Your phone stops charging, so you think it needs a new battery. Or the screen goes black, so you assume the display is broken. Sometimes that’s the problem. Sometimes it isn’t. Before you pay for a repair, it helps to know what to ask.

Before you hand over your phone

Back up your photos, contacts and important files if the phone still turns on. Take a few photos of its condition, especially any cracks or dents.

Tell the technician exactly what happened. Did the problem start after a fall, an update or contact with water? Does it happen all the time or only while charging? Small details can help them find the fault.

If your phone isn’t charging

Ask for the charger, cable, charging port and battery to be checked before agreeing to a replacement. A phone that charges only when the cable is held at an angle may have a different problem from one that loses charge quickly.

Before a screen replacement

Ask what the inspection found, which part will be fitted, what the total cost is and whether there’s a warranty. If the screen sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t, mention that too.

Before you leave the shop

Test the problem you came in for. Check the touch screen, charging, calls, speakers and cameras. Keep your receipt and warranty details.

At SampurnaKart, we ask customers to explain the issue in their own words before a device is inspected. Wherever you take your phone, you should be able to understand the proposed repair before saying yes to it.