A customer in Phoenix told me my diagnostic fee was too high and it made me rethink

They said $75 just to look at their dryer felt like a rip off, especially when the fix was a $10 belt. I switched to a $40 flat rate that covers the first 30 minutes of labor, and now I get way fewer people canceling appointments. Anyone else adjust their pricing structure after getting direct feedback?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_paul1mo ago

That flat rate idea is smart, it makes the cost predictable upfront. I bet the lower price gets more people in the door, and you still make good money on the actual repair time.

jenny_coleman1mo ago

Works great until you get that one customer with a problem that takes all day.

the_anthony1mo ago

Flat rate might get people in the door but you end up eating the cost when things go sideways. One tough job can wipe out the profit from three easy ones and you can't just charge them more halfway through. The customer expects that price and gets upset if you explain the problem is worse than you thought. I'd rather charge a fair hourly rate up front so everyone knows what they're getting into. You build trust that way and you don't have to rush through the actual work just to keep your margin. Predictable for the customer is fine but it has to be predictable for you too.

jesser791mo ago

Hang on, let me just calculate how much my last flat-rate mistake cost me... yep, still cringing. I'm with you on hourly, my "oh this will be quick" track record is basically a joke.