2024 has been a rollercoaster year for cell phone repair shop owners. From keeping up with rapid technological advancements to navigating shifting customer expectations, the repair industry has been anything but static. More than technological advancements, the more significant challenge has been the economy, which shifted customer expectations toward cheaper repairs and affordable phones.
Yet, amidst these challenges, repair shop owners have shown incredible resilience, finding innovative ways to adapt and thrive. With insights gained from thousands of shops, we’ve compiled the top 9 lessons from 2024 that every smartphone repair business can take into 2025.
Let’s dive in.
1. Document and Centralize SOPs
Having clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is essential to maintain consistency and quality at your workplace. Jeff Baker advises writing SOPs in simple language. This can help new team members understand your business and maintain consistency. Tools like Notion and Google Docs can centralize these documents, making them easily accessible. In addition, you should introduce an employee handbook for your repair store to establish clear communication and ensure smooth onboarding.
2. Consistency is Key in Repair Business
“Consistency, consistency, and consistency.” This advice came from Samual Lansberry of Lightning Repairs. He emphasized the importance of sticking to new processes. He says a repair shop owner can quickly feel discouraged when immediate results aren’t visible. But staying consistent is crucial as it helps you understand your customers. Whether you want to implement a new marketing strategy or adopt automation tools, the key is to keep refining the process until or unless it becomes seamless.
3. Hire Smart, Fire Strategically
Cell phone repair shop owners emphasized the importance of building a team of skilled, reliable technicians who deliver quality repairs on time. If a team member consistently fails to meet expectations despite support and feedback, it may be time to consider a replacement to maintain the efficiency and reputation of your shop.
Building a passionate and goal-oriented team has transformed several phone repair businesses. Jase Iker from Nano Repairs shared how he boosted his profitability 2x by closing two underperforming stores and focusing on just one location. The lesson here? Be intentional about your operations and team to get the maximum out of it.
4. You Don’t Need to be the Cheapest in the Town
Angel Reyes Rivas of phorep shared how he decided to stop being the cheapest repair shop in the market. Although it initially seemed risky, it led to a reduced workload and doubled profits. This means focusing on quality over quantity is much better as it can ensure your pricing reflects the repair service you offer.
5. Ask for Help and Work with Competitors in the Local Area
There’s no shame in asking for help from other repair shop owners around you if you are stuck on something. If your goal is to learn, connecting and helping each other can make a big difference. In addition, attending webinars and repair exhibitions can help you gain valuable insights and build partnerships.
6. Leverage SEO Best Practices
Leveraging SEO best practices can do wonders for your repair business. Optimizing your website with relevant keywords like “affordable phone repairs near me” or “same-day screen repair” can improve search rankings. Eventually, this will help you attract more customers and enhance brand awareness. Also, look for ways to optimize your repair shop website SEO.
7. Customer Reviews matter a lot
Like any other business, customer reviews are vital for building trust in the phone repair industry. Jeff Baker highlighted how RepairDesk Connect helped him automate review requests and achieved a 4.9-star rating with 595 reviews. He has set up an automation where an SMS is sent 24 hours after the device is picked up with the following text.
“{Customer_firstname}, this is Jeff from One Bite Technology. I wanted to follow up to see if you are satisfied with our service. We’d appreciate it if you’d leave us a 5-star review here: {Google profile link}
If a customer is unhappy, they’ll respond 9 out of 10 times and give you a chance to work with them to resolve the issue before it ends up on the Google profile. Most people don’t read all emails, and sending text reminders has fast-tracked the review generation process.
8. Use Slack or Discord for Team Chat
With changing trends in the cell phone repair industry, using technology is no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity. Effective communication within your team is important for running a successful repair business. Just like Jeff Baker, who uses Slack to keep his team aligned. For instance, changes in ticket status in RepairDesk trigger Slack notifications, ensuring none of his technicians misses important tasks. Similarly, for cost-conscious owners, Discord can be a free alternative with similar functionalities.
Additionally, Notion serves as a central hub for Jeff’s team, combining SOPs, task management, and internal communications. Through this, he ensures everyone is on the same page, whether working on-site or remotely.
9. Embrace Automation to Boost Efficiency and Save Time
This year, automation has been a game-changer for cell phone repair shop owners. Software and tools like RepairDesk and Zapier have allowed business owners to streamline ongoing operations and reduce manual tasks. After all, automation can surely help you save money. Jeff Baker from One Bite Technology shared how he uses Zapier to integrate RepairDesk with other tools, including Slack, Notion, Stripe, and Brevo. This setup helped him automate repetitive tasks, from customer data migration to generating invoices and managing newsletters.
For example, when he adds a new customer in RepairDesk, it is automatically added to Stripe for invoicing and Brevo for email campaigns. This saves manual work hours and ensures data accuracy and better customer communication. He acknowledged that adopting automation feels overwhelming initially, but the long-term benefits – like saving time and improving efficiency – make it a worthwhile investment. Watch our webinar with Jeff to learn how to use RepairDesk Automation.
Final Words
The top lessons shared by cell phone repair shop owners underline the power of automation, consistency, and putting customers first in building a thriving business. RepairDesk, a leading repair shop management software, remained a valuable ally for many shop owners, helping them easily navigate changes. By leveraging this system to streamline operations like inventory management, employee management, and billing and invoicing—repair shops can focus on what truly matters: delivering exceptional service. As the industry evolves, those who stay adaptable and committed to learning will not only survive but also lead the way.
Are you ready to take your repair business to the next level?
