By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Eventually it happens to everyone. The lifeline to the world, the primary communication tool everyone carries with them – the cell phone – gets dropped and stops working.
And when it breaks it leaves long waits, as chain locations try to replace the phone, or insurance sends a new-to-you version, straight from a refurbishing factory overseas.
Now, a locally owned business in Hays is giving consumers a choice and after a week of being open, the Hays Phone Doctor, 218 W. 8th St., is ready to save sick or broken phones, cheaper and faster than the chain stores.
“I decided that Hays needs something like this,” said Ryan Sadeghi, Hays Phone Doctor owner. Before moving back to his hometown of Hays, he worked in a similar business, helping his employer open seven retail locations.
“There’s a few places available (like this in Hays), but most of them don’t keep parts in stock so it takes three to five days to get your phone fixed,” he said. “In my life that’s unacceptable, I can’t live without my phone for a few hours, which is the service I try to provide for everyone else.”
The business is set to offer any type of service on phones.
“I do screen repairs, cracked screens, broken screens that don’t turn on anymore. I also fix charging ports, (when) the phone won’t charge. Basically anything that goes wrong with the phone I can fix,” Sadeghi said, adding he also does software service or is available for customer questions, if needed.
Even with most people having insurance through their phone provider, and servicing will void any manufacturer warranty, Sadeghi said his service is still a better option.
“All of our repairs void the manufacturer’s warranties. Now it has nothing to do with your separate insurance service that you have through say, Verizon or Nex-Tech, what I do does not that affect that,” he said. But, “nine times out of 10 if you have to bring a phone to me the warranty is already voided because of the damage – it’s in their clause – and then I offer a lifetime warranty on all the parts I repair.” In effect he said, his warranty is similar to the manufacturer’s warranty on the parts Sadeghi repairs, only his are for the lifetime of the phone.
The main advantage of coming to the Hays Phone Doctor, he said, is that his store is open to the public and all repairs are made in view of customers, not in a secluded back room. Most repairs done in the shop can also be completed within one day, as long as customers bring the phone in at least an hour before closing time.
The location is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The store’s website is still in development, but more information can be found on their facebook page.