| Electronics > Repair |
| Charging by the hour is unfair! |
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| SteveThackery:
--- Quote from: David_AVD on July 03, 2024, 09:11:30 pm ---No, this was not the "no fix, no fee" you keep talking about. It was a "declined to work on it, refunded fee" situation and a very rare one. --- End quote --- OK, understood. --- Quote from: David_AVD on July 03, 2024, 09:11:30 pm ---You are also seem convinced that every customer is only interested in the fixed result with no regard for the diagnosis. I have plenty of customers who will ask for me to assess the issues and let them know what I find. They know that diagnosing things costs money. --- End quote --- You make a good point, and you have highlighted that I am oversimplifying things by concentrating only on repairs. Your point isn't really in disagreement with me, though. In those instances the customer is specifically asking for, and paying for, a diagnosis (rather than a repair), so of course they are willing to pay for it. --- Quote from: David_AVD on July 03, 2024, 09:11:30 pm ---Sometimes that's accompanied by a agreement that if the total repair price is in a certain range then I am ok to proceed without consulting them. --- End quote --- Likewise, if you tell them in advance the price range for the repair, and they are happy with it, then once again they will be willing to pay. This is because you have guaranteed that they will not be stung with a bill AND a non-repair, which is what I've been banging on about for the past two pages. That must surely be clear to everyone: you've done an assessment (paid for separately as a service in its own right), and you have guaranteed that if the repair goes ahead the cost will be within a range agreed with the customer. Therefore you have guaranteed they will not be stung with a bill for a non-repair. Here is what I wrote earlier: --- Quote --- So, TL:DR: 1/ Tell the customer there'll be an up-front evaluation charge. They can either accept it or walk away. After the evaluation: EITHER 2a/ Tell the customer you can fix it for $n(*) (and stick to that quote). OR 2b/ Tell the customer the item is beyond economic repair. That seems to be the only way that the risk is shared - it's as fair as possible to you and as fair as possible to the customer. Nobody feels ripped off because both parties knew what risks and costs were involved up front. --- End quote --- (*) The only difference between us is you quote a price range rather than a single price, but the principle is identical. So, you see, we agree! You have described exactly what I was advocating. |
| SteveThackery:
--- Quote from: janoc on July 03, 2024, 09:32:45 pm ---If you are so smart as to determine that the repairman is incompetent because they can't fix your device by merely looking at it then you will save a lot of money - and me trouble because I would never accept your business. Simply not worth the trouble. You can preach about moral imperatives only once you are paying my bills. Not before. --- End quote --- I'm not smart, I'm dumb in comparison with you. Even so, you seem not to have read what I wrote: --- Quote ---So, TL:DR: 1/ Tell the customer there'll be an up-front evaluation charge. They can either accept it or walk away. After the evaluation: EITHER 2a/ Tell the customer you can fix it for $n (and stick to that quote). OR 2b/ Tell the customer the item is beyond economic repair. That seems to be the only way that the risk is shared - it's as fair as possible to you and as fair as possible to the customer. Nobody feels ripped off because both parties knew what risks and costs were involved up front. --- End quote --- You see? I'm advocating a paid-for evaluation (this is in response to the arguments made in this thread). No X-ray vision required. @David_AVD advocates a price range rather than a single price, and I think that sounds like a great idea. In any case, by evaluating first and then quoting for the repair, you have guaranteed not to charge for a non-repair. That is what I've been advocating. |
| SteveThackery:
--- Quote from: janoc on July 03, 2024, 09:32:45 pm --- If you are so smart as to determine that the repairman is incompetent because they can't fix your device by merely looking at it.... --- End quote --- Don't you dare put words in my mouth - I said no such thing! Misrepresenting your opponent is despicable. You owe me an apology. |
| David_AVD:
Even with an estimated price range, there will be times when the true nature of the fault reveals itself and the item becomes uneconomical / impossible to repair. In those cases the upfront fee covers me for at least some of my time. In those cases the customer is out of pocket with no result. Occasionally I'm effectively out of pocket too if I've spent more time and parts on it than I can recover. |
| thm_w:
--- Quote from: SteveThackery on June 30, 2024, 10:35:07 pm ---Yes, 99% of repairers charge by the hour. --- End quote --- Its not true for a lot of cell phone repairs. Most of the rates are fixed, eg. battery replacement iphone xyz $60, screen replacement iphone xyz $100, etc. But that is because: the fault is known, the repair time is known, and the parts cost is known. If you know all of these and provide them to the person performing your repair, I'm sure many would be happy to take a fixed rate. The up-front diagnostic fee and then a quote will work for most situations, probably most things like appliances, but not all. If the device is incredibly complex, or a part is needed to be ordered to test further, they might find more problems as they go on (as mentioned above a few times). |
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