Why I turned my passion into enterprise – Phone technician, Doris

It is not common to see women in the phone business. How did you acquire the skill? It all started in 2001, when I was in secondary school as I love to do practical things. My teacher and mentor then advised me to take science subjects and go for engineering course. He also introduced me […]

It is not common to see women in the phone business. How did you acquire the skill?

It all started in 2001, when I was in secondary school as I love to do practical things. My teacher and mentor then advised me to take science subjects and go for engineering course. He also introduced me to his brother who does electronic repairs. I started going to the shop in Jos, Plateau State to learn the trade after school.

When I finished my secondary school, I had already completed the training session and my trainer employed me where I worked for another two years. I also temporarily worked with the maintenance engineers of the telecommunication giant in the state. The experience then exposed me to the field and I proceeded to open my shop in Jos in 2007 for mobile phone repairs.

How did you start as a female mobile phone repairer?

It was quite difficult at first but later, the business began to blossom. However, I left Jos in 2010 after the crises and joined my parents in Masaka, Nasarawa State. It became a difficulty thing to start the business all over in another place but I summoned courage to start it.

I set up a table and an umbrella in Masaka and started fixing phones for people. Many who saw me were amazed but some doubted that I could do the job well. When I fixed phones for people, they referred others to me; and that was how the business kept growing.

How did you then move to your place in Abuja city centre?

One day, a man advised me that I would do better if I found a store where I could attach myself because I hadn’t enough to rent a shop at the right places. From that day, I started moving around Abuja town, going from one plaza to the other seeking for attachment space.

People would say ‘what does this girl mean saying she repairs phone’ but I was not discouraged because I knew what I can do. At a Wuse plaza, someone granted me space after I faced many disappointments. He repairs air conditioners and I erected my phone repair stand near his. More customers began to come to me and word spread around the plaza. I am good in changing mobile phones Integrated Circuit (IC), so other repairers also referred customers to me to do this technical aspect of the job.

I was hiding because the management of the plaza would not allow an attachment arrangement, but they eventually got to know about it. After I had explained my situation to the property manager, she encouraged me by giving me a shop in the plaza. I stayed there for three years before I moved to this present place at Banex Plaza.

How many people have you trained in this technical field?

I trained five persons whom I could say completed the training and have a place of their own at present in Jos. However, while I was in Jos, I could have trained more persons but some kept running away saying the field was difficult. But those that graduated, that’s the work they are doing there till date.

In Abuja, the first person I trained started his own place and then I met another lady who is also into mobile phone repairs. It was through her that I moved to my present location. I have trained three more persons at this location. I employed one of them. We have other sales persons here who manage our shops.

People are coming to indicate interest in learning mobile phone repairs but we are careful about admitting more people until our mobile phone training school is ready. Our GSM School will be opened officially soon where we will be offering practical courses on the field. For now there are four students here including a lady.

What does it take to start a mobile phone repair business?

You must first, learn the work and then get yourself the equipment and tools needed. Mobile telecommunication field is advancing daily and as such new work tools are being developed, start-ups would need to keep themselves informed. 

I started with some few tools and continued to add more as the business grew, but the basic tools including screws, soldering rod among others must be gotten first.

Your business name is GRANDPA. Why isn’t it reflecting something female?

It was not GRANDPA when I started. My business name was ‘GSM Solution World’ when I started. I got married to the owner of GRANDPA, a brand in the sales of mobile phones and other gadgets here in Abuja. As a family, we joined hands and now have it as a family business, with a department and shop for sales and the other for repairs and services.

What are your business strategies especially when you combine family with this?

In life, everything is about decision making. It is about what I want and I believe that even if I have many children, that would not obstruct my business. I have people who are helping me including my husband and our staff members. Once it is 5pm, I handover the care of the business to my staff while my husband oversees it. I stay at home during the weekend to look after the family.

Customers are very important no matter their attitude. You have to keep and maintain them to make your business grow. We sustain simple actions of respect and listening that pacify customers, treating them with courtesy and that keep them coming.

What is your advice to fellow women about being gainfully engaged?

My advice to them is that there is something they can do better. You could be good in fashion or in baking but you must attach yourself to something specific and improve on it. Ensure it is what you want so you can do it with all your heart. 

You must not wait for government to give you work because if you are good at what you do, people will always look for you.