Despite existing for over a decade, not everyone is familiar with Currys repair centre.
Based in Newark, Nottinghamshire, the site specialises in repairing, refurbishing and recycling a wide variety of electrical goods, ranging from TVs and mobile phones, to dishwashers and air fryers.
The site is one of the biggest mixed electrical repair centres in Europe, spanning 500,000 sq ft and taking on millions of repairs annually.
Its handling of products is divided into roughly 1.9m customer returns, 100,000 products collected via Cash for Trash and trade-in, as well as 1m repairs.
The repair centre forms one aspect of Currys’ “Long Live Your Tech” commitment, which aims to extend the life of electronics via repair, reuse, refurbishment or recycling instead of immediate replacement.
Having sold over 130,000 refurbished tech items last year, marking an 11% year-on-year rise, Retail Gazette looks at how Currys is seeking to bolster its repair business.
‘In 75 seconds you’ll have an answer’
Currys launched its “game-changing” AI video tool in July,which is designed to speed up repairs, improve customer service and reduce unnecessary callouts.
The tech was created in partnership with platform Vyntelligence, representing a retail-first use of this type of AI video technology.
To use the tool, customers need to speak to the repair centre’s contact centre. They will then be sent a link telling them to film a short video demonstrating the issue with their product, and send over a photo of its serial number.
The AI then analyses the footage, summarises the key issues and sends the information straight to Currys’ specialist engineers.
The tool is initially being used for TVs and white goods repairs, and comprises part of the retailer’s warranty and optional care packages.
Before Currys introduced this tool, diagnostics were carried out over the phone, before the engineer got to see the product. This meant the company depended on getting accurate information from the customer so the engineer had the best chance to repair the items first time.
The brand noted that because it could not always see or hear the issue, it sometimes got the diagnosis wrong, with the retailer having to go back for a further visit with more or different parts 20% of the time.
Currys service operations director, David Rosenberg
Currys service operations director David Rosenberg says the new AI video tool has helped the business to both save money and speed up repairs.
“It’s not just about the announcement of AI,” he says.
“It’s about the fact that we’ve made a solution with AI that enables us to make money, help our customers and help our business.”
He adds the AI video tool has improved its first visit fix as well as its write-off propensity.
“It’s sped up our interaction with customers. For me, the most important thing is that it has freed the customer to be able to use the service whenever they want,” he says.
“There’s no queue, no wait time, it’s 24/7. If you have a problem, tell us and we’ll be able to do it. In 75 seconds you’ll have an answer.”
Currys repair partnerships
Currys’ repairs lab is supported by more than 40 suppliers, including Apple, Samsung, Dyson and LG – some of which have even shared special equipment with the business.
The retailer also added Microsoft in May 2024, allowing customers with Microsoft Surface laptops to have them repaired at Currys.
The move allowed many laptop owners to access in-person support at any of Currys UK and Ireland stores before the product was booked in for a technical repair.
Currys is able to replace the Surface unit within the warranty period and perform repairs in the event of a breakdown. Surface users were previously only able to access help through Microsoft’s support channels.
In February this year, Currys expanded the partnership to cover Xbox console repairs, making the retailer the first Xbox Authorised Service Provider (ASP) in the UK and Ireland.
Owners of all Xbox Series X|S console options are able to get their gaming machines repaired regardless of where they were purchased, with the service including consoles both in and out of warranty.
Rosenberg says: “The partnership with Microsoft was very important for us because it was a proof of maturity for operation.
“Everything we have here, it’s difficult to replicate, but it’s also very challenging for us to explain to our manufacturers that this could be useful for them.
“We have 300 stores who can face the customer. They have a call centre somewhere. They have potentially a replay operation somewhere.
“Here, it’s in the UK. UK customers, UK service, UK stores, UK repair. Microsoft has absolutely embraced that.”
Cash for Trash
In another boost to its repair arm, Currys has built on its Cash for Trash scheme since 2023.
Initially launched as a trial in 2022, Cash for Trash enables customers to receive at least £5 off their next eligible purchase, after handing in any old tech in its stores for recycling.
In June, Currys also temporarily doubled the reward of the scheme to encourage more consumers to take part.
The group offered shoppers a £10 off towards a minimum £50 spend when handing in any tech with a plug or battery that they no longer used until 8 July.
Cash for Trash helps fuel its repairs business by enabling its technicians to refurbish any products that can be salvaged and reused.
In some cases, the retailer also uses 3D-printed replacement parts to refurbish goods, made using 3D printers.
For products that are not fully repairable, Currys technicians will harvest their usable parts to fix other devices.
Items that have no reusable parts and cannot be refurbished go on to be responsibly recycled.
Currys is also building out its corporate partnerships.
In February, it unveiled a tie-up with Deloitte to encourage the accounting firm’s staff to recycle unwanted tech and electricals at their local Currys store through Cash for Trash and trade-in initiatives.
The electronics giant is supporting Deloitte’s “Recycle for Good” launch, which seeks to promote the responsible disposal of old electronics, reduce the amount of e-waste going to landfill and drive digital inclusion.
Currys head of sustainable operations and compliance Chris Brown emphasises that the Cash for Trash initiative is “a crucial component of our circular strategy,” serving as “a fundamental way to increase the flow of products into the circular economy.”
He explains, “We visualise it as a pyramid, where the items with the highest value are positioned at the top – this includes refurbishment and repair. As we move down, we engage in parts harvesting, ensuring we extract valuable materials.”
“At the base of the pyramid lies responsible recycling, where we ensure that products are processed in an environmentally responsible manner.”
Additionally, Chris points out: “A significant factor contributing to the growth of Cash for Trash is that incentive but also making it easy and accessible for consumers who may be unsure of how to dispose of their unwanted tech.
“There is considerable ongoing work to educate the public about appropriate disposal methods. Many people have concerns about giving away their tech items, especially data-bearing devices.”
He assures: “If you bring it to Currys, you can trust that we’re an established trusted brand, so I think that’s part of where our growth has come from as well.”
Despite existing for over a decade, not everyone is familiar with Currys repair centre.
Based in Newark, Nottinghamshire, the site specialises in repairing, refurbishing and recycling a wide variety of electrical goods, ranging from TVs and mobile phones, to dishwashers and air fryers.
The site is one of the biggest mixed electrical repair centres in Europe, spanning 500,000 sq ft and taking on millions of repairs annually.
Its handling of products is divided into roughly 1.9m customer returns, 100,000 products collected via Cash for Trash and trade-in, as well as 1m repairs.
The repair centre forms one aspect of Currys’ “Long Live Your Tech” commitment, which aims to extend the life of electronics via repair, reuse, refurbishment or recycling instead of immediate replacement.
Having sold over 130,000 refurbished tech items last year, marking an 11% year-on-year rise, Retail Gazette looks at how Currys is seeking to bolster its repair business.
‘In 75 seconds you’ll have an answer’
Currys launched its “game-changing” AI video tool in July,which is designed to speed up repairs, improve customer service and reduce unnecessary callouts.
The tech was created in partnership with platform Vyntelligence, representing a retail-first use of this type of AI video technology.
To use the tool, customers need to speak to the repair centre’s contact centre. They will then be sent a link telling them to film a short video demonstrating the issue with their product, and send over a photo of its serial number.
The AI then analyses the footage, summarises the key issues and sends the information straight to Currys’ specialist engineers.
The tool is initially being used for TVs and white goods repairs, and comprises part of the retailer’s warranty and optional care packages.
Before Currys introduced this tool, diagnostics were carried out over the phone, before the engineer got to see the product. This meant the company depended on getting accurate information from the customer so the engineer had the best chance to repair the items first time.
The brand noted that because it could not always see or hear the issue, it sometimes got the diagnosis wrong, with the retailer having to go back for a further visit with more or different parts 20% of the time.
Currys service operations director, David Rosenberg
Currys service operations director David Rosenberg says the new AI video tool has helped the business to both save money and speed up repairs.
“It’s not just about the announcement of AI,” he says.
“It’s about the fact that we’ve made a solution with AI that enables us to make money, help our customers and help our business.”
He adds the AI video tool has improved its first visit fix as well as its write-off propensity.
“It’s sped up our interaction with customers. For me, the most important thing is that it has freed the customer to be able to use the service whenever they want,” he says.
“There’s no queue, no wait time, it’s 24/7. If you have a problem, tell us and we’ll be able to do it. In 75 seconds you’ll have an answer.”
Currys repair partnerships
Currys’ repairs lab is supported by more than 40 suppliers, including Apple, Samsung, Dyson and LG – some of which have even shared special equipment with the business.
The retailer also added Microsoft in May 2024, allowing customers with Microsoft Surface laptops to have them repaired at Currys.
The move allowed many laptop owners to access in-person support at any of Currys UK and Ireland stores before the product was booked in for a technical repair.
Currys is able to replace the Surface unit within the warranty period and perform repairs in the event of a breakdown. Surface users were previously only able to access help through Microsoft’s support channels.
In February this year, Currys expanded the partnership to cover Xbox console repairs, making the retailer the first Xbox Authorised Service Provider (ASP) in the UK and Ireland.
Owners of all Xbox Series X|S console options are able to get their gaming machines repaired regardless of where they were purchased, with the service including consoles both in and out of warranty.
Rosenberg says: “The partnership with Microsoft was very important for us because it was a proof of maturity for operation.
“Everything we have here, it’s difficult to replicate, but it’s also very challenging for us to explain to our manufacturers that this could be useful for them.
“We have 300 stores who can face the customer. They have a call centre somewhere. They have potentially a replay operation somewhere.
“Here, it’s in the UK. UK customers, UK service, UK stores, UK repair. Microsoft has absolutely embraced that.”
Cash for Trash
In another boost to its repair arm, Currys has built on its Cash for Trash scheme since 2023.
Initially launched as a trial in 2022, Cash for Trash enables customers to receive at least £5 off their next eligible purchase, after handing in any old tech in its stores for recycling.
In June, Currys also temporarily doubled the reward of the scheme to encourage more consumers to take part.
The group offered shoppers a £10 off towards a minimum £50 spend when handing in any tech with a plug or battery that they no longer used until 8 July.
Cash for Trash helps fuel its repairs business by enabling its technicians to refurbish any products that can be salvaged and reused.
In some cases, the retailer also uses 3D-printed replacement parts to refurbish goods, made using 3D printers.
For products that are not fully repairable, Currys technicians will harvest their usable parts to fix other devices.
Items that have no reusable parts and cannot be refurbished go on to be responsibly recycled.
Currys is also building out its corporate partnerships.
In February, it unveiled a tie-up with Deloitte to encourage the accounting firm’s staff to recycle unwanted tech and electricals at their local Currys store through Cash for Trash and trade-in initiatives.
The electronics giant is supporting Deloitte’s “Recycle for Good” launch, which seeks to promote the responsible disposal of old electronics, reduce the amount of e-waste going to landfill and drive digital inclusion.
Currys head of sustainable operations and compliance Chris Brown emphasises that the Cash for Trash initiative is “a crucial component of our circular strategy,” serving as “a fundamental way to increase the flow of products into the circular economy.”
He explains, “We visualise it as a pyramid, where the items with the highest value are positioned at the top – this includes refurbishment and repair. As we move down, we engage in parts harvesting, ensuring we extract valuable materials.”
“At the base of the pyramid lies responsible recycling, where we ensure that products are processed in an environmentally responsible manner.”
Additionally, Chris points out: “A significant factor contributing to the growth of Cash for Trash is that incentive but also making it easy and accessible for consumers who may be unsure of how to dispose of their unwanted tech.
“There is considerable ongoing work to educate the public about appropriate disposal methods. Many people have concerns about giving away their tech items, especially data-bearing devices.”
He assures: “If you bring it to Currys, you can trust that we’re an established trusted brand, so I think that’s part of where our growth has come from as well.”
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