Importance of having a reason to trust

[davou]

What is it that makes people comfortable with the idea of letting a locksmith have their keys knowing that they can be very easily reproduced... What does a practicing locksmith do to earn that trust, aside from having bought the correct tools and an add in the yellow pages?

For instance, if a house was robbed; do you think the homeowner would consider (even briefly) that the locksmith who re-keyed the locks might have made himself a key? Locksmiths have a very important job to do in this culture where we cant trust each other with property or personal safety; but I'm left wondering, why the smiths get an exemption from it (especially considering how few and far between regulatory commissions seem to be.

I'd love to hear from both practicing and hobbyists about the whys and why nots, any thoughts?

[TigerDragon]

My thoughts have always been that it is expected that a locksmith has the training and equipment to burglarize a home. However, why would they bother when they can (and DO) use those skills/tools to earn the respect of their communities and do the same job (opening locks, fitting keys to locks, taking locks apart, bypassing, etc) legally.

In the computer security industry there are people with the skill to break into systems. Some of them do it for fun in their own personal labs. These are like the hobbyist lockpickers. Some of them do it for illegal purposes. These are the burglars. And some get educated specifically for helping others lock down their systems better through audits and consultation. Locksmiths of the computer security arena.

You have to trust someone eventually, and it only makes sense to trust those who have the training and are assumed to also be trusted by others through their very business nature.

Could there be rogue computer security specialists who walk both sides of the fence? Sure. Could there be rogue locksmiths? Sure. But my belief is that these are far and few between, because of the original statement... "Why bother?" If you took the time to earn the respect and trust, why would you want to waste it on an illegal operation?

Just my two cents.

[Raccoon]

As a locksmith, I am aware of this and my feelings about it are simple. I can't get work done unless I'm trusted, and customers know this because it is inherent in the work I do. Therefor, I am usually exceptionally trusted since the customer realizes that trust is a prerequisite anyway.

I am often given a key, or called and told that a key is sitting outside under a certain rock or behind the shed, so that I can do the work when they are not at home. Sometimes (but not too often) even when the customer has never met me before. It is a refreshing experience, and shows that America is healing in spite of the looming threats our President tries to convince us to fear. There was a time that people didn't even lock their doors, and it seems that people genuinely miss that experience, even against better judgment.

I have both the skill and tools to break into anyone's home with or without their key, but I wouldn't be in business for very long if I took advantage of this. This both earns me respect through trust, and maybe even a little unspoken respect through fear. You'll note that locksmiths are very rarely ripped off-- I haven't had a check bounce or a customer who refused to pay. You just don't bite the hand that protects you. Unfortunately, all too many locksmiths take advantage of this respect/fear and rip their customers off instead.

[davou]

These answers are interesting, but dont touch upon the essential 'why' of how the tradesmen are trusted. While I acknowledge the fact that trust is needed (both on the part of the smith and the client) but the trust is still a bizzare phenomenon.

what you said Raccoon brings up another (albeit less serious) question... If you change a lock, and the check bounces, would you go and remove the work? Granted, its important to give the client a chance to redeem them selfs in case of a mistake... but given a no good deadbeat who intentionally didn't pay properly, can (or would) you go and reset the problem?

[Raccoon]

To answer your second question first: No. Tthis would be illegal. You cannot repossess property or 'undo' a service due to a failure to pay. Repo-men might be allowed to repossess a car, but a mechanic cannot remove your repaired brake line because you failed to pay for the work.

It is just not animal-wise to piss off someone whom locks cannot protect you from. Naturally, I wouldn't break into someone's home and steal their property or harm their family, but there is a certain deeply rooted instinct that tells people that it's not a smart idea to mess with men who can walk through walls. On the contrary, most people look up to me because of this. They feel safe because they know I'm educated in both breaking security and providing them with security that is harder to break.

I don't know that you're going to find the answers you're looking for here, but I'll take another stab at it.

You're asking for the "why of how", so I'll try by first answering the 'how' and then the 'why. Some of this may be redundant to my previous answers.

How locksmiths are trusted...

They are first trusted to have credentials. Credentials often include a business license, insurance, dishonesty bonding, and any other certification or licensing that is regionally required. If the locksmith has these, then they have met certain criteria and made personal strives and genuine sacrifice to obtain these, or they have been bestowed trust by others who have made these efforts in forming a successful business. As a business, the locksmith must maintain a level of integrity to remain in business and continue to qualify for their credentials. This earns a locksmith more trust than a random jack off the street.

To go into more detail:

A locksmith who is licensed by the city has to have shown some proof of operation and taxation. Their licensed must be renewed to stay in business, which [should] mean the locksmith is on the up-and-up. But this isn't always the case with fly-by-night outfits who don't stick around for very long. Knowing how long the locksmith has been in business is a better indicator than simply being in business.

A locksmith with bonding guarantees the customer protection against dishonest practices, negligence, and theft of property through monetary relief in both civil and criminal law. It's like insurance, in that a full cash-payout is made in the event of a lawsuit or arrest.

A locksmith with insurance protects the customer against damages of property in the course of completing work, and guarantees a quality of work that doesn't become damaged (fall apart) or leave the customer with damaged property (door falls off its hinges and knocks over the entertainment center). Bonding may also protect against some of this, depending on both policies.

A locksmith who has had to go through certification with the city or state (or other regional body) has had to prove a level of competence and possibly met criminal background checks and other criteria of trust-worth.


So, Why locksmiths are trusted?

I guess the best answer I can give you is because there's often noone better to trust with this type of responsibility. Would you trust a plumber to repair your locks? An electrician to hang your door? The telephone guy to re-combo your safe?

Without the luxury of an institutional maintenance crew (and even then) you simply have no other choice but to trust a locksmith. This is what they do.

[Gordon Airporte]

Given a simple brick, I expect most people have the skills to break into most homes. What a locksmith has is the ability to do it without leaving a mark, which would provide fairly strong circumstantial evidence against him if he were to 'turn to the dark side' and get caught.
I suppose this doesn't matters as much with cars, where all of the evidence would drive away with the thief.

[Jryanruch]

Licenced, Bonded, Insured. Fingerprinted.

Why people trust Painters with their keys is another question altogether. Those guys are sketchy.

[Trip Doctor]

Well, I imagine a robber, even if experienced at lockpicking, wouldn't go into the locksmithing business to start with. As mentioned you have to go through checks and such, and give your identify, fingerprints perhaps, all that stuff.. so why go somewhere why you have more of a chance of getting caught at commiting burglary. If a burglar becomes a locksmith, he'd actually be going into somewhere where he'd be more of a suspect (at first at least), and would have to spend a lot of time gaining trust.

Although.. if an already trusted locksmith decided to, as mentioned above, 'join the dark side' (I like that , I guess that whole paragraph I typed woudn't apply.

[Shrub]

What makes you think locksmiths are trusted?

Dont you feel the customer standing over you while you are opening the house up?

I suggest that whether they trust you or not they need your service and need it now, if a lockie is known for being cheap but rough he will still get the work over someone expensive but perfect,

I think there is a lot of assumption on the customers side and trust isnt the governing factor, i believe we are trusted in the most part and its true its likely to be the false sence of security given by the idea that they arent the first person to have had you around and if you were a bad 'un you would be locked up by now,

Funny question to ask and to answer it properly the asnwer would sound even funnier but the one i can give to 'why are locsmiths trusted' is 'because they are'

[raimundo]

trust, limited trust, not blind trust.
When you trust someone you open yourself up to betrayal, when you trust one person too much, you will be betrayed, you have given them too much to live up to, and whats important to you, is trivial to them.
Some people are much better bets than others, but its always betting, its a gamble. if you keep gambling you will eventually lose it all. thats the house rule.
Trust is necessary, be prepared to take losses.

[Shrub]

Wow ray so spot on its spine chilling lol,

[Jryanruch]

He didn't tell you he moonlights as a Priest.