Let’s say you have a device that needs a repair. For this post, we’ll use a faulty iPhone screen as an example. It’s 99% likely that you’ll do a Google search to find someone to repair it. It’s just as likely that you’ll come across dozens of companies who proclaim they can fix the problem for you. We’re one of them. And yes, we’re one of many. The difference is, we’re an authorised iPhone repairer and so many other companies are not.
Those unauthorised repairers will try and gloss over this glaring inadequacy by resorting to website hype. They might not have the credentials, certifications, expertise, experience, parts and resources that we have but they’ll do their best to make you overlook those “minor” details by talking themselves up in other areas. We suggest you take these statements with a very large grain of salt.
A very common example of this hype is the low-cost service they provide. They call themselves cheap because they cut margins to bring down the price. This should be a huge red flag to you because they cut margins by using cheap, non-genuine and inferior parts. These parts are likely to damage the device down the track, so they’re nasty as well as cheap. For example, a non-genuine screen won’t be as strong as a genuine one and will chip and crack over time. This can cause shards of glass to become lodged in your fingers. Plus, a non-genuine screen might not be as smooth which can affect your overall user experience.
Some companies might talk up their repair technicians. They will call them skilled, expert, talented etc, etc, etc. But in our eyes, they’re not the words you want to see. Instead, we think words like certified or authorised are far more important, as they indicate that the technicians have the manufacturer’s seal of approval – and that’s all that counts. In the case of that iPhone screen, Service Plus employs authorised technicians that have been certified and trained to meet Apple’s incredibly stringent standards.
What we’re trying to say is this; beware of cowboys! Anyone can design a smart looking website and fill it with all kinds of words that make them come across as experts in their field. But this is just hype. Make sure the company you trust your device to is authorised or certified, or even a legitimate organisation in the first place. You could call and ask them if they’re authorised by the manufacturer of your device – but cowboys will probably say yes, even if they’re not authorised. So the best thing to do is go to the manufacturer’s New Zealand website and check for authorised repairers. You could also go to Google Maps and check where the repairer is located; if it’s a residential address, then alarm bells should ring. And every legitimate company should be on the Government’s companies website. If they’re not, don’t deal with them.
You can contact us for advice on finding the best repairer, and with brands like Apple, Toshiba, Xplore and more, we’re an authorised repairer anyway. But regardless of the brand, or the issue with the device, we’ll happily point you in the right direction where we can.