Lockout business, general education questions

[lostlink]

So Uhhh. Do you guys believe in angels?

Yup............And eventhough I can't schwim, going scuba diving would be cool........

[Eyes_Only]

If all this awareness about security keeps growing and more and more people start to have higher security locks on their property depending on your area, there just might be a day in the future where the backyard lockout guy armed with a pick gun and a slim jim just won't find as much jobs like he used to in the past without actually having the knowledge a full time locksmith has.

Plus if you know how to do locksmith work you can correct and fix any mistakes you may make during a lockout job. And trust me, lockpicking and opening cars looks simple but the more you do it on different locks and cars, you will make mistakes thats takes a locksmith to fix.

[gotta]

My locksmithing day today.

Went to work at 8, drove 30 miles to open a safe deposit box for a customer whose key had apparently quit working and needed his passport. Diagnosed the problem, opened with a pair of vise grips, hammer, and a hunk of wood from a deadbolt install, repaired lock.
Got back, ordered some odds and ends, door stops, some 619 1.5" finger pulls, a couple rim cylinders, cut some keys for a Toyota pickup I unlocked yesterday in a downpour. Cut a code key for a Chevy van.
Replaced some burned out lights in the shop, (was starting to squint)
Took some jobs in for next week. Worked on a bid for a project. Gave a contractor some temp locks for his house. Put a safe lock back in a door I rebuilt. Made a couple new tension wrenches (small). Recycled some cardboard. Rekeyed 6 or so locks a customer brought in. Unlocked a Suburban. Made some more duplicates. Talked to a supplier about a specific item, he was very helpful. Cleaned out the back of the van a bit. Worked on the bid project again. Ordered some Emtek locks. Processed some billing from last week. Finished off the day working on a new combo hook/half diamond pick which I'll post pics of when I get it done. I use idle shop time while waiting for walk-in appointments or freight deliveries. Not the most exciting of days, but I still love my job. Didn't pick a single lock.

Not to discourage you, but there's a lot of prep work that goes into being a locksmith. Dig into it deeper before giving up your other job. If I weren't diversified, I'd be standing in line at the food bank. I've also worked hard at getting repeat bank and government work. I think most part timers lose money. I could be wrong. I don't know any.

[Eyes_Only]

What time did you get home? I worked from 7 am to about 8 pm.

[gotta]

8 to 6:30 or so, I don't actually know.

One of these days I'll get a watch.

[kodierer]

How do you go about getting your bank and government contracts? That can't be the easiest of things to get your foot into the door of.

[Eyes_Only]

I always wondered about that too. Somehow I just can't imagine a governement or financial institution picking out locksmiths at random from the phone book.

[gotta]

I always wondered about that too. Somehow I just can't imagine a governement or financial institution picking out locksmiths at random from the phone book.

In a smaller market like mine, sometimes you win by default. It could be as simple as changing a safe combo at a post office. If you don't do safe combo changes, you'll never get a chance to rekey the building. Many agencies, the post office being one, use regional locksmiths from large cities. They often sub contract with me usually due to the speed in which I can respond. In other situations, if you happen to do an emergency call for someone, simply asking to be placed on the contractor list can do it as well. There's usually just some forms to fill out and they check your bond and contractor liscense. Some require a finger print card to placed on file. For banks, I've gotten on their list of people to call simply by taking the time to make sure they know what I can do locally. Safe deposit work is a must since their customers always need something quick and they often can't wait for someone to come from out of town. That's why being diversified is the best way to assure you not only have steady work, but you can also have a long career if you choose. Being able to communicate is a must as well as looking like a professional.