Well fiddlesticks! (Yes – I unfortunately do really use that word now that I have a child.)  You just broke a key off in your front door, and you need a locksmith – fast.  If you’re like most, you will turn to our best friend Google to find a qualified locksmith, only to be floored at the sheer number of companies that pop up.  If you live in Los Angeles, you will be greeted by a string of locksmiths that stretches out beyond 10 pages.  How on earth do you wade through all of the listings to find a quality tech that you can trust?

Feel free to call the first number that pops up on the list – Google ranking counts for something right? –  but don’t dispatch them to do the work unless they can wow you with their answers these questions.

Questions to Ask Before Dispatching a Locksmith

Are you licensed and insured?

Why you should ask – Some states require locksmiths to carry a license, but all technicians should be insured.  A reputable technician will know if your state requires licensing; if they aren’t licensed, they will let you know that your state does not require it.  If they are not insured, it’s time to keep looking.

What types of work do you do? (Ask this question before you tell them what you need done.)

Why you should ask – With the best of intentions, some techs are great at saying “oh sure, we can do that” when in reality, they have never done that type of work before.  After the job you will end up sub-par work that needs to be repaired by another company.

While it’s true that nearly all technicians are capable of removing a key from a door lock, if you need door work performed, your safe lock is on the fritz, or your electrified hardware has seen it’s better days, you need a technician that specializes in that specific field.

What is your warranty period?

Why you should ask – Any reputable technician will offer a minimum warranty period of 30 days to cover unintentional installation or hardware issues.  If they don’t offer at least 30 days – run for the hills.

What are your rates?

Why you should ask – While this doesn’t necessarily indicate the quality of a technician, it’s important information for you to have up-front.  Some technicians will charge a piece-work rate.  Which means , they charge a set amount per task.  If you need a lock rekeyed, you will pay per lock instead of by the hour.  Other locksmiths charge an hourly rate, with a standard one-hour minimum regardless of how quickly the job is completed. That being said, there are a few techs out there that will charge in 15-minute or 30-minute increments.

Technicians also charge a trip fee.  Be sure to ask for the charge to your location.  The fee usually increases past a certain mileage, and if there are tolls between their location and yours, those will be included as well.

Do you have any relevant certifications?

Why you should ask – A reputable locksmith will maintain their working education as well as innovations and changes within the industry by completing continuing education courses. They will accumulate certifications pertaining to their areas of specialty as they complete these trainings.

Do you perform background checks on your employees?

Why you should ask – You’re entrusting this locksmith with a lot.  Think about it for a moment – the technician you hire will have full access to your facility and everything inside it. It’s vital to the ongoing security of your facility, employees, and patrons the person with that access is a trustworthy individual.

Remember, this process should be followed for any and all new technicians that work on ANY of your locations. But, if the thought of doing this across all of your locations makes your head spin, you may want to consider working with a National Service Provider (NSP).  Kaitlyn wrote a great post on questions to ask before hiring a NSP – check that out for a good place to start.

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