Debate: Do you tell the client it's a cheap fix or just bill the flat rate?

I was at a shop in Chicago last Wednesday and overheard two techs arguing about whether to tell a guy his RAM stick was loose before charging him the diagnostic fee. One said it's dishonest not to say it was a 2 minute fix, the other said the flat rate covers the time to find it. I see both sides, but where do you draw the line between being straight up and running a business? Has anyone else had this conversation with a coworker?

2 comments

2 Comments

benbrown1mo ago

Man that's such a classic shop argument! I lean toward being straight up with the customer because honesty builds trust and they'll come back to you for the big stuff later.

the_cora1mo ago

@benbrown you're right, I'd probably mess up the rebuild if I tried it anyway and admit it.