The Christmas Spirit of Giving

So, we had an idea the other day.  Normally, we give something away to one person each week during our Facebook Friday promotion.  We have been known to give away LifeProof cases, Walmart gift cards, gas cards, gift certificates to local restaurants and all sorts of prizes.  We always get a great response.  This week, the week before Christmas, we wanted to do something different, something a little more broad-reaching.  Thus, the idea sprang to donate some money to charity by getting our customer base involved.

On Friday, we told our Facebook customers that we would donate $1.00 to a single charity for every "like" of our status - the response was overwhelming.  Combining our Conway and West Little Rock locations, we had 600 total "likes".  Because of this great response, we will be donating $600.00 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas.  The Ronald McDonald House is a place where families can stay for free while their child is admitted to Children's Hospital.  It is a great charity that serves people when they are most in need of help.

We want to thank all of our customers for participating in this effort.  We are so happy to help others this Christmas season.  The spirit of giving leads to wonderful results.  We hope you enjoy your family in the next few days.  Merry Christmas!

Aaaah....The Holidays

We hope you have the holiday spirit.  We kicked off the season with our Black Facebook Friday promotion.  We sold LifeProof cases for only $50 and had a great response.  We also got in some new Arkansas Razorback iPhone cases and they are a hit.  And next week we'll have Santa Claus posing for pictures...well, not really.  It was a nice thought, though.

The holidays have arrived and we are in a good mood.  First, we want to give thanks for our customers.  We  are still small enough that we know a lot of you by name.  Personally, I love standing at our counter and listening to the stories of how you ended up in our store.  This month alone, they include: "My son dropped my iPad after our team scored a touchdown and he was doing a victory dance"; "I accidentally ran over my iPhone after leaving it on the top of my trunk and forgetting about it"; and "I dropped my iPhone in my margarita".  (NOTE: The last one is my favorite).

Second, we feel more than ever that we are providing value to our customers.  We have had a lot of great customer feedback lately.  We are proud of our track record.  Our Conway, Arkansas store has been in business for two and half years now and we could not be happier.  Our West Little Rock, Arkansas store has been open for six months and it is really starting to take off.  We are seeing a lot of people come in and say "my friend told me about you guys because you did a great job fixing their broken screen".

Finally, it's the holidays!  It's a time to hang out with family, eat a little too much, and think about how lucky we really are in life.  So, we are excited about the holidays and if you come by to see us you'll see what we're talking about.  Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

BLACK FRIDAY SPECIALS

We're gonna run a special or two on Black Friday.  We've already made the decision.  We're committed to this promotion.  What will we do? We might do cracked iPhone screen repairs for half-price.  We might discount a Mophie case by 40%.  We might even do an outrageous offer on iPhone Lifeproof cases.  You're gonna want to follow our Facebook page to find out.

One reason we run specials is to make sure that our current customers are letting their friends know that we can help them too.  Also, the holiday season is upon us and everyone benefits by saving a few bucks.  We want to be your first thought when it comes to repairing cellular devices, computers and game systems.

We're not expecting anyone to be sleeping outside our doors in Little Rock or Conway to line up for our Black Friday special.  But, we're gonna make it worth your while if you do!

YES! We will buy your old phone

Since we started First Class Cellular Repair almost three years ago we have bought old iPhones, iPads, iPods and other brands of phones from customers.  The prices we will pay vary widely depending upon the version of the phone, the condition and whether we can use the phone for parts.  We have paid as much as $450 for a new version iPhone and as little as $20 for a three year old phone.  In short, we need to see the phone before we can make an offer to buy it from you.

The reason for this blog post is we realize that we have not done a good enough job of conveying the message of: "Yes! We will buy your old phone."  We get asked this question daily and that comes even from our loyal customer base.  Therefore, we are going to start pushing this message wide and far.  We are asking you to tell your friends that First Class Cellular Repair will buy their old phone (or tablet, iPod, etc.).  When someone is going to get an upgrade please have them bring their old phone by our Little Rock or Conway location and we'll make them an offer for the old phone.

If you run a business that has 20 old phones sitting in a box collecting dust, please call us and we'll make a visit to your office and see if we can make you an offer on those old phones.  It may not be much and we may not be able to offer anything.  But, at least you will know and we will have made a new friend.  We're happy to do it. Just ask.

"Fix my iPhone...but don't take it away from me..."

I traveled from Little Rock to Fayetteville last weekend to watch the Razorbacks dismantle the Kentucky Wildcats football team.  One of my friends, who shall remain nameless, had dropped her iPhone during a rain storm the day before the game.  The phone had gotten wet for about an hour.  It was starting to show the classic signs of liquid damage one day later.  I told her that First Class Cellular Repair would fix the liquid damage and the iPhone would work great after that.  She would even get the "Friends and Family" discount so this would be a painless and very affordable endeavor.  There was just one hitch - I actually needed her to hand me the iPhone.

Before the game we talked about the corrosion that was happening inside of her iPhone.  I explained how even though the iPhone was now dry that did not stop the corrosion of the logic board.  I told her there was a cancer growing inside her iPhone and that it would eventually just die one day in the future.  She listened intently to me while at the same time sending out texts and updating her Facebook status.  I asked several times for her to hand me the phone so I could have it in my possession.  She responded: "I'll just give it to you after the game".

Well, after the game she was gone.  I never got the iPhone.  She didn't want to let it out of her sight for a couple of days.  I told her we could take out her SIM card and put it on another iPhone in the interim.  She had seemed unsure and then was nowhere to be found after the game.  In short, she could not do without her iPhone for two days.  It wasn't gonna happen.  The sad part is the iPhone will get worse until it just dies one day.  At that point, we'll have to take the iPhone away but it will probably be way too late at that point to fix.

SAME HOUR SERVICE

We held our First Annual Customer Appreciation Day at our Little Rock store last Friday.  We were busy from the time the doors opened until they closed.  We offered half-price on Apple product repairs.  We fixed dozens of broken iPhone screens.  And, we were quick.  Most of our repairs were completed within 30 minutes of the customer walking through the door.

Do you really want to be without your phone overnight?  What if you get a text about a party your friend is having?  What if the lottery commission decides to give you some money?  What about checking your Facebook status twice an hour?  You don't want to let that phone out of your sight too long!  Therefore, we offer you same day service on almost all repairs.  In fact, for a standard broken iPhone screen repair we can get this done within the same hour you drop it off.

We understand your schedule is busy.  We want to repair your Droid, iPhone or other product quickly and we do it right the first time.  We cannot guarantee that we won't have a lobby full of customers when you walk in, but we can guarantee that we'll work our tails off to help you out quickly...many times within an hour.

We Deliver, Well...

A freakish thing happened to a friend yesterday.  He was minding his own business and exiting a gas station in Little Rock.  A reckless driver crossed a couple of lanes of traffic and clipped his car.  Luckily, our friend was not hurt.  However, he had his iPhone sitting on the dash of the car and the phone went flying into a cup of water.  The iPhone was completely dead from liquid damage.

Our friend is in a job where he communicates through his iPhone a lot.  Lots of text messages, lots of phone conferences, etc.  He is in a position of leadership and people need answers and decisions from him on an hourly basis.  It was a real problem when his phone was dead.  So, he brought the liquid damaged iPhone to us and we were able to fix it within 24 hours.  Normally, that is the end of the story.

Well, our friend had a busy schedule today.  Jam packed, if you will.  And, he needed to head out of town on a business trip.  Based upon this need, we became a delivery service today.  We set out to get him his iPhone back so he could start conducting business again.  The only problem is that his office moved to a different part of Little Rock recently and we did not know that.  It took awhile but we finally were able to get his iPhone just in time for him to leave town this afternoon.

Thus, we do deliver sometimes.  This was a long-time friend who had a need. (Plus, his family breaks their smart products about once a month).  We were glad to help.  We don't advertise delivery but we do advertise going above and beyond.  Today was one of those days and we were happy to do it.

iPhone 5 Does Not Surprise

iPhone 5 Does Not Surprise

By all accounts, the new iPhone 5 is a good product.  It is thinner and lighter, has a bigger screen, runs faster, and is just generally an improvement over the iPhone 4s.  What it is not is ground-breaking.  It is not revolutionary.  That is not necessarily a horrible thing.  We view the iPhone 5 as what the iPhone 4s was supposed to be.

The main thing that is impressive about the iPhone 5 is that the marketing by Apple is nothing short of brilliant.  As evidence for this claim, you should take a look at this YouTube video of a segment on the Jimmy Kimmel show - http://goo.gl/Gp1GB - genius!  The Apple brand is so powerful that people just believe anything that Apple tells them.  That is a dangerous proposition but so far Apple has not abused the customer.

Without a doubt, people in Central Arkansas and beyond will be lining up to purchase the new iPhone 5.  There will be people sleeping outside the Little Rock Apple store to be the first to buy the new device.  There will also be people that break their screens and drop their iPhone 5 in the toilet.  That, after all, is why we are in business.  We are here to help.    

UPCOMING CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAYS

UPCOMING CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAYS

We believe in giving back to our loyal customers.  Next month, on October 5th in Little Rock and October 12th in Conway we will have Customer Appreciation Days.  We will be cooking some hot dogs and giving away a special prize.  Last year, we gave away an iPad.  Could it be the new iPhone this year?  You'll want to follow us on Facebook to find out: http://www.facebook.com/FirstClassCellularRepair.

Our new Chenal location had a great Summer and we appreciate all of our new customers.  We're always here for you and be sure to watch next month.  Thanks!

Should I fix my phone or wait for the new one?

As many of you know, the iPhone 5 is rumored to come out in September.  So when people break their phone a few months prior to a big launch such as this, they are left asking themselves whether they should get their current device repaired, replaced, or just hold out for a new device.

Personally, I would have to get my device repaired or replaced.  I am constantly on the go and use my phone to stay in constant contact with clients and my store managers.  If I do not have my phone, I am unable to perform many daily tasks.  Plus I do not want to go worrying if I am going to cut my finger or face on a cracked screen or deal with a pesky power button that won't allow me to lock my phone.

Many people hold off on repairing their devices because they want to save for the latest and greatest.  We totally understand that, but did you know that you can usually sell your device back to a local repair shop or even to companies such as Gazelle who will typically pay you either what it cost to get the device repaired or more whereas if you just kept the broken device, it would not be worth much at all if anything!  As of right now, most repairs on an iPhone 4 or 4S cost less than $100.  A good condition iPhone 4 or 4S can easily sell for $150 to $250.

If anyone reading our blogs ever has a question, I would love to hear it!  Feel free to email me at jonathan@firstclasscellular.com

HERE WE GO AGAIN

You surely heard in the last week that the rumors are flying around about the new iPhone 5 (or whatever name the newest version of iPhone will have).  Can you say liquidmetal?  It sounds like something out of The Terminator movies.  According to Wikipedia, liquidmetal is "an alloy that combines a number of desirable material features, including high tensile strength, excellent corrosion resistance, very high coefficient of restitution and excellent anti-wearing characteristics, while also being able to be heat-formed in processes similar to thermoplastics."  Cool stuff.


We don't know for sure if the new iPhone will have a liquidmetal case.  In fact, we don't know anything for sure about the new phone.  We just know that the "marketing geniuses" at Apple are at it again.  They run the same play every time and we fall right for it.  Apple allows the rumor mill to stir regarding what the new version will look like and when it will come out, then they allow people to pre-order, then they run out of phones the first week and only then do they actually pay to advertise.  Then they make a bundle of money.


At our store, we have a split on the iPhone.  Half of us have iPhones and half of us have Droid Razors.  In other words, half of us don't mind that Apple is just leading us done a path of their choosing.  And, the other half thinks they are smarter than us.  Regardless, the newest iPhone will come out whenever Apple wants it to come out.  It will have some cool new features and it will likely set a new record for sales.  The reason I know this is because that is the same thing that happens every time.

THE DEATH OF BLACKBERRY

Did you know that before the iPhone there was the Blackberry?  Lots of people had them.  People liked them.  Having a Blackberry was cool.  Now, they are basically extinct.  The parent company, Research in Motion, has all but given up on trying to revive the product.

You might be reading this thinking: "I still like my Blackberry".  Well, there are still some people that have America Online e-mail addresses too but that company is a dinosaur and so is the Blackberry.  I had a Blackberry back in the day - for about two weeks!  Then I dropped it in the water and there was not a way to fix it at that time.  Now, we have an entire business model built on repairing smart phones and other products such as iPods and iPads.  Drop your phone in the pool, no problem.

There is a lot of debate over why Blackberry has gone under.  Maybe it was bad management.  Maybe they did not allow enough apps on their product.  Maybe the iPhone and Android are just better products.  Maybe all of that.  Regardless, I just asked one of our techs when was the last time we fixed a Blackberry and the response was: "Are they still in business?"  That is never a good sign.  The Blackberry is dead.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT iPODS

Most of the devices that we fix are iPhones with broken glass/screens.  iPhones are the biggest brand so that is what we see the most.  We can fix an iPhone typically in less than 30 minutes.  Today, I had a customer ask "Can you fix my iPod?".  Answer: Of course, we can.  The iPod broken screen is essentially the same process as fixing the iPhone screen.  However, they are delicate devices.  Their parts are so small that they can easily rip or tear when not handled properly.  We had to learn that lesson the hard way in the past.

We currently charge $54.95 to fix the digitizer or $59.95 to fix the LCD in the iPod Touch 2nd and 3rd generation.  In the iPod Touch 4th Generation (with camera) we charge $94.95 because the digitizer and LCD are fused together making the part more expensive.  We don't ever forget that we can fix iPods but we wanted to remind you of the same.

KEEP YOUR iPHONE COOL

It has been over 100 degrees every day this past week.  We are getting a lot of calls from people whose iPhones shut down and have to cool off.  There are really bad consequences when an iPhone or any smart device overheats.  The components on the logic board can fry themselves and ruin the circuitry to the point we cannot repair it.  The battery itself can overheat and could literally start a fire.  This stuff can be bad.

If your phone is not working properly just let it cool back down at room temperature.  Don't put it in the refrigerator because the extreme change from hot to cold can do more damage.  The best thing to do is not leave it in your car in the first place but, if you do, bring it in and we'll do our best to fix it.  No promises.

ON THE HOUSE

We don't always charge for our services.  Sometimes, the repair is so easy and so quick that we just make it on the house.  An example happened earlier today.  A customer had a speaker that just needed a very simple brushing.  We have the tool already and there is no part involved.  The whole thing took us about 60 seconds.  We didn't charge anything.

Of course, we are a business and we normally charge for our labor and parts.  When it's "on the house" we are hoping that this is building customer trust and loyalty.  First Class Cellular Repair wants to be the premier repair facility in the Little Rock, Arkansas area.  We want you to think of us as here to help and not to rip people off.  In return, we ask that you help us spread the word.  When your screen is cracked and shards of glass are peeling off - we are here for you.  We are your first stop for assistance.

This is an old school way of viewing business.  We are your neighbors.  We are here to listen and provide you with a valuable service.  If we don't provide any value on a particular visit, then it's "on the house".

A DAY AT THE LAKE

We get it.  It's Summertime.  You are sitting around with your friends and having a good time by the pool or maybe out on the boat.  Your friends think it is a great idea to come up behind you and push you into the water. We've all been doing this to people we love for years, right?  The only problem is that now every one carries their smart phone in their pocket.  Ouch!

Twice in one week we have fixed water damage of phones that were in someone's pocket when their "friend" decided to pull a prank.  Unfortunately, the "friend" does not seem to be around when it is time to pay to fix the damage.  The good news is that most liquid damage issues can be repaired for $80 or less.

Yes, we get it.  It is warm outside and jumping in the water is a great way to break the heat.  However, you need to either take the phone out of the pocket or make sure it's a wealthy friend who is willing to pay for the repair.

OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AREA

We have realized that our customer service area is broader than we thought for our new store on Chenal Parkway.  We certainly expected to get customers needing iPhone repair from Little Rock and North Little Rock.  However, we have had people drive in from Jacksonville, Cabot and Bryant.  We have even had customers come from as far away as Malvern and Stuttgart, Arkansas.  Most of these folks came from referrals of our existing customers.

We want you to know this.  Your friends outside of Central Arkansas can mail us their smart phone and we'll get it right back to them.  We have had people from El Dorado and Fayetteville mail us their phones to repair.  We are here to help.  You can always call us and we can give an estimate on most repairs over the phone.  We know people do not want to be away from their phone very long so we give priority to the mail in business.

We really see the need to provide quality and professional iPhone and smart product repair in Central Arkansas.  We just also want you to know that we can handle business from any place that has a post office or FedEx store.  I guess you could say that our customer service area is the entire world.

CAN YOU...?

The first question that most customers ask starts off with: "Can you..." The answer is almost always "yes". Whether the question is "Can you fix the power button on an iPhone?" or "Can you repair a smart phone that fell in the pool?" the answer is "yes". First Class Cellular Repair is in the "fix it business". That is what we do. Certainly, the most common problem with an iPhone or iPad is a cracked screen. However, we see it all daily.

"Have you ever fixed a smart phone that was run over by a tractor combine?" - Yes. "Have you ever repaired an iPhone that had a Coke spilled onto it?" - Yes. "Have you replaced the battery on a Droid?" - Yes. "Can you help me sync my iPhone to my iTunes account?" - Yes.  We are here to help.  Our technicians see a multitude of issues on any given day.  These experiences allow them to be proficient in solving the most complex repairs.  Additionally, they can talk to each other and work through something if it is truly unique.

So, "Can you...?"  Feel free to keep asking but know that the answer is going to almost always be a resounding "Yes!"

IT IS FACEBOOK FRIDAY TIME FOLKS

Every Friday our business gives something back to the customer.  Common prizes include a free OtterBox, gift certificates to a restaurant and even iPads.  We have also done half-price repairs on iPhones before.  The point of Facebook Friday is to show appreciation for all of our customers.  You are the reason that we exist.

All you need to do to participate is pay attention to our First Class Cellular Repair Facebook page.  The link is http://www.facebook.com/FirstClassCellularRepair.  Each Friday we will post a code word on our wall and the first person that walks through the door and mentions the code word is the winner.  It's that simple.  One time we had a person that was out of state call their friend that was near our store and the two of them split the prize.  You could be our next winner.

New Smart Device Repair Center Opens

Second Location in Central Arkansas

(Little Rock, Arkansas) – First Class Cellular Repair (FCCR) is opening its second location in Central Arkansas. This store will serve walk-in customers in the Little Rock metropolitan area and also handle corporate clients statewide. The store address is 13000 Chenal Parkway, Suite 112 in Little Rock. It is in the same strip center as Five Guys hamburgers. The first FCCR location opened in Conway, Arkansas in June, 2010.

“This business serves the growing need to fix iPhones and all smart devices,” said Pat O’Brien, one of the partners in FCCR, “We provide a convenient and high quality repair experience for our customers.” FCCR fixes all brands of smart phones, tablets and devices such as iPods. The range of repairs include: cracked screens, water/liquid damage, weak batteries and a host of other issues. “Most people are shocked to find out we can fix a phone that was dropped in the swimming pool,” said O’Brien.

First Class Cellular Repair was the brainchild of Jonathan Motl. Mr. Motl has worked in the cellular phone business since his teenage years. In 2010, he convinced Little Rock businessmen James Barnes and Jimmy Batcheller to open up a full-service repair center in Conway at 2501 Dave Ward in the Nutter’s Chapel Shopping Center. “We started slow but once our reputation for high quality repairs penetrated the market we have seen significant sales increases,” said Motl, who is a partner and acts as the operations manager for the business.

FCCR would like to expand this business model to the rest of Arkansas and beyond. However, taking care of customers is the first priority. “Our existing satisfied customers are driving our current growth,” said O’Brien, “We will grow as the demand grows.”

For more information about FCCR, please visit our website at www.fccrepair.com.