A better repair batch
starts before shipping.

1. Start with the device list

Create one record per device, not just a total quantity. Include your internal reference, make, model and reported fault. Add a serial or IMEI through the agreed secure intake process when needed. A mixed batch needs enough detail to distinguish similar models and storage variants.

Separate what is known from what is suspected. “Does not charge with a tested cable” is an observed symptom. “Needs a charging IC” is a diagnosis that may not have been established. Good fault descriptions leave room for the correct repair route.

2. Define the commercial decision

Decide which repairs can be pre-authorised and which require a quotation. A price ceiling should explain what it includes, such as parts, labour and assessment, and what happens when several faults are found.

Ask how no-fault-found devices, declined quotations, incomplete repairs and repeat returns are treated. The cheapest headline repair price does not answer those questions. Compare the expected cost and outcome of the whole batch, not just one successful repair.

3. Agree parts, condition and final tests

A repair specification should distinguish functional work from cosmetic refurbishment. Replacing a failed battery does not automatically include a housing change, and fixing cracked glass does not promise an improvement in every aspect of the device’s cosmetic grade.

Record any battery requirement, approved parts specification and relevant final test scope. Agree how an unexpected issue is reported and whether it needs new approval. Keep those instructions with the batch rather than in an unrelated email that may be missed.

4. Make turnaround measurable

Define when the service clock starts and ends: shipment, physical receipt, completion of intake, final checks or readiness for dispatch are different events. Also agree how time awaiting information, parts or customer approval is handled.

A useful report separates devices being assessed, awaiting approval, in repair, completed and returned unrepaired. That makes it possible to see where a batch is held up without treating every unit as the same status.

5. Plan transport and data handling

Confirm the correct receiving site before shipping. Include a reconciled manifest and agree packaging, labels and responsibility for the shipment. For cross-border work, establish the transport and documentation route with the relevant team before dispatch.

Agree the treatment of personal data, account locks and any reset or erasure instructions before devices enter the workflow. Do not put passwords or customers’ sensitive information into a general enquiry form. A repair agreement and an erasure specification are different instructions.

6. Reconcile what comes back

Match each returned device to the intake record and its actual repair outcome. Distinguish a completed repair from a no-fault-found result or an unrepaired return. Confirm any accessories and accompanying test or repair information specified in the agreement.

For recurring work, review repeat returns, approval delays and the mix of repair outcomes. These measures are most useful when their definitions are consistent. A repair rate without an agreed denominator or fault mix is difficult to compare.

A batch brief you can copy

Include: device models and quantities; your unique references; observed faults and prior repair attempts; approved work and quotation limits; parts and cosmetic requirements; final test scope; target turnaround and its start/end points; returns arrangements; and a named operational contact.

WJD accepts business enquiries for component repairs, glass-only refurbishment, board-level work and console repairs. Tell us what needs to happen to your devices, and we will work through the appropriate service and handovers with you.

Practical questions.