Aspective has Erudite views
VAR's acquisition of rival gives it control of a fifth of the UK CRM market
E-business VAR Aspective has claimed its acquisition of rival VAR Erudite has given it control of more than 20 per cent of the UK CRM market.
The firms have had close ties since 2003, when Microsoft chose them as alpha and beta test candidates for its CRM software.
"The two companies together will create a real powerhouse for CRM. Erudite has a very similar mix of people and skills," said Annette Giardina, business director of Microsoft CRM at Aspective.
"The deal will help us to expand our verticals and to capitalise on a number of new ones. There will be no changes to channel partners or customers."
Giardina said Erudite will remain at its Milton Keynes headquarters, allowing Aspective to focus on lucrative northern markets. "The corporate sector has been developing for a long time but is turning downwards. The SME sector is a mixed bag, and a huge growing sector," she said.
Jason Nash, product solutions marketing manager at Microsoft CRM, said the acquisition will be positive for the SME CRM market in the UK. "The acquisition will make Aspective our leading CRM partner in the UK," he said.