The iPhone Professor was featured in the Bend Bulletin on the front page of the Business section today. You can view the article on the Bend Bulletin website here (subscription to Bend Bulletin required), or since most people don’t have access to the Bend Bulletin website, I’ve copied the text below so you can read it here.
Repairing iPhones in Bend
The iPhone Professor sees growth in fixing phones, iPads
By Elon Glucklich / The Bulletin
Published: May 07. 2013 4:00AM PST
What: The iPhone Professor
What it does: Repairs cracked and broken iPhones and iPads
Pictured: Matt Farrell, CEO and president of The iPhone Professor
Where: 354 N.E. Greenwood Ave., Suite 111
Employees: Three
Phone: 541-241-8765
Website: www.bendiphonerepair.com
Matt Farrell lives in Bend, but he traveled more than 7,000 miles to find his business calling.
A website designer and marketing consultant, Farrell launched his own iPhone and iPad repair business in Bend last year after spending time in Australia, with a friend who repaired iPhones for Apple.
Apple offers its own replacement service for broken iPhones, and can repair them if they’re under warranty. But it can take days, even weeks to send a new phone, and costs more than $200 if the warranty has expired, according to Apple’s website.
Farrell said he can often fix someone’s cracked, water-damaged or otherwise dinged-up phone for half of Apple’s price, without voiding the warranty.
After learning how to repair iPhones during his Australia trip in late 2011, he started his own business, The iPhone Professor, in May 2012.
Smartphone repairs are a growing business. Apple sold 125 million iPhones in 2012; a quick Google search showed nearly a half-dozen people in Bend who offer iPhone repair service.
Farrell knew going in he’d need to stand out to be successful. So he used his Web design expertise to create a website for The iPhone Professor, with enough information about himself and his services to let customers know he was legitimate.
An initial investment in tools and spare iPhone parts got him off the ground. Farrell said he recouped that investment in his first month of business. He joined with a friend who runs a Macintosh repair business and leased office space on Northeast Greenwood Avenue in September.
Central Oregon residents can bring their broken iPhones or iPads to Farrell’s business, where he can troubleshoot problems like cracked LCD screens, damage to the charge port and power buttons, or water damage.
Prices range from $99 for iPhone repairs to $175 for iPads.
Q: How are you trying to stand out from other iPhone repair businesses?
A: I took the position (that) this wasn’t going to be a side business. I was going to do it as a serious business. That meant coming up with a nice, professional website, offering a warranty, setting up my own business phone line and hiring an administrative assistant to answer the phones. I always want to be three steps ahead.
Q: What plans do you have for the company moving forward?
A: We’re looking at partnering with other businesses, maybe a computer repair shop that doesn’t do iPhone repairs. That way, if they couldn’t help a customer they could send someone our way.
— Reporter: 541-617-7820,
eglucklich@bendbulletin.com