They say money makes the world go round.
But in the case of your repair store, it’s your customers! They are the pillars on which your business stands. You owe your success to them, and without them, you’d be nonexistent – No wonder you love them. 😀
The equation is simple: you provide value to your customers by giving them quality repairs, and they keep your business rolling.
Then there is your next-door repair store, which is constantly in competition for your customers. For them, maybe customer value merely boils down to dollars and cents.
But not for you!
You understand that your customers give more to your company than what they pay for. There is also the time, energy, and emotional cost that customers weigh when deciding to get repair services. And you’d go to any length to deliver your best to them. Don’t you?
This can be one of the reasons why your customers may choose you over your competitors.
The thing is, in today’s competitive market, you’ve got to stand out in order to succeed.
Let’s have a look at some of the factors that set you apart from your competitors.
Be Honest and Dependable
Imagine yourself in your customer’s shoes for a while: would you go back to a repair store if the screen repair they did a couple of months ago broke your charging port because they didn’t put the screws back? – a horrible experience!
If you are like most, you won’t!
Customer experience is key to warrant your customers’ satisfaction. Your repair store has to be honest, dependable, and provide the service you guarantee. The opportunity lies in the ability to deliver what you promised.
Honesty is a key characteristic of a business. Unfortunately, there are some black sheeps in the repair industry that wouldn’t give a second thought in cheating their customers with counterfeit parts.
Being completely honest with your customers about their repairs will build trust and consequently, boost customer retention.
Be Less Expensive
Most people think they will have to pay through their nose to get their handsets repaired.
WRONG!
Like your next-door repair store, don’t fleece your customers with expensive repair fees. Instead, be reasonable in your repair services and charges. That is not to say that you start undercutting the market, but set appropriate charges.
One of the pricing tactics of an industry veteran, Israel Quintal, is to price basic repairs really low and then once the customer walks into the store, make money through upsells. So, how cheap you price your services and which services you want to price low depends on your strategy. Of course this isn’t the only strategy out there so you can play around and see what works for you.
Effective Communication Build Relationships
Effective communication with your customers is another factor that lies at the heart of long-lasting customer relationships.
A single personalized message can do wonders to make customers your life-long fans. On the other hand, a delayed response has the potential to drift your customers to your competitors.
Be a good listener; listen to their concerns and understand their problems. It makes your customers feel cared and valued. The more you communicate with your customers, the more likely they are to remember your repair store and drift away from your competitors.
Turn Your Mistake into Positive Customer Service
And what if you messed up a repair?
Don’t panic! Admit your mistake and empathize with your customer instead of being defensive. Apologize and show how you will prevent it from happening ever again.
Some of the best ways to make it up to your customers is by giving gift cards and life-time warranty to your customer. This ensures that you care for them and are confident in your repair services. Be mindful, negative feedback from an unhappy customer is more powerful than ten positive ones!
Hire a Great Sales Rep
It is as simple as this: hiring a great sales rep equals great sales!
And in the case of your repair store, an ideal sales rep will listen, understand, guide and suggest a suitable solution/product for your customers’ needs.
What sets these sales reps apart is real energy and stamina. They have the required assertiveness needed to clinch a sale yet flexibility when accommodating clients. They have the ability to think creatively and have the innate ability to know when and how far to go to make the sale.
A highly talented salesperson also means great customer service experience for your walk-in customers.
Happy selling!
Maintain Optimum Quantity of Cell Phone Parts
Also, maintain a reasonable level of cell phone parts in your store’s inventory. You wouldn’t want to keep your customer waiting for days because you are short on spare parts. Customers value time; they’d rather go to your next-door repair store than come back to you when you have restocked.
The reality is, customer experience is the next competitive battleground where businesses will win or lose. You cannot afford to lose a single customer due to poor service in this competitive landscape.
Moreover, if you stock cell phone parts, you may even find fellow repair shop owners buying those from you. So, either way, you can make money.
First Impression Lasts
The moment your customer steps inside your store, time starts ticking! Your customer is making early decisions about your business; make it worth their time.
Remember, this is when you have to create a never-ending first impression. From the moment you approach them, your behavior, attitude, and personal presentation will influence your customer’s perception of your services.
With a friendly smile, greet them. Pay undivided attention to the customer and sincerely ask an opening question. For example, “Good evening. How can I help you with your cell phone?”
Dress to impress and act confidently. Your personal presentation shows that you respect them and your business. Overall, your positive attitude can make all the difference in creating a strong first impression that will help you develop customer relationships.
Offer Them Free Coffee
For long-lasting customer relationships, make them feel special. And
Nothing beats a free cup of coffee. 😀
Serve your walk-in customers with free coffee and let the coffee do its magic! Ideally, invest in a coffee machine that your workers and customers can take advantage of.
I know a coffee machine is an investment but trust me, that is an excellent differentiator and will pay for itself in due time.
Get Certified Through IRP
Want to give a massive boost to the credibility of your repair store?
Get certified with the IRP program. Essentially, the IRP program allows your repair store to perform a “variety of out-of-warranty repairs for iPhone and Mac”, including but not limited to iPhone display or battery replacements and Mac logic board or video card replacements.
Not every repair store is certified from Apple’s IRP program. The ones that are, can get access to genuine Apple parts, tools, repair manuals, and diagnostics to offer safe and reliable repairs for Apple products.
Offer Something More
Offer them something free with their repair. You can say, “We are happy to clean your charging port free with your repair.”
You can also consider giving your customers free cell phone casings, for instance, on their major repairs.
Giving your customers some free service or something extra can prove to be a magnet that will pull them back again to your repair store.
You’d be amazed to learn that a totally satisfied customer contributes 14 times as much revenue as a somewhat dissatisfied customer.
Robert Miranda advises giving phone cases or screen protectors for “free.” The trick here is that you’re not actually giving them anything free. You’re adding the value of that seemingly free item in the repair, giving the customer the impression that they’re getting something for free.
The advantage of using this strategy is that the customer will feel special and that will buy you their loyalty.
Let Your Store’s Image Reflect in Your Customers’ Minds
You’ve heard the saying, “If you take care of the quality, reputation will take care of itself.” This catchphrase is equally true for your repair store.
If you provide quality repairs with utmost honesty, your customers will build a positive image of your company.
Learn the Art of Microsoldering
The skill of micro soldering has gained a lot of importance for cell phone repair stores nowadays.
Micro soldering expertise involves the joining of ultra-fine wires which may be as small as 9 microns – that is 5 to 10 times thinner than a human hair. That is why, micro soldering requires more precision than conventional soldering.
To achieve that level of precision, you should equip yourself with the right tools and equipment. These include, but are not limited to micro soldering microscope, rework station, hot air station, iron, multimeter, etc.
Training your staff with the micro soldering skills will give your repair store an added advantage since not everyone has this specialized mastery in it.
Go Mobile
Going mobile with your repair services is another in-demand idea for your store. Your mobile repair services will ensure that your customers have access to the services they need as soon as possible – right on their doorstep.
You can equip your mobile van with a range of spare parts so you can provide customers the repair they need – often out of hours too.
Customers can remove the headache of scheduling repairs at a later date and get the maintenance immediately.
Work on Your Identity Tools
At the same time, work on your identity tools. These are your company’s slogan, design, positioning statement, etc. Your customers unconsciously recognize your business with these identity tools. Therefore, don’t make the mistake of ignoring them.
Fundamentally, your identity tools should tell the purpose of your company. Coca-Cola, for example, defines its identity and purpose in the following lines, “For individuals looking for high-quality beverages, Coca-Cola offers a wide range of refreshing options – each creates a positive experience for customers…”
Furthermore, make your brand design consistent with your company values and ensure that it is attractive and grabs your customers’ attention.
Maintain Social Media Presence
Social media for business is no longer optional. If you want to reach your customers, gain valuable insights, and grow your brand, social media is a great arena to accomplish this.
Maintain a consistent and quality social media presence. Fine tune your digital presence that is prime for engagement.
Having your repair store’s mobile app is equally helpful.
Empower Your Customers
The concept of “Customer Empowerment” is gaining credence in the modern business world.
But what’s that?
For repair businesses, customer empowerment is essentially the idea of educating your customers on the issues and problems they face with their electronic devices and clearing common misunderstandings.
You can also offer the customer to get a screen protector or tempered glass to avoid screen damage in the future. Keep in mind customer education is not the same as marketing. Customer education refers to the set of activities or processes your company puts in place to equip customers with the knowledge & skills needed to make the most out of your repair services.
Pretty sure your next-door repair store isn’t empowering the customers like you are!
Grab the Elixir of Efficiency – POS Software for Repair Store
Without any doubt, this can be the most powerful weapon in your arsenal that can outpower your competitors. It can notably make it easier for your repair business to manage your daily business processes and can even be revenue-generating.
Here’s a glimpse of a cell phone repair shop software:
· It allows you to manage your inventory in real-time and to know the number of products you own over a given period
· It allows you to record and group all your invoices
· You can document your customers’ information in your system
· It appropriately manages your purchases from your suppliers
· It can be easier to manage your staff and optimize their schedules
· It allows you to create advanced reports
· It allows you to market your repair store
· It allows you to create tickets seamlessly
And the list is never-ending. In the end, an efficient POS system enables your repair store to operate with the same efficiency as much larger brands.
RepairDesk is a great repair shop software for cell phone repair store owners. From managing appointments to collecting customer signatures, RepairDesk allows you to supervise your repair business better.
Food For Thought: You Are Your Biggest Competitor
There are hundreds of repair stores out there, but how many do you think put their customers’ interest first?
Few to none!
This is where you will stand apart. Meeting customers’ expectations with your quality of work and sincerity will keep your customers loyal to your company and will retain them for decades to come. Consider them your family, and you’ll see them coming back for more.
At the end of the day, you are your biggest competitor. So work your magic in customer service even better every month.
Once you get a reputation of being obsessed with customer service, you have 95 percent of the competition already beat.
