Concur (CNQR), the maker of travel and expense-report software, knows that some of its users have been unfaithful. Many have turned to free-and simpler-consumer-oriented sites to book business travel. So the company, based in Redmond, Wash, is taking cues from apps and websites aimed at the mainstream-by buying them. It shelled out $120 million for trip-planning app TripIt in 2011 and, this past November, announced a $150 million fund to invest in similar startups. Concur isn't alone. Other enterprise-software giants are racing to acquire user-friendly software in hopes of keeping customers from turning elsewhere. (One exception? Cisco(CSCO, Fortune 500), which has divested itself of most of its consumer businesses.) Here are some bellwether acquisitions.
差旅及报销软件供应商Concur遇到麻烦了,它发现不少用户正在转投别处。许多人选择了面向个人用户的网站制定差旅计划。这些网站不但免费,而且更容易上手。所以,位于华盛顿州雷德蒙德市的Concur痛定思痛,开始收购针对主流人群的应用和网站,试图向它们学习。2011年,Concur耗资1.2亿美元收购了行程管理应用程序开发商TripIt。去年11月,Concur又宣布向提供类似服务的新创企业投资1.5亿美元。无独有偶,为了留住用户,其它企业软件开发商也都在竞购用户友好型软件。【思科(Cisco)是个例外,它剥离了绝大部分个人消费者业务。】以下是一些堪称业界风向标的收购交易。