New to the trade

[andyjohnson]

Hi,
I was after some advice, i am currently in the process of training in the field to become a locksmith, my only concern is that when i finish my course, which is only 8 days long, i will still have much to learn, my ultimate goal would be to start my own mobile locksmith buisness but this is a long way off yet as i have neither the capital nor the experience to do this, i am from the Merseyside area is there anyone out there that can help me gain the appropiate experience so that i can fulfill my dream

many thanks
andyjohnson

[inquisitor35]

After an 8 day course you will certainly still have a lot to learn. Frankly, I don't see how a course that short could begin to cover anything but the very basics of picking, auto lock outs and a minor dip into keyways with near nothing on key systems. More to the point, though, what kind of specific advice are you looking for?

[andyjohnson]

i admit i am quite the novice, the most specific thing i wanted to know was is there was anyone who could take me on so i could gain the experience i need to continue in this trade, i really would appreciate any help

[bobhdus]

Do you know what area of Locksmithing you want to get into? There are Auto's, Residential, Commercial, Institutional etc... Think about that and maybe someone can point you in the right direction. Even if you found someone to take you "under their wing", it is such a vast field and there is so much that can be learned online at your convenience. My point is, everyone is limited with what they can share. I hate to see you work with someone that knows less than you in your field of interest. Good Luck!

[Varjeal]

One thing you can do if you want to start your own business is to start by promoting what you do know how to do and are comfortable doing. Instead of advertising yourself as a full-service locksmith, start with what you know. eg. (auto openings, or whatever)

When you come across something thats in the field but perhaps you know little or nothing about, be upfront and explain to the customer the situation, say something like, "I'm newer to the trade and I don't have much experience in this, but I could learn and come back to do the job for you". The customer may/may not take you up on it, but then at least you know what you should be learning for next time.

[cchambers]

I am in the same boat, learning, new, stumbling, etc. I am planning on starting with what i know, telling folks if i am not familiar in that area. it maybe be a bad idea, but i figure gotta start somewhere, and focus on the basics at first, and learn thru hard knocks, while continually learning. i hope that is a good plan.

[bobhdus]

Something that should be considered is getting through the legal hoops. If your going to do Lock work, then get your paperwork in order that is required in your local city/ state region. I live in Missouri and it does not have a State License requirement but our local Cities do. Any Business License (usually costs $50) or Tax ID #, Certifications need to be obtained and if your required to be bonded and or insured then do so. Usually a Locksmith Association like the Ledger can provide some of those options. There has been a lot of publicity in my area recently about scammers and crooks that overcharge and or do shoddy work. The paperwork stuff however bothersome it may be, needs to be done to protect your customers and yourself from a whole range of issues that can arise. The Tax ID# also helps you get a Supplier discount as a legitimate business owner that allows you to buy low and to mark up your products to a decent price that is competitive. I found recently that a lot of business's, will mark their prices high and then offer 10-20% discount and they still get a decent profit. Also, make sure you have cash on hand so you have the ability to purchase what you need to do the job. There are a lot of tricks I am finding now that others do. In some cases there may be a fine line between ethical, unethical and then just doing business. Do whats right by your customers.