Credit: Shutterstock photoInternational Business Machines CorporationIBM recently acquired a software-as-a-service (SaaS) systems integrator, Optevia. This acquisition will add to the company's Customer Relationship Management (CRM). IBM has not disclosed the financial details of the transaction.
IBM will integrate Optevia to its Global Business Services division. The U.K.-based company is an expert in providing Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions for public sector organizations. Optevia extends the aforesaid solutions to emergency services, central and local government, health and housing departments and even social enterprises.
Though IBM has been offering Microsoft's CRM solutions for a long time, the company did not have adequate solutions to meet the growing demand from the public sector. The latest acquisition will allow IBM to significantly expand its SaaS CRM offerings to the public sectors across the globe. Not only will the company be able to utilize Optevia's technological capabilities to substantially widen its client base but it can also leverage the technology to develop similar solutions for other sectors. Regarding the Optevia buyout, IBM believes that it "will be able to provide Public Sector clients and prospects with a wide range of unique, industry focused CRM based solutions."
Per a Gartner report, CRM software market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.8% through 2017, while SaaS CRM will likely have a higher growth rate of about 22.6%.
It appears that IBM is well poised to gain from the booming CRM market. Previously, the tech player expanded its portfolio by adding solutions from other key players (apart from Microsoft) like the Salesforce CRM , SAP Corp. SAP and Oracle ORCL .
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