Struggling Internet search service Ask Jeeves has unveiled a new search engine called JeevesOne that it hopes will better accommodate corporate customers and expand its market.
The company said many companies were asking for a search solution they could maintain themselves. Until now, Ask Jeeves has provided search services on its website and in a search-software product it licenses to corporations.
"Two thirds of the market wants to host it and manage it themselves," said Mr Claudio Pinkus, president of the new Jeeves Solutions software division.
"If a customer is interested in finding information, then the easiest way is to get it through a self-service solution".
Ask Jeeves said it believes the new JeevesOne product could increase its market opportunity more than five-fold.
It said although many firms already provide question-and-answer services on their websites, most are still ignoring the opportunity to profit from the service through a question-answering analysis, which JeevesOne will provide.