Diagnostics is a lost art...

[omega man]

While service personnel usually have the tools to get the job done, they often don’t have the time to do it as carefully as the customer would like. I’m pretty deliberate when working on my stuff, but it usually takes me a lot longer to accomplish a repair than a shop tech would be allowed to spend on the task.

I wonder if inquiring how work is billed would be a hint towards how the technician operates?
Flat Rate shops-

“Flat rate pay" basically means that auto mechanics and automotive technicians are paid for each job they do, which can motivate them to be more productive. However, this may also affect quality, as workers may cut corners since the amount of time needed to complete work determines their income.
And I also wonder if a technician can do one job Flat Rate and the next job on a “what it really needs basis?
OM