I believe one of the reasons this problem has persisted is due in part to the nature of the locksmith industry.  Typically, the average consumer only needs a locksmith a few times in their life.  This infrequency of use makes the consumer unaware of the issue and might assume the price these locksmith scammers charge is justifiable.  These scammers steal hundreds of millions of dollars from consumers every year.  The numbers are staggering.  What’s more upsetting is that these dollars leave the Country and go overseas immediately.  A professional locksmith pays local, state, and federal taxes which supports their local communities economy.

Aside from the obvious problem of security issues when dealing with an illegitimate company, these locksmith scammers typically destroy your door locks, car locks, and car windows.  They have no regard for your property and will demand payment several times what a professional locksmith would charge.

Certain locksmiths have taken it upon themselves across the country to fight these impostors but it is a war against what some would characterize as a pyramid scheme.  Some people contest that these locksmith scammers are all connected on a Nationwide level!  Small victories are being won in this battle such as in the case of Mike Bronzell of All Hour Locksmiths in Chicago Illinois.  1-800-UNLOCKS®  has locksmiths in Chicago and surrounding counties that we have partnered with. You can see ABK Lock & Safe and Chi-Town Locksmith here.

The problem is obvious.  The solution is also obvious. It is 1-800-UNLOCKS® view that we are the solution to this problem.  With 1-800-UNLOCKS® (800-865-6257), you get a centralized phone number to reach a professional locksmith from anywhere.  Our locksmith members are local professional locksmiths.  It is in their best interest to provide exceptional service to their customers 24/7.  Professional locksmith organization, the SOPL, believes that the 1-800-UNLOCKS® programs is a great way to combat these scamming locksmiths at their own game while helping out the consumer.

As always, thanks for reading and always be thinking how you can better serve your customers.

Always call 1-800-UNLOCKS® (800-865-6257) when you need a locksmith! Tell your friends a family to stay safe!

A good goal in business is to have a long term competitive advantage.  Carving out a niche is a way to ensure sustainability in your marketplace.

Anticipating what your customers need is simple  They want a local professional locksmith that they can trust with their security needs.

The question is, how can you convey to your customers that you are in fact the professional locksmith they should be calling for automotive, residential, and business locksmith needs?

The customer is no different than you or I.  They want good work, honesty, and fair pricing.  More than that, they want to be able to get in touch with their locksmith immediately in an emergency situation.

As a locksmith, you want to have an easy to remember phone number that sticks in people’s heads.  A number that people can tell their friends about in 2 seconds.  A number that signify’s you are an elite locksmith that is full-service and always professional.

The best part about this is, your customers will then do marketing on your behalf.  They will tell their friends and family exactly who they should call by name and number.

As always, thanks for reading and always be thinking how you can better serve your customers.

Consumers need to be alert when calling for locksmith services whether you live in North Carolina or not!

By posting these stories and alerting the average consumer, 1-800-UNLOCKS® hopes to put an end to the problem once and for all.

A fraudulent locksmith can be difficult to spot.  1-800-UNLOCKS® makes sure all of its locksmith partners are pre-screened, insured, and licensed where needed.

1-800-UNLOCKS® has partnered locally with 1st Sergeant Locksmith in Jacksonville North Carolina.

Need a trusted locksmith in Columbia South Carolina? Call A City Lock Service!

That is exactly what my Father did and it served him well, but that was back in 1979.

Skip ahead 30 years and you find that there is fierce competition in the locksmith industry.  To maintain an edge on your competition all businesses should do a basic Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threat analysis of their business.  Additionally, a SWOT analysis can be applied to a specific project or venture being considered.

What is the goal of a SWOT analysis?  The goal is to figure out if your goals or objectives are attainable.

Funneling resources without seriously considering the subsequent upside or downsize could be a risky venture.

As we all know, scamming locksmiths have developed a huge presence online and in the phone books.  This not only makes it more expensive to compete with scammers because their prices are below the cost of doing business legitimately, but your advertising expenditures are being diluted.  This aggressive campaigning is something that no locksmith can combat alone.

ALOA has set up a legal task force fund to attempt to bring justice to these perpetrators.   You can donate here!  Whether or not justice can and will be brought to these individuals remains to be seen.  Of course, we all hope for a quick and effective resolution that benefits the hard working professionals across the country.

The bottom line is, 1-800-UNLOCKS®  is interested in crafting successful marketing ideas that locksmiths can follow and have measurable success.  (If you want to share your own successful marketing stories, please leave a comment.)

In order to grow, a locksmith must look at the following:

Strengths: attributes of the person or company that are instrumental to attaining the objective.
Weaknesses: attributes of the person or company that are detrimental to attaining the objective.
Opportunities: external conditions that are helpful to attaining the objective.
Threats: external conditions which could hamper the business’s objective and performance.

An objective should be clearly defined and concrete.

Non-Concrete statement: “I want to make more money”.

Concrete statement: “I will increase revenues 20% by June 2012.  This statement is much more concrete and thus attainable.
Possible Strength Answers: Had proper locksmith training, established relationships with hardware manufacturers, built solid customer base in my territory, maintain track of inventory, have a professionally built website, have a social media presence that gets updated at least once a week.
Possible Weakness Answers: Lack any of the above, poor customer service, don’t answer phone calls and return calls promptly, don’t answer the phone professionally and proudly, lack an easy to remember and trusted phone number.
Possible Opportunities Answer (external): New technology to increase customer base, social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  Possible population growth in an area, new construction in an area, competitor goes out of business, increase in crime rates, skilled labor force available, unique product offering to control your territory.
Possible Threat Answer (external): New competition in town, scamming locksmiths, etc.

The biggest threat to the growth of a locksmith is lacking a well-defined market place niche.  Locksmiths come in all shapes and sizes but the product offering remains the same.  Those that specialize in a field such as automotive or safe work are probably content with limiting growth potential.  There’s no doubt specializing and honing your skills pays off.  Being a jack of all trades is nearly impossible.  That’s where skilled and trained personnel come in handy.  There are plenty of hungry and driven individuals out there willing to learn a trade. If you know a locksmith that needs a job, contact us here, we will help find them a job.

The biggest and most controllable strength you have is yourself.  Being courteous and polite regardless of how customers may treat you says a lot.  The biggest opportunity the full-service locksmith has is 1-800-UNLOCKS®.  It is unique, it is easy to remember, it gives you a market niche, it allows you to control a specific territory, it separates you from your threats whether they are locksmiths or scamming locksmiths.  This is what you would call a solid competitive advantage.

As always, thanks for reading and always be thinking how you can better serve your customers.

There are many companies that offer SEO and website services for locksmiths but they don’t don’t specialize in marketing specifically for Locksmiths.  This means they don’t follow industry news that affects your bottom line and your customer’s safety.

Today’s locksmith needs to offer a wide range of services in order to be competitive.  In order to advertise this, you must have an online presence that is professional and helpful for your customers.  Online advertising is great for many reasons.

By having an online presence whether it be with a website, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn you can update your customers on latest offerings along with all other updates.  Your customers can get a feel for your company and level of professionalism. It allows your customer to touch and feel your company before making the call for service.

In reality, what matters is what the consumer thinks.  The customer is king, period.  I don’t care what business you are running.  If you think for a moment that people don’t talk to their friends about a really good or a really bad experience with a business, you’re living in dream land.  No one likes dream land, the economy sucks and you can’t supersize your combos.

Here’s a question, is your work day fun and exciting? Maybe for some.  As long as I get some Starbucks coffee in the morning I know I enjoy my days.  For most, it’s the same stuff, different day.  Sometimes, something special happens and it’s different stuff, different day.  That’s when it gets exciting!  So what changed? I locked myself out of my house.  I locked my keys in my car.  I bought a new house.  I fired an employee.  I got promoted.  I got robbed.  I broke my key.  The list goes on and on.  What do all these events actually mean?  These events mean that someone, somewhere needs a locksmith.  They need their local professional locksmith.  In a pinch, they need someone fast, reliable, ethical, and trustworthy.

Customers think of 1-800-UNLOCKS® this way, it’s a phone number that is easy to remember and signifies there’s a reliable, local professional locksmith on the other end of the phone.

Locksmiths think of 1-800-UNLOCKS®  this way, you are providing your normal services, maintaing your normal professional presence, and consistently staying busy.    In this economy, everyone should be happy just to have work let alone earning an ROI on their marketing dollar every month.  I have seen a significant drop in business first hand in my fathers business over the past couple of years.  Fortunately he is advertising 1-800-UNLOCKS®  in the Richmond Virginia area and has thus maintained his call volume.  My prediction, this stagnant economic trend continues for the next couple years.

Your customers want to feel reassured that you care about them, that’s not rocket science.  So set up a presence online!  1-800-UNLOCKS®  is constantly growing our online reach with people across the world.  We have experts that can create a very professional locksmith website and assist in your business social media strategy which can help your company grow.

As always, thanks for reading and always be thinking how you can better serve your customers.

The customer always comes first, 1-800-UNLOCKS® knows that.  That is why our locksmiths are hand picked or referred to us by fellow locksmiths.

All our locksmiths are independently owned and operated.  As a 1-800-UNLOCKS® member, our locksmiths simply enjoy all the benefits of receiving direct call volume through our system, which grows their business.  On the other side of the coin, their customers enjoy the simplicity and security of only needing to know one phone number for ALL their locksmith needs.

In addition to providing all the benefits of joining 1-800-UNLOCKS® , we assist our partners Nationwide with commercial jobs.

Recently, Bilco Safe & Lock, Inc., Office Manager,  Sharon commented on her service with 1-800-UNLOCKS®.  Bilco Safe & Lock, Inc. is out of Orem, Utah and they do Emergency, Automotive, Residential, Business, and Commercial work.

Sharon was “Very Satisfied” with our Customer Service.  According to Sharon, 1-800-UNLOCKS®  paid for the work immediately and she would “definitely” recommend us.  Additionally, Sharon said “It was nice working with 1-800-UNLOCKS® . Very professional and we were paid immediately.  1-800-UNLOCKS®  checked with us to get updated on the status of their work order and completion of job. Look forward to working with 1-800-UNLOCKS®  again in the future.” Sharon, Bilco Safe & Lock, Inc.

We encourage all locksmiths that have received jobs through 1-800-UNLOCKS®  to give us your feedback.

The customer always comes first, 1-800-UNLOCKS® knows that.  That is why our locksmiths are hand picked or referred to us by fellow locksmiths.

All our locksmiths are independently owned and operated.  As a 1-800-UNLOCKS® member, our locksmiths simply enjoy all the benefits of receiving direct call volume through our system, which grows their business.  On the other side of the coin, their customers enjoy the simplicity and security of only needing to know one phone number for ALL their locksmith needs.

In addition to providing all the benefits of joining 1-800-UNLOCKS® , we assist our partners Nationwide with commercial jobs.

Recently, Lock Jock Inc. CEO, James Portie commented on his service with 1-800-UNLOCKS®.  Lock Jock Inc. is out of Picayune, Missisippi and they do Emergency, Automotive, Residential, Business, and Commercial work.

James Portie was “Very Satisfied” with our Customer Service.  According to James, 1-800-UNLOCKS® paid for the work immediately and he would “definitely” recommend us.  Additionally, James said quote “1-800-UNLOCKS® are good people in my book.  Can’t wait for them to call again.  After 20 years in business there are not many contractors that do business this way any more.  How many of them take a commission from our checks? Too Many. James Portie CPL.”

We encourage all locksmiths that have received jobs through 1-800-UNLOCKS®  to give us your feedback.

A Locksmith can get called for any number of services; programming a transponder key, rekeying a house, or unlocking a vehicle.  Chances are, the customer doesn’t account for the materials, building overhead, insurance costs, and gas charges it takes to be driving around all day operating a legitimate locksmith business.

So when a customer looks in the phone book and sees “A1-AAA-Locksmith” and calls up to ask for a price to unlock their house or car, they will undoubtedly get a quote of about $19-$40.  Doesn’t that sound great?!  However, when that ‘locksmith’ arrives and uses a drill as the main method of unlocking your house or car, some red flags should be going off in the customers mind.  Not to mention the $40 quote turns into a $450 bill!  Like momma always said, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Locksmiths all over the country are trying to work collectively to fight these scammers, protect their businesses, as well as the protecting the consumer from being robbed in broad daylight.

A new development in the fight against illegal locksmiths was in the Virginia House of Delegates.  Currently, locksmiths in Virginia must be licensed by the DCJS (Department of Criminal Justice).  This requires locksmiths to be fingerprinted, have background checks and take locksmith training courses.

The Virginia Attorney General wanted to reclassify locksmiths as Independent Contractors.  While this may seem like a minor reclassification, make no mistake it would be a huge error.  This would make it even easier for scamming locksmiths to con you out of your hard earned money and make it even harder for all the honest Virginia locksmiths to make a living without spend additional money fighting these locksmiths and more money on legitimate advertising.

At the end of the day its about providing customers with exceptional professional locksmith service. American Lock & Key in Richmond Virginia is a certified member of the Department of Criminal Justice and a member of 1-800-UNLOCKS®.

As always, remember to call 1-800-UNLOCKS® for your local professional locksmith and thank you for reading.

I went to George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.  GMU is a great college and from what I can tell, only getting better, especially the Men’s Basketball team.  Most of my professors were amazing. Overall, they were thorough, educated and engaging.  I was the President of the Mason Entrepreneur’s Club which taught me how to Network and I made some great connections.  Eventually I settled on getting my Business Management Degree.  As graduation neared I knew that I did not want a boss.  Growing up in a family with a father that started his own locksmith business, I knew I needed to work for myself.  (Shout out to American Lock & Key in Richmond, VA!! We have some of the best locksmith fabricators, problem solvers, and carpenters in the Country!)

Here I am, I am now President of 1-800-UNLOCKS® .  What I believe to be the best possible way for a locksmith to organically grow their business and connect with their customers in a unique and compelling way.  What better way to give customers the feeling of security with the ease of one number, regardless of their location.  (It is an investment that will truly returns the biggest ROI for the locksmith marketing dollar.)  For me, it’s about the bigger picture.  Here is a company that is responsible for hundreds of other companies making more money by doing what they love doing.

So what did college teach me? Well, it taught me to be passionate about life and love what you do.  It taught me that I need to market myself and my company.  Public relations is customer service, without happy customers you might as well stop working. Customers get attached to name brands.  Take the famous example of Kleenex.  You don’t wipe your nose with a Kleenex, you wipe your nose with a tissue but people ask for a Kleenex by name. Name brands are sticky, recognizable, and trusted.  Name brands can make the difference between getting business and not.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this, I hope it got your entrepreneurial juices flowing.  Locksmiths, start getting creative and thinking of ways you can help your customers, success will follow.