IBM launches 'funky' UK ebusiness centres

IBM has highlighted the failure of dotcoms to integrate their front and back-end systems on their websites, and has set up two creative centres in the UK to combat the problem.

During the past few months, the ebusiness market has seen the high-profile failure of boo.com and clickmango.com among others. According to IBM, these types of failures are due to the fact that while the companies' websites appeared creative, they were unable to keep up with business and technology demands.

Rob Lawrence, creative director of IBM, said: "This creative isolation crisis is not only costing a great deal in terms of business and/or project failure, but is also tarnishing the public's perception of ebusiness, and its reliability and security."

To address this problem IBM has set up two centres - called ebusiness Innovation - which will provide all the key elements of setting up an entire system for a website. The centres will give small and medium-sized businesses help on brand strategy, marketing, creative design, application development, systems integration and implementation.

Andrew Goldman, communications manager at IBM, said: "We are offering companies the chance to create solutions for businesses in a non-traditional environment."

The centres have an exploration area with sculptures, as well as interactive touch screens demonstrating various ebusiness scenarios. A 42-metre wall extends back from the reception area into the workspaces. The centres have been painted and furnished in exceptionally bright colours. "It's full of funky rooms and lights," said Goldman.

IBM will hire 400 additional employees to staff the two facilities - of which one is based in South Bank and the other in Hursley, Hampshire. Other vendors' offerings will also be represented in the centres, such as Ariba, i2, Siebel and Cisco.