Smartphone Medics: Faster, Cheaper, Better

Jeff Sandridge and Justin Morales are the “guys who are wise” when it comes to repairing cell phones, smart phones, hand held devices of all kinds, games and laptops, and they get it done pronto. They have helped me out on more than one occasion, and it is always a joy to recommend a business to the readers of Athens Now when I have had personal experience with exceptional service. These guys have helped me out twice, (once after office hours,) have a great sense of humor, and I would like to tell you about them.

Jeff and Justin were friends as kids, lost track of each other, got back in touch, and are now in business together as the Smartphone Medics. The business is located in the Mailstop store in the Star Market Shopping Center in Madison, and the address is 7950 Highway 72 Suite A. They have several drop boxes in the area, and will even come to you to pick yours up. If you call the store you can make arrangements for what will serve you best. The store number is 256-414-1199.

Jeff and Justin have always been “tinkerers,” that is, they have taken things apart both to see how they work and how to fix what is broken, and, at least in Jeff’s case, tinkering got him in trouble when he was a kid. (The same thing happened to Thomas Edison; I’m just sayin’…) Justin also has a lot of experience with software and fixing video games. His friends were his customers, and they were happy ones. Jeff was a young guy who had done several things, including being a Domino’s driver, and then realized that fixing phones is what he wanted to do. He went to Atlanta, got certified as a “phone doc,” and then came home and trained Justin.

Jeff is the “Apple guy” in the shop, and uses Apple products personally. Justin is the “Android guy,” and while they are fully cross-trained, they understand that the war between Apple and rest of the cyber world will probably never be over, and work hard to satisfy the customers in both camps.

I never knew that most phones can be fixed, (often even ones that got dropped in very wet places,) don’t need to be sent away for repairs, and these guys can do it about 1/2 the cost of the national chain phone stores. My first “rescue” came when my phone refused to hold a charge and it was like being sent back in time when we were all tethered to cords in the wall. I limped along for awhile using my wall charger and the one in my truck, and hoped to hold out as long as possible because new batteries were so expensive at the retail outlets. Finally my phone would hold no charge, I could wait no longer, and Jeff ordered me a battery. As soon as it came in, he gave me a call and stayed at the shop until I got there.

Most recently I was at a retreat in Pennsylvania, and somewhere between Scranton and here I lost my wall charger. Smartphone Medics had it in stock, and it was nearly 1/3 of the price of one I had to replace last year because the housing came apart. I drove away from both encounters as a fully satisfied customer.

So, what can these guys do? They repair cracked phone screens, IPad screens, and buy used and broken phones. The broken and used phones will be completely refurbished and resold at a fraction of the price of an original. They’ll tackle Nooks, Netbooks, Kindles, IPads and Pods, Androids, and game systems. They service most carriers, including Sprint, AT&T and Verizon. Repair prices start at $49 and go up to $90.

The brand names “treated” by “the Medics” include Apple, Blackberry, Android, HTC, LG, Palm, Samsung, Motorola and Nokia. They offer same day service, and many repairs can be completed in under 3 hours. I have been in the shop when someone was on their lunch hour, and they took care of the repair while the customer went to go grab a bite to eat.

They are also vendors for a no contract service offered by T-Mobile called Simple Mobile. For sixty dollars a month and a onetime 99 dollar activation fee, you can get unlimited talk, text, and web, and there is no credit check.

You can either call them at 256-414-1199 to get an estimate, or go online at www.thesmartphonemedics.com. Jeff and Justin will get you fixed right up, and at a more than fair price.

The Smartphone Medics
7950 Hwy 72, Suite A, Madison, AL
256-414-1199
Hours: Mon- Fri 10-5, Sat 10-2
www.thesmartphonemedics.com
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner