Cell phone repair is an indispensable industry. Approximately 50 million cracked and smashed phones are repaired every year in the US. Americans spent over $23.5 billion replacing parts of the broken phone last year. However, the pandemic has changed the way businesses operate, and the cell phone repair industry is no different. Behaviors like safety concerns, social distancing, and heightened awareness of hygiene practices are likely to stay for long. To help you stay ahead of your competitors and ensure customer satisfaction, we have created this guide that highlights the future of the repair business. Let’s get started!
1- Creating an Online Presence Will Become More Important
A lot of customers are using the internet to find information about local businesses. 46% of all searches on Google include local intent. 78% of these searches result in an offline purchase. By creating a robust online presence, you increase your chances of attracting local customers who are probably in urgent need of your services.
Here are some tips for you to keep up with this trend in the repair business:
Create an engaging website (if you haven’t already). Make sure to highlight all your services, products (if you sell any), and customer reviews.
Claim your Google My Business (GMB) profile. Ensure that your contact details (name, phone number, and location) are accurate.
Encourage customers to share their experiences with you on Google and third-party review sites.
Use search engine optimization (SEO) and paid ads to reach customers right when they need your services.
Leverage email marketing to reach your customers directly and inform them about the latest offerings of your cell phone repair business.
2- Contactless Payments Will Become the Norm
Globally contactless payment adoption is projected to increase between 6% to 8% compared to pre-COVID-19 expectations. Also, one-third of consumers in the US became first-time users of contactless payment during the pandemic. The majority of consumers are now planning to continue using contactless methods even post-COVID-19. These statistics indicate that contactless payments are the future of the repair business. So if you don’t accept mobile payments in your store, now is the time to integrate them into your business. You can even integrate a payment gateway on your website to accept online payments quickly and easily. For example, you can send invoices via email and add the payment link. You can also use a POS (Point of Sale) system to track your online and offline sales in one place. It usually comes with a built-in payment solution, allowing you to accept invoices.
3- Home Delivery & Doorstep Repair Services Will No More Be Optional
People are looking for the safest and most convenient ways to engage with businesses. Home delivery and doorstep repair services are one of them. They allow customers to stay at home while getting their phones repaired (or required accessories delivered). Therefore, consider adding home delivery and doorstep services to your repair business. Depending on your capacity, you can offer a free pickup/delivery up to certain kilometers to attract more customers. For minor issues, you can provide onsite service to reduce repair time and increase customer satisfaction. If you decide to provide home delivery and doorstep repair services, make sure to advertise it on every channel (website, email, and banners). You can also run ads on Google to attract customers who are looking for home repair businesses.
4- Personalization Will Continue to Accelerate
Though personalization has been there for the last few years, it will likely go mainstream for brick-and-mortar stores in 2021. As a cell phone repair business, you need to adopt in-store personalization to enhance the customer experience. Here are some ways to do so:
Offer personalized accessories like custom names on mobile covers.
Provide exclusive offers on combos. For example, a discount on tempered glass if a customer gets their screen repaired from you.
Provide personalized service (and products) recommendations to customers based on their device and budget.
Let customers know the best product for their requirements, even if it means down-selling. Though it will reduce your average order value, it will enhance the customer experience and increase the chances of retention.
Conclusion
Customers are less likely to go back to old shopping habits when the pandemic ends. Preparing your cell phone repair business for these trends will help meet customer expectations and increase the overall satisfaction rate. Injured Gadgets is the leading cell phone parts supplier in the US. All our products go through stringent testing procedures to ensure you get the highest quality products at competitive prices.