IBM agrees to acquire software maker iPhrase

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp, the world's biggest computer company, said on Tuesday it agreed to buy privately held iPhrase Systems Inc, which makes software that lets businesses search for words and phrases, even when misspelled, to improve customer service.

Terms weren't disclosed.

IPhrase, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, develops software to help e-commerce businesses handle customer inquiries about services, problems or purchases, IBM of Armonk, New York, said in a statement.

The purchase is IBM's 15th since 2001 in its strategy to give corporate customers a single view of product or customer information by linking data that's often locked up in many different systems.

IPhrase's technology allows retailers, for example, to interpret online customer queries even when customers misspell words or use jargon, IBM said. The software lets businesses tailor their answers to customers' questions, helping boost sales.

IBM last week said it was collaborating with Google, the world's biggest web search company, to make it easier for office workers to delve deep into corporate databases to locate information.