How To Replace A Broken Laptop or Notebook Display

4. Interview, Continued

MobilityGuru: Do you only offer complete screens, or also single spare backlights and inverters for replacement?

Kevin Bailey: We specialize exclusively in replacement laptop screens only.

MobilityGuru: What kind of customer should buy your products? Does one need expert knowledge to swap a screen?

Kevin Bailey: Our potential customers are laptop users who want to save time - either on the phone or waiting for the screen to arrive - money and hassle. Also, those who want to deal with a customer service representative that specializes exclusively in laptop screens.

The laptop manufacturer's customer service can be very difficult to deal with, and many times they do not have the screen the customer is looking for.

You do not need to be an expert to replace your laptop screen.

MobilityGuru: How can a customer identify the right replacement screen for his notebook?

Kevin Bailey: Most of the time, the customer will only need to provide us the laptop model. However, sometimes we require the customer to remove the LCD from the display enclosure to get the screen manufacturer's part number from the back of the screen. The reason we may ask the customer to remove their screen is because the same laptop model may use two or more different screens which are not compatible with each other.

MobilityGuru: Do you provide assembly instructions with the LCD screen?

Kevin Bailey: Yes, we provide step-by-step removal and installation instructions with photos on our website. Just click on the link "LCD Removal Instructions" at the top of our website www.screentekinc.com to view generic removal instructions. The user may also select a list of laptops from a drop-down menu for laptop-specific removal instructions.

MobilityGuru: Do you offer replacement screens only for A-brand laptops and notebooks like e.g. Apple, Dell, HP and Lenovo?

Kevin Bailey: We offer replacement screens for all brands, from the large companies like Dell, HP Compaq, Sony, Toshiba and Fujitsu, to the smaller brands like Sager, Alienware and ProStar.

MobilityGuru: Is it possible to upgrade a laptop or notebook with e.g. a screen with higher resolution or a glossy coating?

Kevin Bailey: Yes, it is possible to upgrade resolution, however, we do not recommend it because it may require the customer to purchase a new screen, a new video cable and a new video card which is part of the motherboard - this can become quite costly. Upgrading your screen to high-gloss is much easier, as it just requires upgrading the screen only and can significantly improve viewer enjoyment. A high-gloss screen can provide crisper images, higher contrast, more vibrant colors and wider viewing angles.

MobilityGuru: How much money can a customer save by ordering a display at your online shop instead of sending the broken computer to the manufacturer's customer service department?

Kevin Bailey: A customer can save anywhere from $100 to sometimes as much as $1,000. For example, Lenovo's price for a 15"SXGA+ is round about $1400, whereas we charge only $455. A 15.4" WXGA Display for a notebook from HP sells for $425 at our online shop; if you send your laptop to HP's service they will charge you $811.

We also offer wholesale prices to resellers and laptop repair shops.

MobilityGuru: Why are the screens offered by ScreenTek Ltd. clearly cheaper than screens from laptop and notebook manufacturers? Do you really sell first class products?

Kevin Bailey: Historically, replacement screens could only be purchased from the manufacturers themselves, which meant essentially a lack of price competition. Additionally, it is assumed that the manufacturers intentionally priced replacement laptop screens high to influence customers to purchase a new laptop instead of replacing the screen. We have the same quality and same screens as the laptop manufacturers.

MobilityGuru: As you might know (European) customers are often worried about warranty regulations. What is the warranty time you offer for your products in A) Europe B) North America?

Kevin Bailey: For both Europe and North America we offer a 30-day Standard Warranty which is included in the price of the screen and a one-year Extended Warranty for an additional fee.

We provide the shorter 30-day Standard Warranty in addition to our Extended Warranty to provide our customers more pricing options. Like many other consumer electronics products, if the screens we sold automatically included a one-year warranty then the base price of a screen would be higher.