through market exchanges and customer-focused interactive marketing.
    "The automotive industry represents 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and, with the explosion of the electronic economy, is on the verge of its most massive restructuring ever," said Franco Gonsalves, Automotive Solutions leader at AnswerThink. "Inevitably, any transformation effort for members of this industry involves a sizable investment of resources. Our unique perspective into eBusiness best practices, researched by Hackett Benchmarking & Research and refined by our practice groups provides the insight that automotive companies need to conduct business through the web to realize ongoing efficiency and effectiveness gains."
    The Company plans to build on its already-strong client base, specifically clients of its best-practices research arm Hackett Benchmarking & Research. Currently, Hackett's list of automotive clients includes 28 major OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and parts suppliers.
    "AnswerThink already has a strong presence in the automotive community, making this practice fairly seamless and efficient for clients," said Gonsalves. "Considering how successful we've been in helping automotive clients identify best practices and implement transformations that capitalize on them, they are certain to derive benefits from our practice's increased focus on their specific competitive needs."
    Gonsalves brings a wealth of experience to the new practice. He has served at the partner level within the consulting "Big Five" and possesses career knowledge that spans supply-chain management, cost and performance management, IT implementation and sourcing/supplier management. His past client experiences include such automotive giants as GM, Goodyear, Fiat and TRW.
    "Franco's automotive knowledge and strong business sense are the bedrock of our newest practice, Automotive Solutions," said Ted Fernandez, Chairman and CEO of AnswerThink. "His background and leadership abilities will allow the practice to hit the ground running, immediately offering clients first-rate service."
    Currently being offered to U.S.-based organizations, the practice plans to expand into Europe by the end of this year and into Asia by 2002.
    For more information, or to speak with Franco Gonsalves, please contact:

Aaron Smith AnswerThink (330) 656-3110 ext. 5352 fax: (330) 463-5471 asmith@answerthink.com

    About AnswerThink

    AnswerThink (www.answerthink.com) is a leading eBusiness solutions provider. With its recent merger with THINK New Ideas, the Company now helps design, build, market and support the e-business efforts of a growing list of Global 1000 and dot-com clients. AnswerThink offers a wide range of integrated solutions, including eBusiness strategy, interactive marketing, Web design, best practices benchmarking and business modeling, custom application development, software package implementation, e-commerce and decision support technology.
    The Company's end-to-end focus provides its clients with a unique combination of marketing, business and technology expertise that spans multi-functional areas that include brand and product development, supply chain, sales and marketing, customer support, finance, human resources and information technology. For more information, call 1-877-423-4321.