While some states require locksmiths to have a license many others don’t have specific rules, only general business standards that apply to all companies. This means that anyone who wants to become a locksmith regardless of his criminal record can go online and buy lock picking tools and advertise themselves as “Professional Locksmith.” We believe this is wrong in so many ways for both the industry but mainly for the customers and here are the reasons why.
Reasons locksmiths should be licensed
Lacking skills inexperienced locksmiths
Anyone no matter their background or training can show up at your door claiming to be well-experienced professional locksmith. This can damage the reputation of the profession and ruin the good name of hardworking certified locksmith technicians who made a great effort to acquire not only knowledge but also experience.
Licensed locksmith are insured
The main difference between a good locksmith and a bad one comes down to their experience but experience comes after earning the right knowledge. Locksmith courses teach basic skills and offer real expertise coming from hands-on practice. It can take an apprentice a year or two to master even the basics of the trades as some locks are tricky to handle and even experienced locksmiths may accidentally damage a lock. Certified licensed locksmith are usually also insured and if they do damage your lock or door you are covered and you won’t be stranded or ignored. An experienced locksmith will have the right knowledge that is needed to use non-destructive methods to deal with emergency lockout situations.
Low quality expensive service
Many new locksmiths struggle to find work especially in big cities where the competition is tough, so in order to get started they work for Large companies of locksmiths throughout the country which provide them with jobs but take for themselves big percentage cut from the payment. This means when you call one of those big national company you will get an inexperienced locksmith who might not deliver a proper service. On top of that prices will be higher, not because the service or parts are better in quality but because they need to cover that cut in additional to their labor and parts.
Sophisticated smart marketing can fool you
Some so called ‘faked locksmiths’ use Google ads to promote their business and appear at the top of search results pretending to be the best service provider in your area while many trustworthy locksmiths are pushed to the bottom of the list because of expensive advertising costs, it can make it easier for scammers to win your search and get the job they are not entitled to it.
Let’s be clear about it
Locksmiths should be licensed period! If not scammers will be able to take advantage of helpless customers and not only overcharge them but also damage their properties. Licensed locksmiths have the right training, they are insurance and they have the proper experience ensuring a reliable, non-destructive work.
