Mobile Phone Repairs and Accessories at the Market
Did you know you can have your mobile phone or tablet repaired while you do your weekly Market shop? This month we took five with Minh to hear more about his product range and service offering at the Market.
Put simply, Minh strives to provide the value of a well-trusted mechanic. We mutually agree on the importance of honesty in trades such as his, trades which require specific technical knowledge and which can feel opaque to some community members.
"I drive out of my way to go to my mechanic because I know he is honest, and my intention is to serve people in the same manner." Minh says.
He has many loyal customers and now that he’s been at the Market for more than twenty years, he has served families intergenerationally and has watched local children grow up.
In the course of our conversation, Minh inadvertently teaches us a handful of new functions and app suggestions for our device. He owns just about every model of phone in order to understand them all and to be able to provide robust advice. Minh has always had an interest in technology and holds a computer science degree which he completed before smartphones were a thing. For some, it is hard to imagine such a time... but Minh keeps this front of mind when he interacts with clients - a key feature of the service offered at SMM Mobiles is the patience of the staff. Minh is personable and easy to talk to which juxtaposes the common stereotype of someone so technically proficient. ‘I do what I do to teach’ he says. It’s nothing short of inspirational to see Minh guided by strong values which subsume the daily tasks of the business. As we talk, a customer enlists SMM Mobiles for a small service, when he goes to pay, Minh suggests that he drop a coin in their donation box. The business makes periodical donations to the Red Cross and the Utility Relief Grant Scheme. This kind of community outlook colours many aspects of the stall’s operations. Minh has enjoyed offering opportunities to young staff because he recognises the barriers that they can face when entering the job market. He tells me that Kurt who currently works at the stall, recently assisted a customer with the ad-hoc service of video production, one collated from personal photos, for the customer’s wife for a birthday gift. Kurt likes photography, he explains, so it’s great he can find ways to implement that here.
The stall sells phone accessories including cases, straps, cables and chargers and they undertake a broad mix of repair services. One of their most popular services at the moment is the application of protective screen guards which resist cracks and chips. They have applied thousands of these over the last few years and they are a cost-efficient way to protect, and gain longevity for your phone, keeping the screen shiny and safe long after purchase. In general phone repair services have reduced in recent times. Minh attributes this partly to cost of living and people making hard choices about what they can afford. Another reason is that Apple has serialised the parts required for repairs of their later phone models. This means that there are risks involved in fixing those phones, and while many phone repair shops still undertake these repairs under ambiguous pretences, Minh, in accordance with his values, will not repair these models because of this.
Minh is open to new ways that the business can provide value to the community. Being in touch with technology requires openness to change. Minh understands how community needs can ebb and flow according to the wider environment. We suggest that you speak with SMM Mobiles about any technical and phone needs, however nuanced because the staff attend the Market each day with an openness to help and find solutions. It is the community of the South Melbourne Market which has kept Minh operating here. He tells us that the people have always been respectful and he loves that he is able to have meaningful conversations with the community day to day.
Find SMM Mobiles in West Aisle, open every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8am.
This article has been authorised by the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the City of Port Phillip, 99A Carlisle Street St Kilda.