Techserve, iYogi to offer new service

A new service that allows people to access immediate technical support was launched in Dubai yesterday in a bid to assist the growing number of consumer electronics users in the UAE. Techserve, a unit of Al Futtaim Electronics, and US firm iYogi have formed a partnership to provide the facility across a range of personal devices including laptops, smartphones, cameras and printers. The remote support service, which is targeted at both consumers and businesses, offers on-demand technical support regardless of location. UAE residents wishing to use the service must register online for an account at www.techserveuae.com, with an annual subscription fee for PC and connected device users costing $159 (Dh583.53) per annum. "The service is brand agnostic and covers a variety of devices," said Uday Challu, CEO and co-founder of iYogi. "Most companies have IT systems that only provide limited support whereas we are able to provide support across all applications regardless of where you are in the world," he added. iYogi is already providing services to consumers in the US, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. But Challu says now is the perfect time to introduce the service in the GCC. "We are looking to dominate this market. We are not looking at a short-term solution; this is about growing in the long run with the UAE acting as our base for serving the GCC," he said.