iYogi in the news

Wal-Mart's Web Site Offering Remote Tech-Support Services

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), which launched new technical support services in its stores last month

By Mary Ellen Lloyd Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES, November 18, 2009

November 18, 2008- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), which launched new technical support services in its stores last month, is now offering its online shoppers remote tech-support services--such as virus removal, diagnostics, and repairs--through an India company.

Privately held iYogi has 10 services for sale on Walmart.com, and starting this week, it began offering free computer setup and support on all Windows PCs purchased on the site for the holidays, said Vishal Dhar, iYogi's co-founder and marketing president.

The service, which iYogi is hoping will create repeat customers, includes connecting peripheral equipment, connecting to the Internet, optimizing settings for power efficiency, and free antivirus software, Dhar said in a telephone interview.

"What we've seen over the last few months and more relevant, in the last month since Windows 7 launched, is that people have challenges migrating [their information] either on new or on their old machines," he said.

Wal-Mart representatives didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Dhar said Wal-Mart isn't paying iYogi for the promotion, billed as a $100 value, but it's one way iYogi is trying to build its brand and customer base for the other services already sold on Walmart.com. "We're anticipating Windows 7 is going to drive a lot of sales," he said.

Those services range in price from $19.72 for remote software installation to $153.72 for a year of unlimited service on a personal computer.

Headquartered in Gurgaon, India, iYogi has an office in New York and has 1,100 technicians around the world. Its investors include Canaan Partners, SAP Ventures and SVB Financial Group (SIVB), and its services are also sold on Amazon.com Inc.'s (AMZN) and Buy.com Inc.'s sites.

It is among several tech-support services cropping up to meet the needs of retailers and their customers as Best Buy Co. (BBY) has pitched its Geek Squad services unit as setting it apart in customer service.

"All the retailers are looking at what the success is at Geek Squad and how they can best offer that as an extension of their brands," Dhar said. "We're seeing a lot of excitement in that space."