How to Start a Cell Phone Repair Business

Business Overview:

If you are tech savvy and looking for a way to put your skills to use by offering a much needed service, find out how to start a cell phone repair business. These days everyone has a cell phone from middle-schoolers to senior citizens. And with the advent of the smart phone, these devices do not just make and receive phone calls. They are literally tiny computers capable of doing everything a full-sized computer can do. This makes them very popular; it also makes them very expensive. And the more expensive an item is to buy, the more expensive it typically is to fix when something breaks. Having to deal with cell phone companies can be a nightmare. They are usually unable or unwilling to repair your phone, or if they can repair it, it will cost you and it will take weeks to get it back. This is why a cell phone repair business is one of the best business ideas out there today. More and more of these independent shops (not affiliated with a cell phone provider) are popping up but there is plenty of room in this market for a technically inclined entrepreneur to start a repair business. But before you get going, you need to decide the scale of your business. There are franchises available that will help you get started but the start-up investment will be upwards of $25,000 USD so it’s important that you have financing lined up if you decide to go this route. Franchises are a good option because of all the support they come with. Some offer in-store technical support personnel for a certain period of time when you open your store and then they offer live tech support on an ongoing basis. They can also offer repair certification and management recommendations, help you establish relationships with parts distributors, and offer marketing assistance. However, it’s possible to set up your store out of your own home office if you’re looking to start your business with just a few thousand dollars (USD). If you decide on this option, it’s important that your home is zoned for business and your home “storefront” is easy to get to through an outside door. You don’t want customers traipsing through your kitchen to get to your office in the back of the house. A third option is to add on repair services to your existing cell phone or computer repair business. You can add value to your home business by offering repairs “while you wait” or even delivery services. Your customers will not want to be without their phones for very long so keep in mind, the faster your repairs, the higher you can charge. Once your shop is set up, advertise your new business with flyers in coffee shops, on college campuses, in parks and anywhere that gets a lot of foot traffic.

A Day in the Life of a Cell Phone Repair Business Owner:

If you operate your business from your home office, you will need to have your shop neat and tidy and open your store at the appointed time. You will spend your day greeting customers and making repairs. If you operate a storefront business, you will likely have a small staff that handles some of the workload, be it administrative or repair work. As the business owner, you will spend your day ensuring excellent customer service and looking for ways to further market your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals in need of fast, high-quality cell phone repairs.

What You Need to Start:

• Training in cell phone repair or a franchise business
• Storefront or home office
• Repair tools
• Cell phone parts
• Staff (optional)
• Website
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Running this business from a home office requires a relatively low start-up investment.
• Franchises are available to help you get started if you’re looking for a full-scale storefront business.
• You can hire experienced cell phone repair technicians to work for you.
• If you offer fast, high-quality repairs, you can charge top dollar as long as it’s less than the phone company would charge for the same repair.
• You are likely to see referral business from satisfied customers.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment if purchasing a franchise is high.
• It can take some time to get your first few customers.

Resources:

• The Wireless Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Maintenance and Repair Workers
• Wikipedia on Smartphones

About The Author

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