Can we talk about how overpriced laptop diagnostic fees are?

I had a customer bring in a Dell Inspiron last Wednesday that just wouldn't power on. Most shops around here charge $50 just to look at it, then another $100+ if they find the issue. I popped it open in 10 minutes, found a swollen battery pressing on the motherboard connector, reseated it, and it booted right up. Charged the guy $25 and he looked at me like I was crazy. I get that overhead is real, but these flat rate diagnostic fees feel like a scam sometimes. Half the time it's a loose cable or a dead chip you can spot with a magnifying glass. Why are we charging people a quarter of a repair cost just to open the case? Has anyone else started pushing back against this in their shop or am I the only one who thinks it's bad for business?

3 comments

3 Comments

morgan_bailey9312d ago

$50 is nothing for a diagnostic. You're paying for the expertise not the time. If that guy's battery had exploded he'd be blaming the shop for missing it.

viola_ward12d ago

Average diagnostic fee in my area is $89 not $50.

brian3288d ago

$89 sounds high for just plugging in a scanner.