Top 3 Questions to Ask Your Locksmith

Choosing a locksmith for hire can be a daunting task.  Most people will only actively search for a technician when they are in a pickle. Besides, it’s not every day we look at our door and think, “I’m going to spend some money on you today!”  

When we are in an emergency situation and we need to find a locksmith urgently, let’s admit, most of us will turn to Google. We’ll use key words in our search phrase, such as “locksmith near me” or “affordable locksmith,” and we’ll most likely judge the competence of a locksmith based upon the appearance of a website or their perfect 5/5 rating on Google.  We assume that our search result will generate a list of legitimate local locksmiths in our area. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

While we shouldn’t discount a professional looking website or a perfect rating on Google, asking the right questions over the phone is key.  Here's our top 3! 
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1. Are you government licensed and insured?
You’re hiring someone to increase your security and to protect your property from intruders. Wouldn’t it be counter-intuitive if you let a known criminal into your home?  

Failing to ensure the technician is licensed by the Ministry of Justice can put you and your family at risk.  Remember, all licensed locksmiths are required to produce a clean background check and their fingerprints are collected for the public’s safety. Protect yourself and your family by asking this simple question, are you government licensed and insured?  

​2. What are your rates?
Tip: State the reason you’re calling before you ask about pricing.  
An honest locksmith will not try to upsell or use scare tactics to persuade you to spend more on their products and services. When you contact a locksmith, let them know the reason for your call. Did you lose your key? Did you experience an attempted break-in? Did your tenant recently move out?  By being completely transparent about the nature of your call, a good locksmith will explain your options so that you, as the consumer, can choose the best course of action that best fits your budget.
 
The rate can ultimately be the deal breaker for most people.  However, we strongly recommend you stay away from locksmiths advertising $15 Service Call + $45 Labour Charge + Parts “it depends” + Hours “to be determined” + …….OK, I’ll stop. You get it! 

​Be sure you receive a definitive answer to your request for a quote. If the business is unable to provide an estimate over the phone, move on.
 
3. Do you offer a warranty for your service?
Any reputable locksmith company should offer a warranty as an assurance that the item they install or service will operate as they should. A warranty protects you, the consumer. When a problem is uncovered within the same year it was serviced or installed as a result of a defect, you should have the option to call the technician to have them fix the problem for free.

How can these questions help you?
The need for a locksmith typically arises when we least expect it. For example, North Strong Locksmith recently received a call from a frantic mother who desperately needed to unlock her master bedroom with her son trapped inside. This mother was not only in a time crunch to find a reputable locksmith, but her anxiety level was through the roof, increasing her willingness to pay any price for a locksmith.
 
In a high-stress and high-anxiety situation we’re not overly concerned with our finances. We innately want to find a solution to our problem immediately and this ultimately puts us in a vulnerable position. Unbeknownst to the mother in our use case, there are ‘bait and switch’ scams advertising for $25 on Google.  More on this topic later.  Suffice it to say, she didn’t take the bait and called us instead.
 
The bottom line is that we do not plan for accidents to happen but we can certainly prepare to respond in a way that puts us in the driver seat. Consider North Strong Locksmith by reviewing our website for the answers to these questions and if you’re happy with your findings, add us as a contact on your phone. If you ever find yourself in a pickle one day, you’ll be confident when you call us for help.
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Can you think of any other questions? Let us know by leaving a comment for your chance to win a $50 Visa card!  (Click on "Comment" just below the title)