Why use Web Services?

As I work more and more with business solutions I ask myself why businesses don't utilize the advantage of web services.  I think web services are one of the greatest technologies out there for business to business data exchange, or even for internal use in a company.   

For example, if Company 1 outsourced a service with a 3rd party company...that company is probably going to need to give Company 1 some type of data feed on a day to day basis.  I see a lot of companies’ still utilizing flat files in one form or another.  Usually the flat file is a fixed width or comma delimited.  This actually brings up another point I won't discuss at this time but falls within this category...why don't 3rd parties also accept XML on a preferred term basis yet? 

From a developer stand point I feel fixed width files are tedious to work with, along with so many possible problems happening because of an extra white space or something not aligned correctly in the file (left or right justified).   

This brings me back to my first question of why businesses do not use Web Services? 

The main advantage that I see from a web service is that it is cross platform.  Whether the web service is written in .NET or PHP, they both have to abide by XML and SOAP standards to send or receive their data. Since the data is delivered via XML and SOAP, mobile devices, desktop programs, or web sites can all use the same service.  This in return makes it centralized for the developers and the company for any data exchange they use with other companies.  

I'm sure some larger companies definitely utilize this technology...otherwise it wouldn't be known.  However, I hope that more and more business jump on the bandwagon of utilizing web services and XML for that fact it is actually makes it more flexible for B2B data exchange.