A simple question for pinky and the other uk locky's

[toomush2drink]

I really aplaud your stance on this subject of training pinky even though the journey may be hard. The fact your willing to stand up and challenge things is good for the industry and standards. As one of your students i have to admit that whilst on the course i noticed a few people who had no idea of becoming full time locksmiths and just wanted to make a bit of money on the side (one set up a training schools afterwards !!). This attitude can only choke the industry and is not healthy. Sure others may see me that way too but i do put customers first and my business is promoted that way, and they are entitled to their opinion. Im in this for the long term and nothing else its what ive wanted to do for a long time.

As for setting up training schools after a couple of days training, well i find this whole practice disgusting and a major con to the public. If only these people were accountable and exposed for what they are, im sure many wouldnt then part with the cash for limited knowledge. Longterm they are killing any lively hood they have by flooding the market with semi-skilled and un-equipped cowboys and the public are becoming very aware of this.

Did a lockout this moring and the customer couldnt ask enough questions to confirm the price to make sure she wasnt ripped off and i find this is happening on virtually every lockout call i get now. When they dont get ripped off they are over the moon though and cant quite believe it was the price i stated. This is a sad state of affairs really and shows the state of the locksmith industries reputation in the publics eyes. Anyone else encountered this ?
Its about time the whole industry became regulated and required proper licensing including a central database of practicing locksmiths for the police so they know who should have the tools of the trade and who shouldnt.

[EvoRed]

I've done jobs over the past couple of weeks for a Housing Association property, letting agency and a commercial premises and all jobs have required no parts.

When I'm asked afterwards what the bill is going to be and I tell them, it is obvious to see or hear that they are actually shocked! One of these, who must use someone else, said "our bloke would have just drilled the lock out"...

That last statement is, unfortunately, the whole public perception of a locksmith - replacing locks when it isn't needed to make more money on the mark up.

Reference the training, I was saying to Pinky just a couple of days ago that the more people out there training, who haven't got the experience to train sufficiently, obviously the worse the 'locksmith' is that is being turned out.

Pinky trains Mr A. After 3 months Mr A trains Mr B. After another 3 months Mr B trains Mr C. After another 3 months Mr C trains Mr D. The knowledge being taught each time is drastically diminishing so by the time Mr D has trained, he has completely wasted his money and knows very little. This will only lead to, as Toomush says, the industry being flooded with total incompetents, who will be no better for the industry than the con merchants out there.

[quicklocks]

[79commando]

Hey all

Do you think it's worth me typing out a letter and sending it round a few dozen locksmith business asking them if they're taking on apprentices or offering any part time work even??

Regards Hyperion

Up here in the colonies (Scotland) I came across my first ever advert for an Apprentice Lockmith. I put one of my contacts onto it but it looks like they really wanted a Government funded young key cutter who makes a nice cup of tea. Until Locksmiths stick together and tell the big four that they will charge per job as opossed to being on call per day there will not be enough work to go around and therefore not enough vacances (EVER WONDERED WHY THERE AR NOT AS MANY LOCKSMITHS AS PLUMBERS ELECTRICIANS ETC).

[toomush2drink]

i told the police what i was doing quicklocks as i too only had my car to begin with. Do they have an official register form or anything ?

[79commando]

In my area, Stirling Scotland the police are not bothered about locksmiths. If you are registered as a sole trader with the Inland Revenue and carry your invoices etc with you you should have no problem if stopped. The police up here don't take names of Locksmiths to use in an Emergency; they tell the public to look in the Yellow pages and pick their own tradesmen. Probably so that they don't get any flack when Mr Driller Killer turns up.

[quicklocks]

[acl]

Pinky i also applaud you for this ,train up the guys who are already in the trade and are interested in Locksmithing ,i get really pissed off with the idiots who think theyll get into the trade because" theres good money to be made"
These guys who set up training schools after 2 days of training themselves should be named and shamed i reckon so if anyone knows of someone doing this tell everybody about it,there are a few that visit the site that may be looking into some kind of training ,why shouldnt we tell them who to steer clear of?
79 Comando sorry if im being thick here but who are the big 4?
Re the police thing ,does anyone ever get stopped by them whilst going about their day to day openings?I think ive only ever been stopped/questioned a handfull of times in nearly 20 yrs
Andy

[toomush2drink]

Acl i did name and shame one particular person but everytime i did he complained to the mods and got the thread deleted, says it all really.

Never been stopped going about my business but then again my van is signwritten so its a bit of a give away why i have the tools.

I too am curious who the big 4 are ?

[quicklocks]

[toomush2drink]

Forget the discount quicklocks just charge 125 quid for a euro and you will have the money in no time.

[acl]

Toomush point taken.Ok just name and shame the people who dont visit this site!
Andy

[pinky]

the big 4 , i know commando , bloody nice bloke, he refers to big john , big mick, big joe and big davey , the 4 man sas team he knows ?

no seriously , he did his initial training some time ago with anvil, anvil refers to the big 4 as reactfast , absolute emergencies, 1st national, and what was able glaze, this is where budding trainees are told that they will earn their fortune.

commando spent a couple of days with me last week, despite his initial training , he has practiced hard, invested a fortune, and has a real natural touch to picking, hes the 1st ive seen in a long while who picks up picking bs locks, like my wife took to clothes shopping, im just glad hes to be competition to the scots and not in my area.

[pinky]

name and shame them all.
Ken had a bad name when he started justlocks for training novices, though had it not been for kens intro to industry then many of us here now would not be here.

as much as i hate to see his head grow, but of the private courses his is still one of the best for content and one of the most value for money, he doesnt rip anyone off and tells no fibs unlike others, and he knows far more than he admits to, and is far better than some may think, alot of guys owe him alot, they repay this by setting up in training with their limited knowledge in competition with him.
no one should train without occupational competence, its 1 thing to show a guy what little you know, but what has it done for industry ?

i agree , name and shame the lot of them.

[toomush2drink]

yep here here on shaming them all