Did you drop your smartphone and hear the dreaded sound of your screen shattering? Or did you get a little rough with your charging tablet, and now the charging port won’t work? You’d think that would be the end of your stress, but then you search for a “device repair shop near me” and are bombarded with “LOWEST PRICE REPAIRS,” “REPAIRS IN 10 MINUTES,” etc. You just want your device repaired! So what should you look for when choosing a device repair shop to visit?
Is it speed, inexpensive prices, or industry-set quality repairs? All of these are important when choosing a repair shop to visit, but it’s hard to choose which quality to focus on. While a 10 minute repair is a lovely thought, you might just spend another 10 minutes for the next few weeks driving back to that repair shop to have that low-quality repair redone again and again. The same principle applies to low-cost repairs. Low prices do not always mean high quality, lasting repairs.
You may be thinking, why not just go to the Apple store for an iPhone repair? Why not have the Apple certified technicians themselves take a look at your iPhone 12+ or iPad Pro? Unfortunately, the onset of COVID is still impacting Apple stores, causing many of them to close their doors to the public. That’s why finding the right local device repair shop is essential, even almost a year after COVID-19 began.
So where does that leave you? Where can you get your phone fixed? Here are a few simple steps to take as you get ready to visit a device repair shop.
Do some research.
Check the repair shop’s Google Maps profile and read what other customers have written. Do they have customers complaining about cheap repairs? Might be time to look at a different device repair shop.
Next, visit their website. If you’re curious to know what repairs a device repair shop can do, look through their website’s “Repairs” section (like this) to see what services are offered.
How long will it take?
A classic, yet still relevant question. You’re a busy person and not having your phone to-do list or iPad calendar with you for a long period of time is not helpful. Between Zoom calls, grocery shopping, and other responsibilities, you don’t have time to sit for hours while your device is being repaired. Depending on how severe the issue is, it could take a while to get your device working – and looking – good as new.
So how long will it take? The fastest way to find out is to ask. Whether you ask in person, send an email, or call, the repair shop is the best place to ask. And if the repair will take a while, arrange to drop off your phone or tablet and get your grocery shopping done while the repairs are being made.
Ok.. but what about price?
The last year has been hard on many, and we are all looking for ways to use our money more effectively. Again, depending on the severity of the damage, the price will vary. To make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck, research inexpensive repair shops and compare prices. Make sure you are also checking for repair shops with good customer reviews. Between searching for good reviews and affordable prices, you will find the best deal and the highest quality repair.
You keep saying quality…
We have a winner! Quality is by far the most important thing to look for when having a device repaired. Many repair shops will do a passable job for a quick fee. As you look for the best place to have your Macbook, Galaxy Note, or even your tablet repaired, don’t be afraid to pay a little extra for the repair shop with the best reviews. The extra money you spend will make sure you do not have to revisit the repair shop multiple times.
The key lesson: when in doubt, choose quality.