Websites are no longer relevant... or are they?

Today was a great day at the office, watching the Melbourne Cup with a whole group of people who have had a few drinks is fun! On the way out I had an interesting conversation with another worker in the building who is employed by a private banking and investment firm, about the relevance of web sites. We did the usual intro chat and one of his final comments, when discovering that I do web design and internet marketing, the comment was something like "that was really big in the past, but they're not that important now". The idea being that the business world has moved on, it was just a fad.
Of course, I would have to disagree, and I did. I suggested that web sites are just a starting point - a part of corporate image. Having a professional website designed for you is a representation to the corporate world of your company. Prospects may very well google you before they call you.

The point - an information site about your company is just the beginning of a journey out into a whole ocean of marketing communication. Getting all the cool widgets and tools is a later necessity, but first, everyone needs a web presence. Thats entry level stuff.