Finding a Good & Dependable Locksmith
When you have to spend money on any type of service provider, you don’t want to just throw your money away on services that are not adequate. You don’t always have time to perform the necessary research needed in order to find the best one suitable for the job but when you do have time, it would certainly be in your best interest to do some research before simply throwing away your money.
There are some locksmiths that exist that will advertise with a different name but in reality, you are contacting the same service provider. So when you’re contacting a service provider in your service area, you might be contacting the same provider that you researched in another area that didn’t have such a good reputation. In some cases, they will use a call center to help them answer service request. When you are contacting this type of service, they don’t know much about the locksmith that they are sending and this means that they may not even be qualified. Worse yet, they may not do a background check on them, which means you could be letting a criminal in your home. Some of these same service providers will tell you that you have to pay in cash and can’t use a credit card. If this is the case, you definitely do not want to use this service provider. You want a locksmith that takes credit cards, has all the right credentials and who have performed a background check on all of their locksmiths.
Hire Locally
When you contact a locksmith in your area, listen to make sure they answer the home by identifying the name of the company. If it is a call center that you are contacting, they will usually say something other than the name of the company. In most cases, they will give you their name and just ask how they can assist you. If they do not use the name of the company, this is usually an indication that you are contacting a call center instead of a local locksmith.
Also make sure that you check any online reviews that the service provider might have. Don’t just go off of the word of one customer review; make sure you check several customer reviews and several customer review websites. This will provide you with a better understanding of the quality of service that the locksmith will be able to offer to you.
The company address is also important. This will usually act as an indicator as to whether or not the service provider is actually legit or not. If they do not have an address listed online, be sure to ask them to verify their physical address. A legit service provider will not hesitate to offer you this information, if they value your business.
If you ask them to provide you with an estimate of how much it will take to handle the job you have and they refuse, this may not be the right company for you. Most legit businesses will not have a problem offering you a quote. In fact, they want to offer you a quote because they need to know what the job actually entails for them. When or if you do receive an estimate, make sure your estimate has the following cost estimate:
- Parts
- Labor
- Service Call
- Mileage charges, surcharges, emergency calls
There are also some questions that you need to ask them, such as:
Do they licensing?
Are they registered in Pennsylvania?
Do they have insurance for damages?
Lastly, make sure you get the estimate in writing and check to make sure all of the above information is listed on the estimate.
What to Look For When the Locksmith Arrives
As soon as the locksmith arrives to your home, ask them to show you identification before allowing them inside your home. Pay close attention to the vehicle they are driving. If the company name is prominently listed on the car, this is a good sign. If they drive up with a different name on the vehicle than the company you thought you were hiring, simply let them know you no longer need the services. You don’t have to offer them a reason for doing this but you don’t have to be rude about it either. When there is a different name on the vehicle, this often means they are sub-contracting the job. In addition to asking for identification, also ask them to show you their credentials. This lets you know if the person is actually qualified to handle the job for you. A reputable and reliable locksmith will actually ask you for some form of id to ensure that they are servicing the correct person. If the locksmith asks you to sign anything, make sure you read it through first. At the end of the job, make sure you receive an invoice that has the company name printed on in that outlines the work that they performed for you.
There are plenty of good locksmiths that are available to you but there are just as many bad locksmiths. That is why it is in your best interest to do your homework before you decide on which locksmith you will use for your service needs.