TCA & UPSIE Technology To Launch The Independent Repair Network (IRN)

After months of planning and testing the Tech Care Association (TCA) is proud to announce a new partnership with UPSIE Technology! The goal of this partnership is to deliver more revenue to independent tech repair businesses all over the country. Small business people that are the heart and soul of the tech care industry.

By joining — AT NO COST TO BUSINESS OWNERS — the new UPSIE Independent Repair Network (IRN) shops and mobile operators will receive repair work delivered directly to their business. We handle all of the expenses of marketing & customer acquisition, payment/chargeback processing, and customer service. While you decide what jobs to accept and then GET PAID THE SAME DAY. We want to work with you as a team to help people get their tech fixed!

UPSIE does all of the heavy lifting in this relationship utilizing their nationwide reach, long list of partnerships, and excellent technology platform. They are a company that’s a lot like yours (read about them below). Much like you they started from humble beginnings fighting big tech companies to build a successful business.

There is not another company in the industry that could do this any better than UPSIE. They will build repair demand for you while you simply supply the same expert repair work and friendly service you have always have done. Unlike other companies you will be the first choice for all of the work they intend to create.

You get more business without having to invest a dime upfront. PLUS you get paid as soon as the work is completed (same day) without any credit card processing fees. You will also be given the opportunity to add even more revenue in your shops by selling warranties and new products in the near future.

Let’s all work together to make the next big thing for independent tech repair!

Here’s How The IRN Will Work For You

In addition to their existing claims customers UPSIE will actively promote the IRN and the ability for customers to get a local repair. This will be done mainly by tapping into their partner network, that is really excited about this new service offering. UPSIE will also devote resources to help educate people about the advantages of local tech repair and market the IRN to them.

In less than a year they expect to generate thousands of new customers nationwide to purchase repairs in the IRN each month. And they have very aggressive goals within the first two years of this new program. All of this equals MORE BUSINESS FOR YOU!

Using technology their unique technology platform they will be able to find a local repair shop that meets the customers needs within seconds. Confirm with that shop that they can complete the work and then schedule the job. Customer then comes into a shop or has a mobile repair tech come to them and the work is complete. Once completed the shop/tech confirms everything and electronic payment is sent immediately.

Pricing will need to be competitive. So the only thing that we ask from you is that you are willing to negotiate on your pricing. UPSIE needs to make something here for themselves and their partners. Factor into this the time & money it would cost for you to acquire additional business, which will be done by UPSIE. Also UPSIE handles all of the customer service needs pre & post repair – including chargebacks.

You will also be able to sell UPSIE warranty plans to your customers and make more money for your shop. UPSIE plans are simple to understand and affordable for any customer. Think warranty plans are a scam? Think again and read more below. The right partner for warranties is a great way to build customer loyalty in your shop and get repeat business.

Over the coming months the IRN (which again is 100% FREE to join right now) will have additional revenue opportunities for you. And services that you will be able to offer in your shops that will drive in more foot traffic. All of this is being designed with you in mind. Easy to sell and easy to manage.

We are also working on additional partnerships to help your business be more successful. Partnerships that will integrate directly into the IRN.

The bottom-line here is that by joining the IRN (for free) you will get repair work delivered directly to your shop. UPSIE does all of the heavy lifting here to acquire customers and get paid repairs to you. You just do what you do best.

UPSIE Technology & It’s Founder

UPSIE Technology is probably one of the biggest names in tech care that you have never heard about. Their founder Clarence Bethea is a friend and all around great guy.

I’ve followed UPSIE and Clarence for a long time as he launched a startup to disrupt the extended warranty market. He launched UPSIE in 2016 to provide a more affordable and transparent protection product for people that, in the past, had few choices. Policies with no annoying sales pitch and without retail store markups.

Clarence comes from a very humble background growing up in the “hood” of Decatur, GA. At one point selling drugs to help his family eat. His life changed when he moved to Minnesota to attend Bemidji State University on a basketball scholarship. In Minnesota he was lucky to be mentored by a former Fortune 500 CEO. As a result of people believing in him he decided to develop UPSIE, which has since become a major success. Clarence now is a mentor himself and helps aspiring founders.

The first time I met this amazing entrepreneur was in 2017 when he was in the DC area, on a quest for investors. I offered to buy him lunch anywhere in DC. He told me their was this “dope burger joint” he wanted to try. We hit it off on day one.

We exchanged ideas over the next few years and texted with each other about another CEO we didn’t particularly like. Trust me when I say that Clarence is a larger than life guy who actually cares about people. It shows in the companies values but even more so in a simple company philosophy that is encompassed by one word. GRACE.

Put simply. Don’t judge someone by their worst moment, thought, or simple mistake. Show them some grace and everything might just be alright. Showing grace to others guides the UPSIE team and the way they work with their partners.

Clarence stepped away from the day to day operations recently, but remains the Chairman of the board at UPSIE. He promoted from within and hired an equally inspirational CEO by the name of Will Anderson. Will was so excited about working with small business owners in tech repair that he will be attending AWPE 2022 in person this week.

Will comes from the Northeast, but no Ivy League background here. His story of rising out of a tough life growing up is also inspirational. He leads an excellent staff of professionals all over the country (UPSIE went fully remote during Covid). A staff that cares about their customers and the success of small business people like you.

How the IRN Came To Be

From day one UPSIE saw the value in working with independent tech repair shops and had the desire to support small businesses. As an underdog themselves in the multiple billion dollar product warranty/insurance market they get it.

PLUS everyone in our industry knows that the independent repair is the best experience for a customer. The only problem is not enough people know you exist. That’s the problem that the TCA set out to solve two years ago and now…

The Independent Repair Network (IRN) started to develop last December when I had a call with Clarence & Will from UPSIE. It started much like the dozens of calls I had already had with companies trying to get them to invest in independent repair. As the head of the TCA this has been our #1 priority since day one. Creating more revenue for independent tech repair businesses like yours.

The call with UPSIE was different from the start. Both Clarence & Will become openly supportive of independent repair shops as soon as I told them about industry struggles. It all started with the idea of providing a better claims experience for the thousands of UPSIE customers who file a claim each year. Then quickly evolved into something much bigger.

After sharing my struggles with getting enough financial support to build-out our WhereToRepair.org public website. An immense project that was going to take a lot of money and volunteer hours to build into what we had imagined. We both came to the conclusion that the best way to do it was to have me join the UPSIE team.

The TCA would be better served with me directing the available resources at UPSIE. All while continuing to operate the TCA with the help of new staff.

What is UPSIEs motivation in this project? The first thing is obvious, creating an alternative network of tech repair shops to handle their claims. A network that, once fully developed, will provide a far superior experience for their customers. It also gives them access to a new channel to sell their warranty plans and future products.

After meeting with repair business owners Will Anderson, current UPSIE CEO, was convinced that this was the right direction for the company. Unlike other big insurance companies UPSIE sees this large group of small business owners as someone to partner with and not someone to acquire. Someone to invest in and not someone to try and destroy.

They get the idea that repair people are ferociously independent. They/you are a small business person for a reason. I get it. I’ve been there and done that during my career. I want to help small businesses like you succeed too!

I can assure you after joining their staff recently that everyone at USPIE cares about seeing small businesses like yours do well. I know many of you have had companies come to you and ask you to join them or sell their services. Only to be disappointed in the results or feel cheated by the investment. Again, I’ve been in your shoes. I get it. I believe that with your input we can make the IRN some really great!

How is UPSIE different? It starts with the IRN. It’s FREE. Who wants to create more business for you for free? Right now there is zero cost for you to join. ZERO! Zero cost for you to get more business in your door.

I mean why should you pay to do work for someone else? Will there be a cost to you in the future – not sure. If there is you can be assured that we will do everything we can to make it affordable for you. And we’ll be honest and up front too.

The bottom-line here is that UPSIE is going to send you business first! You can decide later if you want to sell their product too. Once you see how it all works.