The advantages of working as a mobile locksmith
There are a number of jobs which would be practically impossible without having transport. An ambulance driver for one or at the other end of the scale (although just as life-saving on a cold winter’s day outside the football ground) a burger van operator. And how would Lewis Hamilton manage to earn all that money that he keeps away from the tax man without his Formula One car. To this select bunch, you can add me (although rest assured my tax affairs are all totally above board), as I simply could not carry out my job without being mobile. My van is my office and workshop combined and I couldn’t imagine my working life without it.
It’s true that some locksmiths do operate out of a shop, but it’s not for me. I feel I can provide a much better service to my customers by being totally mobile and out in the community. Below, I’ll talk about a few of the advantages of this method of working and why I’ve decided this is the best way to work.
Response time
I pride myself on being able to arrive at most jobs within the space of an hour. Being out and about means that the time between me receiving a call or message on my mobile phone, and arriving at a customer’s home or place of work is kept to the very minimum. When you’ve locked yourself out of your house and are stuck in the cold there’s not much worse than having to go through a call centre, being on hold for hours, and being passed from pillar to post before finally being told someone will be with you next Wednesday. Depending on where I am at the time of your call, I can be on the scene in a matter of minutes in some instances. I don’t have to wait for my shop or office to shut before coming out, because my van IS my workplace – I’ll just bring it along with me!
Availability
It would be lovely if lock emergencies only happened on weekdays between the hours of 9am and 4pm. But then again, it would be lovely if Sandra Bullock turned up at my house, dropped off a couple of million pounds, and asked if I had a spare room for the night. Unfortunately we have to deal with reality here. Many times you’ll need a locksmith out of these hours and it may not be safe to be kept waiting days for a call out. Because I work remotely, it means I have much greater flexibility over when I can attend. Often I get a call and I’ll have been working in the area when a customer calls – in these cases it’s a win-win situation. I can’t always promise to come out all hours of the day and night but I will do whatever I can, and if I can’t attend there and then, I’ll be totally open about it and keep you informed.
Location, location, location
I think it was Heineken beer that was advertised as refreshing the parts that other beers couldn’t reach. Now I’m not saying I’m the Heineken of the locksmith world, but there are certainly very few locations I can’t get to in my van. Whether you’re out on a country road, in a remote farmhouse, or halfway up a mountain path, I endeavour to be with you as quickly as possible. My van contains all the tools and parts I need for most jobs, so in the majority of cases I will be able to resolve the problem there and then rather than needing further call backs. This is far more convenient for customers, not to mention much more cost effective, reducing prices for all.
No lack of expertise
There is sometimes a mistaken assumption that working remotely somehow means you’re not as qualified or established as someone working from a fixed base. Well, with over 20 years experience, and technical knowledge that is second to none, I can safely say I disprove that thought. Years of working in the field, and continually keeping abreast of any new technology or legislation means you won’t find many better qualified than I am. Needless to say, I’m a member of the Association of Accredited Locksmiths, and have all the relevant police and insurance approval.
Happy customers
It’s all very well me saying how great I am (ahem). You won’t just want to take my word for it. Take a minute to look at the customer comments on my site, or check out my Google reviews. I find so many customers through word of mouth from people who are happy with the service I’ve provided, and it’s always cheering when I hear customers have passed on a good word or two about me. At the end of the day I enjoy my job and take pride in doing a job well, so positive customer feedback is always very satisfying. It also means I’m proud to be driving around a van with my name on the side. I can think of a few businesses where if people did that, they’d be met with quite hostile reactions – I’m happy to say that’s not something I’ve experienced, and I’m glad customers can see me driving around the area and remember the efficient, professional job I did for them – there’s no advertising like it.