ThePhoneLab launches new proposition for business customers

Course change for 2022 for telecom repair retailer

Growth targets for expanding the number of repair stores of telecom repairer ThePhoneLab have been pushed back a year to focus extra on expanding the B2B branch. The eight stores in the Netherlands were scheduled to expand this year, but after an extensive strategic session, it was found that there are many opportunities for ThePhoneLab in the business segment. Growth within B2B rather than expansion in B2C was chosen for 2022.

During the corona pandemic, working from home has seen tremendous growth. With all that returning to normal, ThePhoneLab notes that hybrid working is becoming more prevalent and will be a permanent phenomenon. This increases the need for a work mobile and tablet or laptop from the company. So that work can be done both on business and at home. The government recommends working from home 50% of the time. With the change in direction, ThePhoneLab aims to facilitate this newly emerging market. Currently, about 5% of store sales are from business customers and 95% from individuals.

Boris Blijham, founder and owner of ThePhoneLab: “The decision to want to broaden the B2B proposition is a logical strategic choice. We see an increase in companies that want to do business in a socially responsible way and can and want to save costs as a result. We also see that employees are becoming increasingly vocal about sustainability. And do not need a new smartphone every two years. They also understand that this does not contribute to a better environment. In addition, the combination of B2B and B2C is ideal for us. The peak and off-peak moments that we have within B2C become much more evenly distributed by serving the business customers more broadly. This allows us to increase productivity significantly.”

Repair and reuse within companies

More and more companies are realizing that mobile devices can last longer than they did in the past. With about 1.4 billion smartphones sold worldwide that are replaced after two to three years, this is a huge amount of additional e-waste.
Especially when it turns out that only 20% is recycled and 5% of the material is reused.
Boris Blijham, ThePhoneLab: “Companies are increasingly choosing to repair electronics. They are becoming more conscious of e-waste or more aware of the negative impact this type of hardware has. Companies can influence this impact by having electronics repaired or reused.”

Knowledge falls short for user

A survey last year* found that 43% of those surveyed replace a mobile if it is “unrepairable. Replacing this is unnecessary in many cases. Users do not have enough knowledge at home to assess whether a smartphone can still be presented for repair. In particular, it is often the screen, speaker or battery that breaks, and these are still repairable in most cases.
When extending the life of a phone, this can prevent up to 40% e-waste.

No need for new phones with telecom company subscription

Many telecom providers also “give” employees a new smartphone with a subscription. In many cases, this is not necessary because they still have working devices or they are repairable in case of failure. But businesses’ needs are changing and they are increasingly aware that repair and reuse is a sustainable alternative.

Specific needs within B2B

For many employees, a smartphone is part of the fringe benefits. This makes working for a particular organization more attractive. Also, research** shows that the majority of employees factor sustainability into their choice of employer (37% do versus 33% do not).
ThePhoneLab facilitates the choice for more sustainable use of smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Here, employees can turn in their defective device and receive immediate assistance.

*from Fairphone together with research firm Ipsos
**of The Sustainable Recruiter

About ThePhoneLab

ThePhoneLab knows all about smartphones, laptops and tablets. From hardware to software, and from repair to protection and prevention. We love technology and enjoy working with our hands. Is your device broken? We fix it. Expert, fast, right in the store, with or without an appointment.
ThePhoneLab is committed to clear and open communication. Without fuss. We are reliable and competent, and we radiate that. You can see it in our clean, fresh store and high-tech lab, as well as in our people. We keep a close eye on quality and prices of parts – and we act accordingly. This allows us to provide the best service and highest quality, at the lowest price.

What do we do?

ThePhoneLab repairs smartphones, laptops and tablets. We do this not only well, but also at lightning speed. Can’t we fix the problem one-two-three? Then we will offer you a replacement device so that your work can continue as usual. Because we think in terms of solutions, so that you are always and everywhere (online) accessible. And to avoid problems in the future, we offer you the necessary prevention and protection. For example, you can always visit ThePhoneLab for a free APK.

Our people

ThePhoneLab specialists enjoy learning about the latest technologies and devices, and getting to the bottom of them completely. In this way, we continue to learn and have now accumulated a huge amount of expertise together. We don’t shy away from any problem and begin a screen repair as whistlingly as we do a complex motherboard repair.