When your client’s phone stops working, it may be that their first thought is to start Googling for a way to do a smartphone D-I-Y fix. Of course, with Google so willing to show them how and their need to save money why wouldn’t they have a go! It is worth reminding them, as regularly as you can that there are the 5 symptoms they really need a professional mobile phone repairer for!
Don’t get us wrong, we are big advocates of people being able to fix their own stuff. We have however heard horror stories from our clients, people, just like you, about people, attempting to fix their own mobiles. All without the aid of any proper tools or training, of course! We both know that simple and affordable fixes are easily turned into more expensive repairs, and no one wins when that happens.
We wanted to help you talk to your clients about some of the fixes that really shouldn’t be attempted by a novice. After all, they rely on their handsets!
- CRACKED SCREEN
A cracked screen is one of the most common ways that people damage their phones. They may drop it or knock it or a whole host of other ways to damage their mobile phone screen. Whether it’s a small chip or a completely shattered screen, it needs to be replaced.
Your client could buy a repair kit. They forget though that replacing the screen requires specialized tools. Tools that the average person doesn’t just happen to have lying around in their garage. You know that if a screen repair isn’t done correctly, it can easily damage the phone further and that can mean they then need to completely replace it.
So this is the Number 1 Don’t Attempt DIY – Use a Professional!
- OVERHEATING
There are one of two reasons that a mobile phone is overheating. It is because of a software or a hardware problem. We always recommend suggesting that your client try turning off any apps they aren’t using. Apps can be a big drain on their phone’s battery life. They are constantly running in the background and this causes a big battery drain.
Once the phone is no longer hot to the touch, you can advise them to try turning it on again and see if it stays cool. If it doesn’t, they should get it fixed rather than risking permanently damaging it. Tell them to power their mobile handset down if it continues to be hot after they have restarted it, then bring it to you. Assure them that you can help figure out what’s causing the problem. From there you can suggest the right smartphone fix.
So this is the Number 2 Don’t Attempt DIY – Use a Professional!
- DEAD OR DYING BATTERY
It is true that most modern smartphones don’t make it easy for someone who doesn’t know what they are doing to replace their battery. In many cases where people buy a new mobile phone, they could quite easily have extended the life of their existing phone. People waste money buying a new phone when they could have just paid for a new battery to be installed by a professional.
The plethora of YouTube videos and online tips will tell you replacing a battery on a mobile is something you can do at home. Most of the time that just isn’t true. Firstly, your client would need to make sure they buy the right battery for their phone. Then they need the specialized tools to open it. There’s also a high probability they could end up damaging their phone if they don’t get the pressure quite right as they open it. This is definitely a smartphone repair your clients don’t want to DIY.
So this is the Number 3 Don’t Attempt DIY – Use a Professional!
- A WET PHONE
Most people have heard of the “rice trick” when a phone gets wet, and I am sure your clients have too. Sometimes it works, but most often it doesn’t. If their phone gets wet, they could try using a hair dryer to gently dry it. Remind them though this is only safe if they keep the heat under 75 degrees Celsius.
Another popular method we’ve seen people try is to use salt to draw out the moisture in their phones. While salt can work better than rice, it is also corrosive. We don’t recommend trying that method to dry out a phone and believe that a professional is always the way to go. Controlled, gentle heat is best and if that doesn’t work, you may need to replace your phone.
Remind your clients that they shouldn’t turn their phone on or plug it in while it is wet. Make sure it is completely powered down before trying to dry it out.
So this is the Number 4 Don’t Attempt DIY – Use a Professional!
- RUNNING TOO SLOW
With constant use, your clients may find that their phones can slow down over time. If they have a phone that is lagging, they could try clearing the RAM and closing apps they aren’t using. They should delete apps and files they don’t need. This is especially the case for photographs and videos. Suggest that they move files to a cloud storage option and that will help keep their phone free of clutter and running faster.
Once they make those changes, they should restart their phone. It will then run more quickly.
So this is the Number 5 Don’t Attempt DIY – Use a Professional but is a bit different. We think this is a great opportunity for you to walk them through the steps and this will build your authority. That means that when they have a problem in the future, you will be their first port of call.
ENCOURAGE THEM TO NOT RISK LOSING THEIR PHONE TO A BAD DIY ATTEMPT
One of the biggest reasons for your clients not to attempt a DIY repair on their phone is this… If they damage the handset themself, they will invalidate the warranty. They risk having to completely replace the phone. So why risk it?
If you would like more information on our OEM parts supply across Australia, please feel free to get in touch by email or by telephone.
