Do you have a knack for repairing devices at home? Does repairing devices excite you? If yes, are you thinking about starting your own cell phone repair business?
Hang on!
Starting a new business is not something you can do on a whim. And having technical chops is not enough to start a repair business successfully.
You need to do thorough research. And the more research you do; the more questions will pop up in your mind.
For instance, how will you cope with the competitive market? What are the important things you need to kick start a repair business?
Here are some plotted steps you need to follow once you decide that operating a repair business is the right career move for you.
Check Your Finances
Building your business from scratch is not as easy as coming up with a business idea.
First, you need a proper setup, and above all, an appropriate financial system to keep your business afloat.
Start saving and plan your finances strategically. Keep in mind that your business might not do well in the initial days and you may not earn much from your billable work. So, make sure you have enough financial cushion.
Another important thing is to allocate your budget smartly. So you should have a clear idea of how much you can spend on hiring and how much you can spend on other operations.
So to keep your business afloat, have enough capital for six to nine months. Because that’s how long it takes for your business to get stable.
Choose your Store Location Wisely
Location plays a massive part in the success of your business. While deciding upon store location, your core objective should be minimizing cost and risk without compromising your profit.
First, you need to figure out whether you just want to start a home-based / online business or you want to open a brick-and-mortar store.
There are pros and cons of both cases. A good location will enhance your brand visibility and have more footfall.
But if you don’t have enough budget, you can also start a home-based/online business. In this situation, you will be able to cut down on your expenses.
Create a Concrete Business Plan
Creating a concrete business plan is paramount for the success of your business. It clarifies how you will structure your business and where you envision your business in the coming years.
Here are a few key points you need to include in your business plan
- Make a List Of Services
Before starting a business, you need to list down the services you will provide. Defining your services will help you map out your business direction.
Once you know your forte, you will find resources accordingly. It will also give clarity to your employees and customers.
- Know your target audience
Digging down on your audience will help you create your buyer persona. You must know their demands and preferences.
Another important benefit of understanding your target audience is that it will help you to set your prices accordingly.
Just imagine you open a shop with prices that don’t go with the purchasing power of people. Obviously, you will not be able to earn more.
So, understanding your audience is paramount and this will also help you to shape up your business and marketing plans.
- Keep an eye on your competitors
If you are planning to start a cell phone repair business, you must do thorough research on your direct and indirect competitors.
Once again, this will help you to set your prices competitively. How?
Let me explain. Suppose you are selling an accessory at a higher price in comparison to your competitors. Do you think people will prefer to buy a product from a newly established store at a higher price? Obviously not!
So by keeping an eye on your competitors, you can optimize your prices which is crucial for the growth of your business.Â
There are other multiple rewards you will be able to reap if you understand your competitors well.
Get Certified
To open a repair business, you don’t need a proper degree. But you need to polish your technical chops with the help of relevant certification.
So, there are few computer repair certifications like CompTIA A+ Technician, Apple Certified Macintosh Technician (ACMT), and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).
Similarly, you can enroll your employees in an online certification program through services like Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, and LinkedIn Learning for cell phone repair.
You can even avail free online courses from institutes like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Certifications will not only help you to polish your and your employees’ skills, but it will also help you to gain the trust of customers.
Suppose you need to go to a doctor, you see higher degrees and additional certifications written against his name, definitely, it is going to instill trust in his abilities. The same goes for your customer. Certifications will enhance your credibility.
Additionally, you will be able to market it as your unique selling point. So get the essential certification.
Learn to market your business effectively
Once you set up and start running your cell phone repair business, you need to market it properly because marketing will help build your customer base and brand persona.
First, create the initial buzz by generating word of mouth among your friends. Also, ask them to refer your business to their friends. For this,you can even introduce a referral program.
This will work if you offer your customers enticing incentives. Yes, incentives go a long way. For instance, you can give them a discount on the next repair or offer your customers a free product.
You can also use other budget-friendly marketing strategies. For example, attending networking events and using email marketing.
In this digitally revolutionized world, it is hard for any business to survive without a digital presence. So, create your website and let people find you. You also need a solid social media presence.
With the help of social media, you can effectively market your business. But it would be best if you establish it by keeping in mind your target audience.
Not every social media platform is going to give you the required outcomes. This is because the target audience and the type of content they want to see varies. For instance, it is good to market your business on Facebook or Instagram for repair business.
But if you are planning to use LinkedIn, it won’t be a good idea. People also usually don’t use Instagram to search about mobile repair or mobile accessories but that is where your audience is. So, find a way to market yourself on that platform.
So maneuver smartly and grow exponentially!
Invest in a Good Repair Managing Software
You start your business, hire people and strive hard to streamline your processes. However, there are countless daunting tasks that still need your attention.
You need to create repair tickets, you need to keep up with inventory and you need to manage your finances. So a good POS software can streamline all these processes and revamp your whole experience of running a repair shop.
A good POS software will replace manual and unproductive work with efficient and intelligent solutions. So from managing tickets to staying on top of your inventory, you can perform all tasks conveniently.
It will not only automate your business flow but adds value to your business.
For example, imagine you are making a repair ticket and you are not sure about the availability of the repair part you need to use in the repair. So you have to go and check your inventory.
Now imagine the same situation, a customer comes to you and while making his repair ticket, you can check the availability of repair parts just with a few clicks.
Yes, with the help of inventory management software managing inventory will be a piece of cake for you.
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So if you want to streamline your processes and want to get the best out of your repair business, POS software like RepairDesk is the best solution.
Conclusion
Whether you are planning to start a computer or cell phone repair business, we tried our best to guide you with the essential steps to establish it successfully. We have guided you with the techniques and strategies paramount for the growth of the business.
But if you are aspiring to grow exponentially, POS software is the ultimate solution. Try it and feel the whole new experience of running a repair business. We guarantee you, you will never think of going back.
