Pull up a chair, grab a cold one, and talk about life as a locksmith. Trade stories of good and bad customers, general work day frustrations, any fun projects you worked on recently, or anything else you want to chat about with fellow locksmiths.
by cledry » 5 Jul 2018 0:03
I think we need a thread or even a sub forum where locksmiths can warn each other about NSPs that either don't pay or are slow paying.
I started working for Bass Security a few years ago (one of the forum members worked there). At first they were really good at paying, they were aggravating to call in and out from jobs though. I was often on hold for 20 minutes or more. However myself and 6 other locksmiths I know have not been paid since the first of the year 2018. So I would advise people against doing business with them.
I have a list of ones that owe us money and it is not a short list.
I think we should have a reference so that we as a group don't do work for free.
Jim
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cledry
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by Sinifar » 9 Jul 2018 14:40
Not only are they slow, but they decide that they should not pay for something on the invoice, and send you a smaller check and you just have to either eat it, or try to get more.
We got rid of those pests -- they want you to install their junk on their job. You go out, call in, get the okay to be there, look at the job, call in and check out - TRY to call them and tell them what you need, and in about a week something comes in UPS -- now you get to go thru the rigmarole again of checking in and out - then install their part (s) and good luck from there.
The other thing I LOVE about them is their "co-insurance". My agent said NO in very loud terms explaining what happens with co-insureds. Basically the principal contractor does not have to carry insurance if they can "ride" on yours. Have some kind of loss at the job site, and you get the blame or at least are expected to cover the loss.
Nope ... got rid of the pests, and their "We offer $xxx.xxx to do the job. Take it or leave it. Get out there fastest or we will call somebody else."
Good riddance to bad rubbish - don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!
The Sinifar
The early bird may get the worm, but it is the second mouse which gets the cheese! The only easy day was yesterday. Celebrating my 50th year in the trade!
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by billdeserthills » 9 Jul 2018 19:12
Sinifar wrote:Not only are they slow, but they decide that they should not pay for something on the invoice, and send you a smaller check and you just have to either eat it, or try to get more.
We got rid of those pests -- they want you to install their junk on their job. You go out, call in, get the okay to be there, look at the job, call in and check out - TRY to call them and tell them what you need, and in about a week something comes in UPS -- now you get to go thru the rigmarole again of checking in and out - then install their part (s) and good luck from there.
The other thing I LOVE about them is their "co-insurance". My agent said NO in very loud terms explaining what happens with co-insureds. Basically the principal contractor does not have to carry insurance if they can "ride" on yours. Have some kind of loss at the job site, and you get the blame or at least are expected to cover the loss.
Nope ... got rid of the pests, and their "We offer $xxx.xxx to do the job. Take it or leave it. Get out there fastest or we will call somebody else."
Good riddance to bad rubbish - don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!
The Sinifar
I agree, years ago when I didn't know any better I had several slow paying company's on my open account list-- I got really tired of spending my free time chasing them down for money, so I called each of them & explained that I was not their bank and if they wanted my service they needed to pay inside of 30 days. The ones that took a hike later went and filed for bankruptcy & that made me glad that I had gotten rid of those guys, before they could screw me out of the $$$ they owed
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billdeserthills
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by cledry » 9 Jul 2018 22:26
I actually prefer when they supply the parts. We don't warranty if their parts fail so it is better all around. We just finished a $60,000 job for Allegion who supplied all the parts. It is great. Part breaks no problem, you supplied it. $60,000 was all labor. The best kind of jobs.
We had a Ross store to do the other day, replace pivots and concealed closers on 4 doors. We quoted with Jackson closers, the NSP sent Global Door Closer parts, 2 failed a day after installation. Glad we didn't supply the parts.
Jim
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cledry
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by Squelchtone » 9 Jul 2018 22:36
This speaks more to the price of things, but our Fire Dept inspected one of our buildings at work and wanted us to turn a door outswing the other way on a prox access passage door and to add a crash bar. I was amazed that just the hardware for Von Duprin crash bar was close to $1000.00
I'm in the wrong business!
I don't envy you guys having to wait months for a pay check from some corporation either. Squelchtone
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Squelchtone
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by cledry » 10 Jul 2018 7:00
Squelchtone wrote:This speaks more to the price of things, but our Fire Dept inspected one of our buildings at work and wanted us to turn a door outswing the other way on a prox access passage door and to add a crash bar. I was amazed that just the hardware for Von Duprin crash bar was close to $1000.00
I'm in the wrong business!
I don't envy you guys having to wait months for a pay check from some corporation either. Squelchtone
You can expect to see that price climb over the next 2 quarters by 15% at the wholesaler which translates to 25%-30% to the end user. With increasing fuel prices we are raising our service call rates as well. If you run your business properly then you never have to wait for a paycheck. When times are good you must squirrel a bit away.
Jim
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cledry
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by dll932 » 12 Jul 2018 10:25
cledry wrote:I think we need a thread or even a sub forum where locksmiths can warn each other about NSPs that either don't pay or are slow paying.
I started working for Bass Security a few years ago (one of the forum members worked there). At first they were really good at paying, they were aggravating to call in and out from jobs though. I was often on hold for 20 minutes or more. However myself and 6 other locksmiths I know have not been paid since the first of the year 2018. So I would advise people against doing business with them.
I have a list of ones that owe us money and it is not a short list.
I think we should have a reference so that we as a group don't do work for free.
I worked for them many years ago. The owner used to complain about slow paying customers. 
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dll932
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by trogfield » 21 Jul 2018 10:22
What does NSP mean?
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trogfield
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by mh » 21 Jul 2018 10:44
"The techs discovered that German locks were particularly difficult" - Robert Wallace, H. Keith Melton w. Henry R. Schlesinger, Spycraft: The secret history of the CIA's spytechs from communism to Al-Qaeda (New York: Dutton, 2008), p. 210
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mh
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by cledry » 21 Jul 2018 14:50
trogfield wrote:that makes sense. So it's like the company AAA who subcontracts work around the country for things like Towing and lockouts. This website also helped with understanding. https://blog.marketpoint.com/2013/01/14 ... rspective/ do you know if anyone has worked with AAA before?
Many years ago we worked for AAA, and a few auto clubs like Cross Country. Wouldn't ever do that again.
Jim
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cledry
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by trogfield » 22 Jul 2018 1:15
cledry wrote:trogfield wrote:that makes sense. So it's like the company AAA who subcontracts work around the country for things like Towing and lockouts. This website also helped with understanding. https://blog.marketpoint.com/2013/01/14 ... rspective/ do you know if anyone has worked with AAA before?
Many years ago we worked for AAA, and a few auto clubs like Cross Country. Wouldn't ever do that again.
now that I think about it, I asked someone who help me with AAA lockout service if their job was tolerable and they said yes it's okay. The guy only had to use a pump kit to get in my car. this is probably different than the kind of work that you did. did you work on lockouts?
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by cledry » 22 Jul 2018 14:43
trogfield wrote:cledry wrote:trogfield wrote:that makes sense. So it's like the company AAA who subcontracts work around the country for things like Towing and lockouts. This website also helped with understanding. https://blog.marketpoint.com/2013/01/14 ... rspective/ do you know if anyone has worked with AAA before?
Many years ago we worked for AAA, and a few auto clubs like Cross Country. Wouldn't ever do that again.
now that I think about it, I asked someone who help me with AAA lockout service if their job was tolerable and they said yes it's okay. The guy only had to use a pump kit to get in my car. this is probably different than the kind of work that you did. did you work on lockouts?
Yes, but AAA paid the same if it was near me or 40 miles each way. In the end not worth it when one commercial job pays about 5 times as much for the same time.
Jim
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cledry
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by gabesthomas » 20 Nov 2018 16:22
Squelchtone wrote:This speaks more to the price of things, but our Fire Dept inspected one of our buildings at work and wanted us to turn a door outswing the other way on a prox access passage door and to add a crash bar. I was amazed that just the hardware for Von Duprin crash bar was close to $1000.00
I'm in the wrong business!
I don't envy you guys having to wait months for a pay check from some corporation either. Squelchtone
I just repaired a Von Duprin crash bar for an NSP at a Academy Sports. This particular bar had an alarm that sounded if it wasnt first unlocked when opened. A section of the PCB had corroded and a replacement was over $350! Von Duprin is pricey as hell.
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gabesthomas
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by billdeserthills » 20 Nov 2018 18:15
gabesthomas wrote:Squelchtone wrote:This speaks more to the price of things, but our Fire Dept inspected one of our buildings at work and wanted us to turn a door outswing the other way on a prox access passage door and to add a crash bar. I was amazed that just the hardware for Von Duprin crash bar was close to $1000.00
I'm in the wrong business!
I don't envy you guys having to wait months for a pay check from some corporation either. Squelchtone
I just repaired a Von Duprin crash bar for an NSP at a Academy Sports. This particular bar had an alarm that sounded if it wasnt first unlocked when opened. A section of the PCB had corroded and a replacement was over $350! Von Duprin is pricey as hell.
Scary now how much prices are soaring on parts & locks--labor will be next I guess I'm still charging $30 less than my closest competitor on my service call fee for local jobs
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