02/21/2019
What are you getting for the high cost of your screen repair?
Let me start off by saying that I am confident Tech Jedi uses the highest quality parts available, in addition to having the best prices around as well. That being said, whether you come to Tech Jedi or use some other repair business, you are still paying good money for a repair. If you come to a very small repair shop like mine you are likely getting something very different than what you are getting from a bigger chain repair shop.
It would be naive of me to say that the bigger shops are ripping off the customer by charging much higher prices. That's an oversimplification. They plainly have a much larger overhead than I do.
They have much much bigger spaces, in prime locations, with much higher utility costs and many employees. Their business model in general is about offering the greatest convenience. They can offer some things that I simply cannot. You can walk into one of their stores and drop off your phone at pretty much any time. They might not get it done immediately but they won't keep you waiting for long. You will likely have a comfortable place to sit and wait if you prefer. They have a larger inventory of parts so there is a good chance they will have your screen, battery or part on hand. You have to pay for that kind of convenience.
If you come to my shop you are getting something very different. I work out of a tiny space that is not going to blow anyone away, but it's got everything that I need. I have a rather large time frame that I am "open", from 9 am to 8 pm. However, as the sole technician, I cannot always be in the shop, making walk in appointments difficult. I am essentially a "by appointment only" repair shop. I have to work with people as best I can to make it convenient for them. In addition, I am a little off the beaten path at my location as well. It's not like I'm at a kiosk in the mall where you can just drop off your phone while you get something to eat and do some shopping. The best thing that I can offer is Quality and Integrity.
I don't know for certain how a big repair chain technician, who simply works for an hourly wage and doesn't necessarily have a stake in the company, might operate. I'm sure there are some very knowledgeable, skilled, and caring repair technicians at these larger repair companies, but I know there are many who are not. I have seen their work first hand. I'm sure many of those technicians have plenty of experience but I'm sure there are many who just got trained and thrown on the job. I'm sure there are many very honest technicians out there who will be up front if they make a mistake and report it so it can get resolved. I'm sure there are a lot of others who don't want to tell anyone they messed up and hope that it slips by unnoticed. I have seen some pretty sketchy stuff when I open up phones that have been to previous repair shops. Which technician are you going to get if you go there?
Let me elaborate on what I do when I replace a screen. First of all, I put on a pair of latex or nitrile gloves so I don't get my skin oils all over the internal component of the phone. The oils and residue from your hands can in time corrode metals. I take the time to heat up the screen on a hot plate at a set temperature that is hot enough to loosen the adhesive but not hot enough to jeopardize the phone. If someone else isn't doing this it is likely they are relying on relatively bulky metal pry tools to get in between the phone's housing and the frame of the screen. These tools can leave some pretty noticeable scrapes and scratches. With a little heat you can use a suction cup and a very thin delicate tool to break the seal, so to speak, and then gently work your way around the frame with thin plastic tools that won't mar the housing.
When I am changing over all of the original components to the new screen, I know all the tricks, techniques and tools to use to keep from damaging these components. If your iPhone 6s, 7 or 8 (and the plus versions) home button gets damaged say good bye touch ID. Also, home button functionality is lost if the original home button is damaged on the 7 and 8 (and the plus versions). Same goes for your iPhone X front facing camera assembly or ear speaker and proximity sensor assembly. A lot of techs just pull up on the ribbon cables that are adhered to the screen's frame to remove these types of components. That can damage the ribbon cables. I use a little heat, a tiny bit of 99% alcohol (which evaporates very rapidly) and some very fine and gentle tools to slide under the ribbon cable and seperate them from the housing.
I also realize that when I get into the phone it is one of the few chances to make sure that all of the screws are nice and snug. Some screws simply work their way loose over time, especially the screws to and around the taptic engine (vibrating motor). I take my time to check and tighten up every loose screw in the phone. Before I reinstall the new screen I make sure that all of that old adhesive is gone from the bezel of the housing (the rim where the screen sets). It can actually be relatively time consuming and tedious to remove all that residue but it is critical to ensuring the new seal adheres properly and keeps your phone waterproof. In addition, I don't simply use the cheapest seal available. I purchase and use OEM touchscreen display seal adhesives for iPhones and I purchase OEM seal adhesives for other devices screens when I order them, so long as they're available. Most shops do not use OEM adhesive seals. Many shops use only double-sided tape and there are gaps leaving easy entry for water and dirt and often make the screen sit too high on the phones frame. Some techs don't even bother to clean off the old, stretched, dirty, broken up adhesive and just put the new screen on as is. I see it a lot.
I also check the speaker holes, microphone holes and charging ports for dirt and debris. Even though these are things the customer can do, I have the precision tools right there as well as great lighting and a microscope to help me out. Why not do it. I want the customer to know I went above and beyond with the repair. I typically clean the outside of the phone housing and the case it came in as well. Sometimes I get a phone with a button that is sticking or it is missing internal screws or something is misaligned due to a poor previous repair. It is fairly common. I like to take the time to fix those problems.
Before I attach the new screen, I use air to blow out any dust, dirt or particulate that is hiding in all those little spaces in your phone. After the new screen is back on, I want it to seal up tight. You can clean the phone up nice and put the right seal on, but if the screen isn't placed under pressure to create a good bond with the housing bezel, then a tight seal will never develop. I use vacuum sealing bags to tighten down the screen on the housing and I like to let the phone sit under vacuum for 30 minutes. I include that in the repair time I convey to the customer, which is roughly an hour and 45 minutes.
I often wonder how certain places advertise they will get your screen replacement done in an hour or less. I suspect that the technician there is expected to get it done in a certain amount of time and there is little room for care. There are some tiny and delicate components in these devices.
I don't want someone hurrying through a repair on my phone. Missing screws? Lost a screw? Super dirty? A little bit of a bend int the frame? I'm guessing that going above and beyond is not the kind of thing these repair techs are given time for.
So, do you simply want convenience? Because so much of what a person is paying for at a big chain repair shop is simply that? Many don't even carry high quality parts let alone OEM parts. Or do you want a repair of the highest quality? My target customer is someone who cares about quality above all else. Quality of work and quality of service. I use the best components and I put a ton of love into my repairs. I work very hard behind the scenes to find and acquire the best parts at the best prices. I pride myself on customer service and ensuring that the customer is satisfied. I repair your device like it is my own.
(BTW, we do offer mobile repairs, in which we will come right to you to do your repair! How's that for convenience!)
Our mission at Tech Jedi is to provide the best repair service in the Galaxy.
