ThePhoneLab expands store network in Den Bosch, Hilversum, Amersfoort and Zwolle
ThePhoneLab is expanding its network with four new stores in the coming months. With these openings, the company is growing to 20 stores in the Netherlands. Den Bosch opened on May 7, followed by Hilversum on May 15 and Amersfoort on June 4. Zwolle will follow next. The four cities are different in character, but have one clear similarity: a lively city center where many people come daily and where service close by is important.
Service ever closer to the customer
The expansion is in line with ThePhoneLab’s long-term vision, which focuses on accessibility and fast service. By being present in more and more places in the Netherlands, it will be easier to get repairs done quickly.
For customers, this mainly means less travel time and faster assistance at a location near them. The network is thus growing step by step toward national coverage. “Customers prefer speed and convenience. By being present in more locations, we can help them faster,” says Boris Blijham, founder of ThePhoneLab.
Locations in the heart of the city
For new branches, locations in the heart of the city are deliberately chosen. These are places where there is a lot of daily movement, such as busy shopping streets, intersections and walking routes in the city center. “For new stores, we look very specifically at A locations in cities: places where there is a lot of movement. Think shopping streets, intersections or locations near traffic lights,” Blijham says.
The appearance of a building also plays an important role. ThePhoneLab prefers locations with character, such as monumental or striking buildings, that suit an accessible and open shopping experience. The stores are designed around transparency: customers can often watch repairs and receive explanations from specialists.
Den Bosch
This approach is reflected in the choices for each city. In Den Bosch the store is located on Vughterstraat, an important route towards the city center and the market. The location is opposite a supermarket, which provides a lot of passersby and visibility in the streetscape.
Hilversum
Hilversum gets a branch on the Gijsbrecht van Amstelstraat, a lively shopping street just outside the center where a lot of local traffic congregates daily. The mix of bakeries, restaurants and specialty stores provides a constant stream of visitors.
Amersfoort
The branch in Amersfoort opens on a busy route toward the center square, in an area where catering and daily amenities alternate. This combination provides constant movement throughout the day.
Zwolle
In Zwolle, a corner location was chosen in the middle of the city center, directly on a square with many glass windows. The sightlines from multiple directions make the store a clear part of the daily walking route through the city.
Nationwide coverage attracts new collaborations
As the network expands, so does the interest of parties operating nationwide, such as insurers and business service providers. For these organizations, it is becoming increasingly important that repairs can be organized centrally rather than fragmented.
“As our network grows, more and more opportunities arise to work with partners who operate nationwide. That scale is essential to organize service efficiently,” says Léon Bosch, Head of Partnerships at ThePhoneLab.
For many organizations, device damage repair is still often a cumbersome process. Devices are sent in and users lose them for several days. ThePhoneLab therefore works with a walk-in model, where repairs take place directly in the store and administrative processing is handled in the background.
Growth with attention to quality
Even during expansion, quality remains a key principle. This is monitored with a structural approach embedded in the daily operations.
Every two weeks, customer feedback, warranty cases and repeat repairs are analyzed and discussed with stores and suppliers. In addition, the company conducts weekly unannounced audits in random locations, assessing processes and customer experience.
“Customer satisfaction is our most important measure. By structurally analyzing feedback and conducting weekly audits, we keep a grip on quality within a growing network,” said Freek Maasland, quality coordinator at ThePhoneLab.
After this expansion, ThePhoneLab is looking further ahead. Several more new branches are planned for 2026, aimed at achieving national coverage in the Netherlands. International expansion into Belgium and Germany is also on the radar.
