Tips to hire a good locksmith

Ask around

This advice is almost like cheating! It’s almost too easy! Don’t let this fool you though – polling your friends and family is a good way to find a reliable locksmith. If nothing else, it can help you weed out the bad ones! People love giving their opinions – that’s why sites like Yelp and Amazon make such credence to reviews. As a consumer, you’ll appreciate and like good service but you’ll really hate bad service and want to tell others about it. Make a point of asking your family, co-workers, neighbors and social media contacts about their experiences with a locksmith professional. Pay attention to the good and bad points brought up. Consider calling the good ones and forget about calling any of the bad ones. Bear in mind that even the very best vendors in any field will occasionally gather a bad or at least not so good review. Beware of any firm or shop that doesn’t! Like the saying goes; “You can’t please everyone all of the time, nor should you try!?

The essentials

Your new locksmith should always be well-trained. That much is a given! If your technician can’t be bothered to work hard, pay a fee, and take the necessary tests, then it may be that he or she is not dedicated or experienced enough for the job. Now, if you need a simple key made or a door knob changed, then fine; use a local handyman or an unlicensed lock person but if you want or need quality service, then by all means stick with a well-trained, full time lock professional! We encourage all consumers to insist that their locksmith be proficient as well as well-trained. How will you know? Just ask. Most will tell you the truth and you can learn a lot from their answers. If a “technician” counters that licensing is unnecessary, or if he dances around the topic, forget about using him. Part time techs are also a no-no! Select well-trained, full time professionals who take their careers and profession seriously.

Affordability

Should you go with the most expensive locksmith? No! Don’t sign up with the cheapest, either! Remember the saying that “You get what you pay for!” and shy away from low bids and rock bottom pricing. Plenty of the very best locksmiths in this country are affordable so it behooves you to call around and compare rates. Most shops will offer free price quotes, so never hesitate to get different ones and compare. Know the difference between an advertised special and a regular quoted price. Don’t be afraid to negotiate prices or a package deal when ordering a larger locksmith task like outfitting an office for video surveillance while adding a safe. If you operate a business, some of your locksmith expenses might be deductible on your taxes so be sure to check with your accountant.

24-hour service

The best locksmiths offer round the clock emergency help. Many advertise this service but don’t really offer it or they outsource it to another shop. Ask questions and work with a local outfit that truly dispatches technicians whenever needed, including nights, weekends and even on holidays. While you may not think that a locksmith emergency will happen to you, they can and do occur more often than folks realize so don’t take chances; line up a 24-hour emergency locksmith, just in case!

Insist on quality

While quality should always be the goal, should you insist on it? Yes! Insist on high quality and nothing less! You want real locksmith professionals working on your door and window locks; not some handyman! The same goes for the lock hardware and products your locksmith uses on your behalf; only the best will do! Your locksmith of choice should only work with top lock brands and not cheap alternatives. Best quality lock brands include Medeco, Baldwin, Abloy, Kwikset, Marlock, Kaba, Sentry, ASSA, InstaKey, Llco, BiLock, Schlage, Mul-T-Lock, Sentex, Falcon, Dexter, American, and others of similar reputation.

Mobile service

One of the best attributes of a good locksmith is that he or she is mobile and will come to wherever you need them. Work with a shop that offers automotive, residential, commercial and emergency locksmith services direct to your location. The time savings and enhanced convenience involved are well worth it so make mobile service one of your requirements!

Ask Questions!

Back away from any locksmith that doesn’t answer your questions cheerfully and willingly. Your locksmith should be proud of his or profession and do anything possible to assist you in making a good selection.