I run a small B2B IT business, but I don't get involved with home computers much. My customers sometimes ask me about fixing their home PC and I don't do that kind of work, but it would be handy to be able to make a referral and to give them recommendations on how to find a competent repair shop.
So that got me thinking, what would be useful is a "Joel Test" for computer repair shops, a few questions that you could go in with and ask them, and depending on their answers you'd know if they had any clue what they were doing.
So what I'm interested in here is this: what are some questions you could ask a repair technician or shop owner, that might help determine, in advance, whether they are likely to do a reasonable job? Are there any warning signs to look out for (certain things they might say that should ring alarm bells)?