MINE YU OWN BUSINESS

All about electronics and family

Philip “Junior” Thomas entering the store after an
installation job. 

Philip Thomas (r) is always there to provide technical
support. 

Inspecting items on display. 

Philip Thomas checking a motherboard.

Wednesday,  September 21, 2005

When Philip “Junior” Thomas decided to open All About Electronics Service and Sale store, his life wasn’t in fact just about electronics but a few other important things as well.

A devoted husband to Theresa Pearson-Thomas, proud father of nineteen months old Asaiah Thomas, and a godly man, he said that Sundays are all about his family and his spiritual life.

“My wife is the sweetest woman alive and she gave me the most beautiful daughter so I always make myself available to them on Sundays,” he said. According to him, he worked long hours during the weekdays so he could be sure to have that day with them.

His dream to open All About Electronics was not an impromptu one. He had his own little fix-it shop from his teenage years in Kellits, Clarendon where he fixed the neighborhood stereos and televisions.

Though trained as an electrician, his primary interest was electronics. “I always love electronics,” he said.

He acquired his formal training through attending evening classes at a young age and later through correspondence courses, aided by his hands-on work.

Though he worked as a technician at his store, he still considered fixing up car sound systems as a hobby. “I just love doing it,” he added.

His love for it expands beyond his business too as he sponsored one of the top car sound systems in the Cayman Islands and assisted with technical support.

He moved to the Cayman Islands in 1994 and worked for a short sting at J and M Electronics then moved on to B J’s where he remained for over nine years and considered the experience to be a valuable one in all aspects.

“I like my job and always have enjoyed working anywhere,” he explained.

Acknowledging that the field of electronics is one of the fastest changing and rapidly growing field of science, he said that once you follow it up, the changes are simple.

He kept abreast of the changes through manufacturers’ software packages and online support service.

“There are only limited things that can stop a system from working, and the suppliers are always there to assist when unusual problems come up”, he said.

He pointed out that often customers feel guilty about mishandling their equipment thinking they caused it to malfunction.

“There’s hardly anything you can do to cause that,” he said. “Most of the time, the problems are with the manufacturers.”

He warned that consumers should be careful when they are buying equipment because some people in the business will buy refurbished equipment and resell them as new.

“The consumers must look for the certification tag. Without it, it is most likely that the equipment is refurbished,” he warned.

According to him, his reputation in the business is important. “All of my equipment is certified. If something goes wrong with something I have sold and the problem is simple I can fix it or send it back for replacement,” he added confidently.

Located on North Sound Way in front of Micro Center, he said he is constantly busy.

“I offer all the support possible for my customers.” he said. “I just don’t sell you something just because you see it and like it.”

Though he does installation, he said if his customers want to install their equipment themselves and want instruction assistant, he is willing to give it to them.

“I’ll tell them everything that they need to know. Complete customer service is my ultimate aim,” said Mr Thomas.

Coming from Jamaica, he said the Cayman Islands offers some of the same basic things in nature.

“It reminds me so much of home. I love it here. It is relaxing and business is also great. I can’t complain,” he said with a smile.

His future plans include moving into a bigger and more secure environment where clients can bring their vehicles in for system installment and leave them in an enclosed safe area.

Right now he said he is encouraging as many people to have an interest in the field of electronics as he can because it is an industry with lots of promise.

To play his part he said he is willing to give the opportunity to young Caymanians to train, but said he is restricted because of limited space to work.

At present, he said he has one part-time Caymananian worker and three expatriates along with himself.

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