Every time a hardware upgrade cycle comes full-circle, a closet somewhere in the office gets more packed with retired phones and mobile devices. For many tech managers, trading those devices in can seem like more trouble than it’s worth.

In 2017, we watched over $2.1 billion transfer to U.S. customer hands through mobile device buyback and trade-in programs. And while your first reaction may be to think it’s all from consumer trade-ins, it’s important to recognize that businesses are part of this equation, too.

Even if you spent the better part of your life without an iPhone, it’s pretty hard to imagine the pre-iPhone days. Can you believe we’re coming up on the 10th anniversary of Apple’s hallmark device?

Did you know that there’s a multi-billion dollar market for cracked iPhone repairs?

It’s crazy to think just how many consumers experience that sinking feeling when their iPhones hit the ground and they pick it up to find a cracked screen.

With all the hype that’s been building, it feels like we’ve been waiting for the 10th anniversary iPhone for years. But now that we’ve entered Q3, iPhone 8 (and the 10th anniversary event) is almost upon us.

The unresponsive touchscreen, a flash of light and then the black screen: all things a mobile phone owner has experienced at the death of a device.

Those little signs of a phone losing life fill any technology addict with utter despair as they swing between “I hope it just run out of battery” to the realization they might have to replace it.

In the coming years, the vast majority of your employees will go mobile (if they haven’t already). IDC research found that the mobile workforce will grow to over 105 million people by 2020—over 70% of U.S. employees.

Yesterday, you bought a smartphone. Tomorrow, that “brand new” phone is no longer the latest and greatest model. 

You probably have a pile of obsolete phones quietly lying around somewhere in a drawer or a kitchen cupboard. It’s easy to forget about an old phone the moment a new one arrives.

Competition is fierce among smartphone carriers and retailers, so terrific offers on upgrade and leasing plans have consumers perpetually thinking about trading-in their devices for the latest and greatest technology. If you’ve decided to upgrade, there are three steps essential to making the switch a smooth one.

Broken screen, scratched metal, sticky buttons. Phones in this condition have seen a better life, but it doesn’t mean they are worthless. Contrary to popular belief, phones in poor condition are still valuable trade-in commodities.

Of course, to get the most value during a smartphone trade-in to reduce the up-front cost of a new mobile device, it helps if your existing phone is like-new. The following tips will help you keep your phone in pristine shape.

With a few simple, proactive steps, you will be turning in your old smartphone with salespeople wondering if you even used the device at all.