Tip of the Week: Cracked Your Phone’s Screen? Here’s What You Should Do Next

WHOOPS! This might be one of the more PG-rated things you would say if you dropped your phone, and perhaps additional colorful words would follow the moment you discovered that your phone’s screen is now cracked. If you find yourself in such a predicament, what do you do next? We’ll help you deal with this unfortunate circumstance in the best way possible.

Here are six measures that you can take when you accidentally crack your screen.

Do Nothing
Yes, this is an option if you don’t want to invest in a new screen. It might be tempting to just deal with the cracked screen, especially if the phone still works perfectly fine. If you must bear with the cracked screen, it’s not the end of the world, especially if your contract has yet to expire and provide you with another option. If you think that the screen might start to fall apart, a screen protector can be used to hold it in place. Of course, if the crack is on the outside and your fingers are swiping against the edge of glass, you might need to resort to the next option.

Ask Around for a Replacement
Smartphones these days are easier to find than you might think. Since they are often replaced prematurely, someone you know might have a spare on-hand that they are willing to part with. In most cases, all you have to do is move your SIM card over to the replacement and you’ll be able to continue using your device. Keep in mind, typically the replacement needs to be on the same or a similar carrier.

Perform a Risky DIY Repair
If you don’t want to buy a new phone or ask around for a hand-me-down, you could always try to replace the screen yourself. There are plenty of resources on the Internet that can help you fix a phone, but only if you’re willing to take some risks. In a way, it’s a very high-risk high-reward investment, so only do this if you want to commit to fixing the device, regardless of whether it works or not. Typically you can find a replacement screen on eBay, but replacing it is about as complex as it sounds.

Get Someone Else to Fix It
If you don’t want to take the risk yourself, you can hire someone to do the job for you. However, taking it to the manufacturer is sure to result in a pricey repair bill. Instead, if you have an IT department or a managed IT provider on your side, they might be able to help point you in the right direction. For companies that are looking to provide smartphones to their staff, a comprehensive insurance plan is important in order to mitigate your organization’s liability. Much like the managed services we provide, insurance will replace the phone with a similar device for a fraction of the cost of replacing it yourself (which will likely cost your business hundreds of dollars).

Trade Away or Sell Your Phone
If you’re willing to invest a bit into a new phone, you can trade it in or sell your old one for a bit of extra cash toward the new one. While this doesn’t really help you fix the screen itself, a new phone can be a gift in and of itself. Just make sure to properly wipe your device of any sensitive data prior to doing so. If you don’t know how, we’d be happy to help.

Keep an Eye Out for a Good Deal
For the average small business, providing your staff with smartphones can boost productivity, even off the clock. You will be surprised just how much communication and collaboration can be done by your workers remotely. Because of the costs involved however purchasing new top-of-the-line smartphones may not be in the cards. You might be able to find unlocked or used devices online which will allow you to get functional and well-kept devices for cents on the dollar (compared to purchasing the phones at retail prices). If you want to buy a new phone(s), however, it may benefit you to look for deals on the Internet rather than shop for them in-store. Most important, though, is that any devices you buy will come without any strings attached, no contract or carrier specificity that could hinder your ability to get the phone connected.

Mobile devices can be a major benefit for the modern business. If you need help choosing which phones are best for your organization, what carrier to use, or to talk to one of our professionals about mobile device management call us today at (217) 428-6449.