First year in business?

[wheresmykeys?]

already have a Ilco pick gun which I forgot to say. And I also looking at the Grand Master Z Tool kit heard great thing from other locksmiths and my old boss used them at his side business.

[gunbunny119]

already have a Ilco pick gun which I forgot to say. And I also looking at the Grand Master Z Tool kit heard great thing from other locksmiths and my old boss used them at his side business.

I have a full auto tool kit, but I find myself using either my Lishi picks or my long reach tool and an air wedge. I know a lot of locksmiths look down on the long reach tool. One guy even said if I use it I'm a "tow truck driver without a tow truck" but i dont care. If I can get into a car in 6 seconds with a LRT, why would I get my door tools out and take longer just to impress the client with my skills? In my experience, working inside the door brings more liability. If the lock rod mounting clips are worn (or the customer was playing around inside the door and didn't reattach everything properly) then you run a risk of disconnecting the rod inside the door. I did that once on a kid with a civic. I was working inside the door and heard that all-too familiar sound of the rod disconnecting and dropping inside the door. An 8 second job just became over 30 minutes because I took the advice of another locksmith who told me LRTs are beneath us. My order of approach.....LRT first, then go to the lishi and pick the cylinder, THEN go to the door tools.

[viking84]

Thanks for all the feedback. I just logged back for the first time this year. Im working on a business plan and website for my own biz starting 2013. Appreciate it!

JC

[Locksmith5]

I started my own Locksmith business as General Locksmith. I provide locksmith services in South Florida area . I've have almost 10 years of experience in this field. I provide services like Emergency locksmith Residential locksmith, Commercial locksmith, Automotive locksmith, Security locksmith in South Florida area. First year in my Business I provided service only in Miami area but I expanded my services to more areas in South Florida like Miami, West Palm Beach, Broward County and Fort Lauderdale.

[jruno602]

hello everyone!

Justed wanted to chime in on this thread

One of the first things i remember about my first year in the business is:

1. my first lockout lol...i had bought a cheap flea market lockout kit...all the tools in it where pretty much useless..and it took me 15 minutes to open the car ...luckily it was my friends....so lesson to be learned is:
"ALWAYS BUY TOP GRADE EQUIPMENT FOR AUTO LOCKOUTS"
i recomend buying high tech tool brand kits for auto lockouts...my set has paid itself at least 300 times over easily

2. the cheapest and most effective advertising that has been taught to me is word of mouth..."EVERYBODY" is a prospect or potential customer...good places to chum up people that u visit everyday would be ur gas station clerks, mall guards, and even tow truck drivers...u want to personally put a business card in there hand and smile and say im here to help and if you have ANY questions "CALL ME DAY OR NIGHT"....you'll be surprised how many people will call you with a lock question that becomes a lock job...even tow truck drivers will call you because they cant open a certain car or situation and if ur buddy buddy with a tow truck driver you will get in as the main referal locksmith for that company...trust me...tow truck companys want to make fast money and referal money and you can get in on the action...

3. this is something that i learn from my dad in the carpet biz..."If you find a locksmith distributor that actually has real locksmiths behind the parts counter"...FEED THEM LOL...I have bought pizza and had it delivered to my distrubtor randomly and when i go in there to buy locksmith stuff..they are always willing to help me all the way!

there experience has saved me tons of money!!..they will tell me if i really need to buy something or if there is a bypass or give me best pricing teir!!..they are like walking reference manuals when ever i have a questions

trust me..when these guys get busy and a pizza comes out of no where with ur name of ur biz on it saying thank you for help me so much guys...its worth its weight in gold...

more to come as i try to remember my first year in the biz

[wheresmykeys?]

hello everyone!

Justed wanted to chime in on this thread

One of the first things i remember about my first year in the business is:

1. my first lockout lol...i had bought a cheap flea market lockout kit...all the tools in it where pretty much useless..and it took me 15 minutes to open the car ...luckily it was my friends....so lesson to be learned is:
"ALWAYS BUY TOP GRADE EQUIPMENT FOR AUTO LOCKOUTS"
i recomend buying high tech tool brand kits for auto lockouts...my set has paid itself at least 300 times over easily

2. the cheapest and most effective advertising that has been taught to me is word of mouth..."EVERYBODY" is a prospect or potential customer...good places to chum up people that u visit everyday would be ur gas station clerks, mall guards, and even tow truck drivers...u want to personally put a business card in there hand and smile and say im here to help and if you have ANY questions "CALL ME DAY OR NIGHT"....you'll be surprised how many people will call you with a lock question that becomes a lock job...even tow truck drivers will call you because they cant open a certain car or situation and if ur buddy buddy with a tow truck driver you will get in as the main referal locksmith for that company...trust me...tow truck companys want to make fast money and referal money and you can get in on the action...

3. this is something that i learn from my dad in the carpet biz..."If you find a locksmith distributor that actually has real locksmiths behind the parts counter"...FEED THEM LOL...I have bought pizza and had it delivered to my distrubtor randomly and when i go in there to buy locksmith stuff..they are always willing to help me all the way!

there experience has saved me tons of money!!..they will tell me if i really need to buy something or if there is a bypass or give me best pricing teir!!..they are like walking reference manuals when ever i have a questions

trust me..when these guys get busy and a pizza comes out of no where with ur name of ur biz on it saying thank you for help me so much guys...its worth its weight in gold...

more to come as i try to remember my first year in the biz

Thanks alot that was a great lesson for my first year of biz hope you can remember more.

[Hollywoodpick]

Another update

As for the Z Tools i just got a full set in the other day i think i will like using them they seem to be well made and i will be selling my other larger set of in the door tools soon. It seems like the 3 main z tools do 80% of everything in the book. I like the bag that comes with it - it has room for more stuff you can put in it. Spend a few hours last night reading the looking at the book looking up common cars i run into a lot and frame less window cars this will be used on.

I still will be using the long reach tool a lot but i got the Z Tools for common cars i run into a lot that i feel i could open up faster with the Z Tools like a lot of SUVs and trucks that have very thick door frames i do not like opening up so wide with air bags.

I still love the strap tool for anytime i see a button.

I will be adding in 5 Lishi 2 in 1s very soon to and over time i would like to use them to get in. As i get better at using them i will buy more. Plus i will then be able to make some of the keys for lost keys for the non HS key cars.
I feel its best if you are going to do car lockouts to have many tools for the job even if they cross over i do not want to let anyone down.

Will also be adding on RV locks and lock out tools as i do get calls for that to.

May pick up some motorcycles lock tool readers i do not get a lot of calls for this but do get some maybe 5 or 6 this year i have turned down for lost keys that would of more then covered the cost of the tools.

Getting slow this time of year but still getting calls to get by on.

[snapisimo]

After working for several existing lock services, including apprenticeship, I Took a big deep breath committing to make 10 cold canvas calls per day. It never happened that way as it got too busy, and fast. Rolled all my own clients.
Great business but looking back I should have expanded rather than stay on my own. At the time I did not want what comes with hiring, firing, outfitting service vehicles, etc. No regrets.

snap

[alockguru]

Old post but has a ton of great info in it. Figured I'd add some.

One of the shops in my area that has a great store front focuses mainly with safes and high end locks. I myself don't do a lot of safe work so I usually send people to them when i get those calls. In return they send me most all of their customers who need a automotive smith (my favorite work) which is quite a bit. Also a few smiths I know only do res/com work, or auto smiths that only do dealer work. I try to get to know them all. Its not easy, some smiths can be pretty grumpy but having good relationships with other shops and smiths was a big help to me when starting out. Other shops love having someone they trust to refer customers they can't help too and when your just starting out those referrals are what makes a bad week into a excellent week.

[lockstar5000]

I know this is an old thread but it is a wealth of information. I have been working with a locksmith and he told me I know more in the past 4 months than he did in his first 3 years in business (this is his 22nd year)...nobody would help him.. So, he thinks I am ready, I have basic knowledge of aluminum storefront mortise cylinders, residential, auto (lockouts and key originating including transponders), mortise locks, panic bars, electric strikes. I got my federal EIN today and should be in business in a month or so. He has enough faith in me to let me run his business for 10 days while he goes to ALOA convention in July. Anyway, thank you so much for all the info guys, it is a great help. Also my girlfriend owns her own successful cleaning biz for 10 years which also helps.

[cledry]

I know this is an old thread but it is a wealth of information. I have been working with a locksmith and he told me I know more in the past 4 months than he did in his first 3 years in business (this is his 22nd year)...nobody would help him.. So, he thinks I am ready, I have basic knowledge of aluminum storefront mortise cylinders, residential, auto (lockouts and key originating including transponders), mortise locks, panic bars, electric strikes. I got my federal EIN today and should be in business in a month or so. He has enough faith in me to let me run his business for 10 days while he goes to ALOA convention in July. Anyway, thank you so much for all the info guys, it is a great help. Also my girlfriend owns her own successful cleaning biz for 10 years which also helps.

That is a bold step after only 4 months or am I reading this wrong. Best of luck. I know myself I couldn't have started by own company after such a short time, I'm impressed.

[kuefler]

No doubt, I am about half way through my second year in business now, wishing I had saved significantly more money for advertising. The free google maps ad and buying into a local tradeshow are the only reason I can afford to pay the bills! Getting your name out there is a big deal, gotta stay motivated or things can slow down on ya real quick and then buying parts/tools physically hurts when it's been a slow month lol.

[lockstar5000]

Thanks for the encouragement cledry. I am still going to work another month at least with my mentor. Also I am going to run his biz while he is gone which should help. Also, I have him and another locksmith nearby that is willing to help me with any questions/problems I encounter along the way. This is a big deal for me, I wouldn't dive in like this without all the support and guidance I have. I have obviously promised I will not encroach on their territory, and as long as I stay true to my word, I have a really great thing going with these guys to help me. Between the 2 guys they have over 50 years experience running their own mobile (MOBILE!! That cant work!!!) locksmith businesses. Thanks again for the encouragement

[lockstar5000]

I forgot to mention that I have a part time job where I work a 24 hr shift in a home for developmentally disabled adults. one weekend is fri 6pm- sat 6pm, the next weekend is sat 6pm-sun6pm, the 3rd weekend is off. So I have a part time income without taking alot of time from locksmithing. This means I still have an income until I can get to the point where I can quit that job. And our home is paid for, so no rent!! And I have 18k for starttup, it's not a loan, it is cash I have saved.

[cledry]

You say you will be running this other guy's business for a bit while he goes away. That will be good experience. Just curious, can you describe a typical day? For example how many calls do you typically go on in a day. Will you be doing mostly residential and automotive or also commercial? Commercial will require a lot more insurance and many of the jobs we do cannot be done with one man. Would you have a helper available for such jobs?