Global technology support company iYogi is partnering with Lewiston’s Argo Marketing Group for its first call center in North America, creating 300 jobs.
The partnership was announced at a news conference in Lewiston on Thursday morning.
iYogi is an India-based company that provides third-party remote technical support for software companies like Microsoft. It also sells technical support services directly to consumers and reports it has 3 million users worldwide.
iYogi’s new operations in Maine will serve as a base to better serve its customers in North America, which is the company’s largest market, according to Vishal Dhar, iYogi’s co-founder and president of marketing.
“The needs of our customers are evolving rapidly – they’re facing newer challenges and are interested in innovative ways of receiving support. This center is about us getting closer to our customers, and adding value to them in every way that we can,” Dhar said.
iYogi chose Argo after a competitive selection process spanning call centers across the country. Maine & Co., a private nonprofit that helps companies interested in doing business in Maine, and the Maine Department of Labor and its CareerCenters assisted iYogi in its decision to open its call center in Maine. Dhar said he was grateful for the state’s support.
“Our success is driven by the quality of talent we employ and we chose Maine for their high quality workforce, robust business infrastructure and investor-friendly policies,” Dhar said.
Argo has already begun hiring to fulfill its contract with iYogi. The jobs will be spread among Argo’s three existing call centers in Pittsfield, South Portland and Lewiston. In addition, iYogi will be launching a new pilot program that will enable work-from-home opportunities. The call center is expected to be operational Monday.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with iYogi as they expand and solidify their position as the world’s largest independent consumer technical support brand,” said Jason Levesque, Argo’s CEO.
In March, Argo acquired its call center in South Portland from Dr. Newton’s Naturals, a vitamin and supplements maker. At the time, Levesque said Argo employed roughly 580 employees.
Argo will hold a job fair Monday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Lewiston CareerCenter.
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