Phone Repair Guy Offended Me, But I Turned it to a Bloody Business. (Pictures)

Three Things I learnt from a Phone Repair Guy and Applied in Business

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Number 1

I will tell a short story to give you an insight. When mobile phone came to Nigeria, we were the first kids to learn how to repair phones with trial and errors.

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Number 2

I repaired my parents' phones, relations, and other people in the community. At a point, my friend and I started charging 1,500 to repair phones even if it's just a mouthpiece problem.

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Number 3

Yes, I once damaged someone's 2 sim Chinese phone and the guy said I must buy him a new one. Fear catch me o! Where me and money see to go buy person new TV phone?

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Number 4

This was when Chinese TV phone came out and there was nothing like Android phone at the moment. Maybe, there was but wasn't in the country or wasn't popular.

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Number 5

Long story short, I left the country to study [removed] & Computing. After some years, I returned and everyone felt I would be a computer and phone wizard by now.

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Number 6

People started bringing their phones to me for repair, but I told them I don't do such anymore. Levels don change. One guy said, "Chaii! Why na. All my thinking be say as you dey return even your laugh alone fit repair any phone. Abi, na to go sleep with oyibo women you go study for there?"

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Number 7

Some of these guys were making jest of me, but it was all for fun. The two reasons I stopped were:

1. With my academic qualification, I felt repairing phones will be a let down.

2. I no wan spoil person phone and the person go swear for my entire family out of envy or anger. I know my country men are easily aroused go envy and from envy, the next thing na babalawo.

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Number 8

I was treading with caution. Now, this is what happened that made me realized the mistake I made.

My cheap phone crashed for the second time, so I went to a phone repair guy to change the screen and camera.

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Number 9

I have phone repair tools at home, but as a #LazyNigerian, I didn't want to stress myself. I asked the man how much to change the screen, not the touch, and he said 4k.

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Number 10

The money didn't sound big to my ear compared to how much I spent changing an iPhone's screen. All I said in my head was, "Chaii! Android powered phones na beta phone o! See as to change screen cheap unlike iPhone."

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Number 11

Unfortunately, there was no money on me to pay since I'm more of a POS and mobile transfer guy. I left the place and after a week, I went back and asked again for the price, but this time, he said 5k.

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Do you make any sense here

Ok

Number 12

Sometimes, when you look presentable and speak English, some Nigerians will see you as wealthy, so they will hike their prices.

Immediately, I switched to pidgin English. "Oga, last week wey I come here you tell me say na 4,000, but now you're saying a different thing."

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Number 13

He got angry and gave me back my phone to look for someone else to do it for 4k and how he can't do it for such a small amount.

At this moment, I felt bad. I felt this man (older than me and married) has no respect for his customers. At least, he should be polite, but his body language is that of a person who can't stress himself for just 4k transaction when there are bigger deals on his table.

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Number 14

He feels he owns this world while I felt mine just crumbled. I stood there speechless and was wondering what came over him.

Additional 1k may not seem like a big increase to you reading this, but when you view it like a business man, you'll know it's a lot of money.

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Number 15

Since I'm a #LazyYouth, and I wasn't in the mood to walk around for a cheaper deal, I asked, "Do you receive money via internet banking?" "Yes." he replied.

Okay, change the screen and the camera. At the end of a work which took less than 10 minutes, I transferred 6k to his account.

I got home and saw two mails from clients who were requesting for our account details to buy our books. Two of them paid 6k each and that was how I recovered the money spent on the phone with extra.

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Number 16

Lesson:

So, when you come in contact with these rude sellers (on anything) in the market place, don't be mad at them, but learn something good from their behaviors or take their behaviors as a challenge or motivation to start yours too or to upgrade your business.

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Number 17

Three things I learnt from his brass behavior.

1. A business man or woman needs go be principled and strict, but with a small window for flexible negotiation.

2. Leaving room for too much bargain makes the product appear cheap which in turn makes it lose value in the eye of the buyer.

3. Some people appear rude because of their previous experiences with other people they encountered. Experiences shape our lives and behaviors.

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Legend 8(

Number 18

Bonus:

Before this experience, this is an example of some chats between some of our sellers and buyers.

Buyer: Evening boss. I want to buy your book FemaleSextapes.
Seller: The book costs ₦12,000, but we're giving 50% discount, so pay 6k.

The moment this buyer hears this, he'll disappear for two days, then returns and types:

Buyer: Ah! Just a book for 6k? Is it a hard-copy?
Seller: What is inside the books is worth more and you can't find them anywhere online. The tips work. They've been tested and trusted by thousands. You will not regret your investment. It's soft copy PDF.

Buyer: 6k is too much na. I'm a student and I even drank garri today. Abeg, the last card I have here is 3,500. Please help me. I'm a student.

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Number 18.2

After analyzing these kinds of chats, I'll tell our seller to help him out and sign a nondisclosure agreement. At times, it takes these student-buyers days or weeks to pay ordinary ₦3,500.

When they get this book at this cheap rate, I'll begin to feel bad behind closed door because the least expensive book I have ever read costs $49.00 which is about ₦17,000, but here I am giving out mine which has better contents at a peanut price.

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Number 19

After my encounter with the phone guy, I had to put a stop to selling to anybody who mentions the word "student" and also having a rigid price tag with a narrow negotiation window.

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Number 20

When we get a message of a guy saying he's a student, we advise him to forget buying our books and focus on his school. When he graduates and starts working, he can come back to buy.

We wouldn't want him to divide his garri-drinking money to buy our books. He may end up drinking only water throughout a semester because he bought our books with his last card. We are not money-hungry, so we give them the best advice.

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Number 21

Now, here is the magic. Since we became strict, we have been making more sales and our buyers have become more mature and they don't argue or drag the price.

In fact, payment is almost instantly or within a day. I have never felt this relieved in this book business until the phone repair guy reset my polite-book-selling-brain to strict mode.

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Please after reading this and we are in the same confused state of mind , please click like so I know how many we are

Number 22

This is how the chat goes now:

Buyer: I need details on how to purchase TheDAVIDO F*** Guide book.

Seller: It's 7k, but if you pay within 24 hours, you'll get it for just 6k. No addition, no subtraction.

Buyer: Send me payment details let me do the transfer.

Seller: Bank: GTB. Account No: 12334566456 Name: So so and so.

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Lols see bargain, na garri e chop 2day

Number 23

Minutes later, we'll see an alert. As we received it, another client is on the queue.

If you want to see screenshots of clients paying 7k or at least, 6k instantly to buy one of ours books, I'll post them. Anyway, I don't think there is need to prove it.

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Prince4945:
Please after reading this and we are in the same confused state of mind , please click like so I know how many we are

u may be suprise to be da only one