IBM Makes Bid for Tealeaf

IBM furthered the analytics side of its commerce initiatives with the announced acquisition of customer experience software provider Tealeaf Technology Inc.

Tealeaf sells a suite of software to connect patterns of customer Web and mobile activity to enterprise marketing analytics and visualizations. In a statement on the deal announced Wednesday, IBM noted that it expects Tealeaf’s offerings to enhance its Smarter Commerce initiatives, especially with real-time information for CMOs and customer service employees.

Tealeaf originated as a spin-off from SAP Labs, where Tealeaf Founder and CTO Robert Wenig developed the venture’s first Web-based applications. Tealeaf was established in 1999 and is based in San Francisco.

Financial terms were not disclosed. IBM anticipates the deal to close in the second quarter of 2012. IBM stated it would continue to support and develop Tealeaf software as it integrates the provider into its Enterprise Marketing and Management Group.

In October, IBM introduced its Smarter Commerce initiative, a $3 billion retail extension of its diverse analytics projects for governments, education, health care and civic institutions called Smarter Planet.

There have been a handful of multi-million dollar transactions in the last five months by IBM toward Smarter Commerce. That includes the purchase of retail analytics provider DemandTec and supply chain software vendor Emptoris, as well as the sale of its point-of-sale division to Toshiba, which also involved a software and services partnership between the two companies.

This story first appeared on the website of Information Management

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