SugarCRM goes social with iExtensions buy and integration moves

SugarCRM has acquired iExtensions, the customer relationship management software used by IBM Lotus Notes customers, and announced deeper integration with a range of products designed to boost collaboration and productivity.

Announced at the firm's annual SugarCon customer conference, the iExtensions acquisition will allow Sugar 6 customers to more easily use IBM collaboration tools by giving them native Notes support as well as Notes email and calendar plug-ins, and a connector to the IBM Domino product line, said SugarCRM.

SugarCRM also announced a number of ways in which it will provide customers with deeper LotusLive social integration, as well as revealing partnerships with other large technology players such as Cisco and Citrix.

Sugar 6 will now allow users to schedule and host web meetings while inside their CRM solution, as well as upload and collaborate on documents to allow sales and support professionals to better engage with customers.

SugarCRM also launched new connectors for the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Suite and IBM Websphere Cast Iron.

Meanwhile, new partnerships with WebExMeetingCenter and Citrix-GoToMeeting will allow SugarCRM customers to access web meeting tools.

A partnership with Google will mean that Sugar 6 users can upload, manage and share Google Docs right inside the Sugar 6 interface.

The addition of iExtensions and deeper integration with social tools could help SugarCRM to better compete against its bigger rival Salesforce.com, which purchased social media monitoring firm Radian6 for £203m in March.