Aside from the never ending loop of “So, what exactly does LockNet do?” from my friends and family the first year I worked here, the second most popular question is always, “Why is a national service provider is better than a locally based locksmith?”

It’s a bit of a trick question.

There isn’t always a 100% right answer.

Sometimes it’s better to go with a locally based locksmith. If you have a total of two stores in the same general vicinity and you’re part of the daily routine of both stores, then sure. A locally based locksmith is probably your better option.

Now, what if you have 276 stores spread out over the entire United States and two in Canada?

Do you really want to be responsible for payment of 276 individual locksmiths?

Do you really want to keep track of 276 individual contacts?

If you’ve used individual locksmiths in the past for a large number of stores in different areas this is probably when you’re about to pull every last strand of your hair out and scream, “THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY!”

Relax. There is.

Benefits of a National Service Provider

• Better Pricing – NSPs buy in bulk and those savings get passed down to the customer. That results in a better price for you, the customer.
• Nationwide Key Systems – We talk about key systems so much around here that I count keys in my sleep. That’s because they’re a huge benefit to the facilities LockNet services. Key systems help you maintain a level of organization with your security that can’t be achieved without them.
• Consistency – This goes along with key systems. A national service provider allows for consistency within multiple locations that is hard to accomplish with multiple vendors.
• Better Data Collection – Many local locksmiths don’t have the software that collects metrics and issues simply because they don’t need it. As a national service provider, we keep track of all of that for you, which saves you money in the long run. This also helps with budgeting and forecasting for the future.
• Warranty Tracking – National service providers have the ability to track warranties NSPs can detail when products were installed and track their life cycle.
• Single Point of Contact – How much easier is it to call one phone number and reach an employee who has access to your records and can help you on the spot than waiting for one specific person to return a phone call? National service providers have call centers to allow just that.
• Partners – Finally, we’re not just a vendor to our customers. National service providers partner with their customers to bring them the best in savings, customer service, and quality.

National service providers aren’t going to be your best option all of the time. There will be times it pays to have a local service technician come out for a repair and that’s ok; but for a vast amount of stores spread nationwide, it’s hard to beat the options available from national service providers.