iYogi: Remote Support Specialist Raises $15 Million

iYogi, which provides remote PC support to consumers and small businesses, has raised roughly $15 million in its third round of funding. On the upside: The news shows continued financial investment in remote managed services. On the downside: The investment is another warning sign that MSPs need to move beyond basic remote management. Here’s why.

In some ways, iYogi is like a virtual, global Geek Squad. As our sister site, The VAR Guy, pointed out in August 2009, iYogi has a simple business model:

“Online computer support is simple. You give us the green-light to connect to your computer remotely and we will fix your PC while you kick back and relax.”

Now as TechCrunch points out:

“iYogi offers a number of tech support services like PC installation and recovery, anti-virus/spyware, data back-up and PC speed optimization. Its annual unlimited tech support plan starts at $139.99. Most of its tech support services are centered around Microsoft software, but Google and Apple products are also listed on iYogi’s website.“

Every MSP should re-read that last paragraph. Basically, iYogi is trying to support consumers and small businesses for about $12 per system per month. Next, read about Geek Squad’s Virtual Agents.

See a trend? Remote monitoring and management is now your base offering. As an MSP, you need to build beyond that base — much in the way that cable companies kept pushing new services over broadband connections.

I like the folks at iYogi. And in I respect what they’re building. But it’s also a timely reminder that low-end MSPs can’t rest on their laurels.

Side note: Thanks to NTRglobal for the iYogi news lead. I spotted the news in NTRglobal’s Twitter feed out on our own MSPtweet site.