You never know when you’d need a locksmith. Usually, we call for an emergency locksmith service when every other attempt to get into (or out) your home or office fails. When we are in such a situation, we don’t care about which locksmith we call, we just want to get out of such a sticky situation.
It is in such a situation that opportunists take advantage of you. Though you might find their names online, they may not have the skills and qualifications needed for practicing as a locksmith.
To make sure you aren’t cheated, here are some things you need to check before hiring a locksmith-
Response time:
As this is an urgent situation, the time your locksmith takes to reach you matters a lot. Make sure you choose a locksmith that can get to you as quickly as possible. This could be tricky if you’re locked out of your car in the middle of nowhere. A professional locksmith would let you know how much time he would take to reach you.
Professionalism:
Does the locksmith keep his promises? Is he clear about his requirements before he sets off to meet you? Does he help you gain access to your car/home/ office before he reaches you? If the answers are in the affirmative, this shows the locksmith’s professionalism and dedication to meet your work time frames.
Previous work reviews:
Not getting access to a door can be a situation no one would want to be in. In the desperation of getting access, we tend to forget to vet the locksmith we’ve chosen. Many people overlook this crucial task, though it takes just a few minutes. All you need to do is to look up the locksmith’s profile and read his reviews. Once you do so, ask the locksmith questions based on the bad reviews. Again, he should be professional enough to give you an honest answer.
Wide range of services:
A professional locksmith service would have the skills and equipment needed to work with any kind of locks and keys. These include standard locks and keys, vehicle locks and keys, and even security systems. After all, you’d want a locksmith that’s able to tackle any kind of challenge related to locks, right?
Opening Hours:
Emergencies could come at any time. Just as hospitals are open 24×7, a well-intentioned locksmith service should be open round the clock. A professional locksmith would seldom refuse to service you if you call them in the middle of the night.
Location:
The locksmith should be available to you within his neighborhood. If need be, he should not refuse to travel to a remote location if you’re locked out of his car on the highway or if the keys of your farmhouse aren’t able to open the lock.
Licensing:
Just as a degree is mandatory to practice as a doctor, a certified locksmith service should have staff with certifications for their craft. Although not mandatory, having a certification means that the locksmith knows what he’s doing and that he has the equipment and skills needed to practice as a certified locksmith.
Quality price combination:
When you’re vetting your locksmith, do ask him why he’s charging the prices he quotes. Don’t always go for the locksmith who quotes the least, something could be fishy there. A genuine, experienced locksmith would know just how much to charge for his services and would provide a long-lasting solution.
In the end,
Choosing the best locksmith requires you to do a little vetting and inquiring. After all, you’d want a long-lasting solution, right?