Microsoft announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire cloud-based customer service software provider Parature. The company will add the software to its Microsoft Dynamics CRM suite.

“Customers are more connected and better informed than ever before. Organizations are looking for business solutions that can strengthen their ability to connect with customers on their own terms, using whatever device and whatever channel they prefer,” said Bob Stutz, corporate vice president, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. “Parature is a perfect fit for every business and will enable us to offer customers one of the best cloud-based solutions for customer self-service. This is a compelling combination for organizations committed to delivering the best service experience that consistently exceeds their customers’ expectations.”

Stutz talks more about the news in a blog post.

“We strongly believe that the ability to deliver great customer care lies at the heart of a company’s efforts to build loyalty and trust,” he writes. “To succeed in this realm, organizations must seamlessly handle interactions across the many channels, including an ever increasing array of social channels. Parature’s technology allows businesses to create brand champions by taking advantage of functionality that includes self-service customer care portals on the web and Facebook, mobile customer care, chat capabilities, and a strong knowledge base, giving their customers the ability to connect with them on the channels they prefer. These capabilities are a perfect complement to the existing Microsoft Dynamics CRM customer care offering as well as some exciting things we have planned for our next release.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The company plans to share more details about its product integration plans and timeline at Parafest 2014 in February.

Image: Parature