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Being Careful when Calling in a Locksmith
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Locksmithing is an ancient and honorable profession, one that has been popular in Europe since the middle ages, when locks first became prevalent in society. Ever since then, good locksmiths have helped people protect and access their property, right up to the present day.
The vast majority of locksmiths are genuine, honorable, qualified and legitimate operators. Like many professions than need trust, there are those few who make things difficult for the rest of us. The need for security is one of the basest needs we have. After that of warmth, food and shelter, to feel safe is one of our most basic requirements. However fast or far society advances, that won’t change any time soon and until it does, locksmiths will always be in demand.
So how do you choose a legitimate locksmith? By following a couple of really simple rules and preparing in advance. It stands to reason you’re going to need our services at one point, so it makes sense to research and prepare in advance. Check local businesses, Yellow Pages, industry websites, word of mouth and other sources to find a good tradesman.
A legitimate locksmith will have a registered business address if not a retail store. If you find one over the internet, check the address with your local Chamber of Commerce, or other entity that can verify the existence of a business. That way you have a trail that can be followed if necessary. Put the business name through a search engine and see what’s said about them. Look in particular for forums or other social sites where feedback can be left. They can often be a good source of positive or negative feedback about a tradesman.
Only choose a locksmith that is industry affiliated. That means a member of Associated Locksmiths of America and other state run bodies. A locksmith needs a license to operate, and those licenses are administrated somewhere, check there. If the chosen smith isn’t a member of any trade body, move on.
This might seem a lot of work, but it will only take 10 minutes in reality, and considering you’re trusting the security of your home, car and family to them, it isn’t time wasted. Doing this research now will prevent you panicking and phoning the first one you find. Once you have a “favorite” locksmith, keep his number handy in the home and in your purse or wallet. You might need their services while you’re out or locked out of your home.
A good locksmith will also quote you a price over the phone. It will be only an estimate as we never know what we’re going to find until we get there. If your locksmith of choice hedges or won’t give a quote over the phone, move on. Even if we can’t give you a definite figure we can certainly quote our call-out and dollar per hour as a guide.
Do yourself a favor, stop reading this and go find yourself a legitimate locksmith right now. You’ll be glad you did one day.
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Using Access Control Systems
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There is much more to being a locksmith than just getting people back into their houses or cars. It used to be that you had to learn each new lock that came onto the market, have the right picks and know how to defeat each one. There weren’t that many new products coming online so it was fairly easy to keep up.
Nowadays we have to almost be computer engineers as well as locksmiths. There are as many electronic locks and access control systems around that we’re expected to know now too. For the most part these are mainly restricted to commercial and business properties, but higher value residential homes are also embracing the electronic age.
Larger businesses have contracts with the security company to maintain their systems, but for smaller businesses or when these security companies prove unreliable, we get called. Not only do these devices protect the property, they also track and trace staff and allow managers to check attendance, timekeeping and movements around the building. There are different types of access control system a locksmith needs to know about, here are the different types.
Magstripe readers are used extensively in commercial properties, otherwise known as swipe card readers. Employees are given a card which corresponds to their names and access level, which permits or denies access to certain parts of the building as the management dictate. They are very efficient and easy to use, which is why they are so popular.
Control panels are mainly used for building access only. They generally consist of a keypad, into which an employee can enter a combination code to access the door. Fairly typical of many external entrances to commercial property.
Biometrics are becoming increasingly popular in access control. Either using retinal or fingerprint scanning to access buildings, or departments as the business sees fit. These are often restricted to high value businesses, laboratories and those with security concerns. They are quite expensive to fit and maintain.
Proximity readers are also quite popular as access controls. These used RFID or other radio medium to broadcast an identity to a proximity control. This then verifies and allows or disallows access to parts of a building. They are useful because they need no interaction from the user in order to work. They can be carried on the person and are picked up as they approach the reader. These are popular, partly thanks to the Disability Discrimination Act and the fact that non-able bodied people had difficulty with many forms of access control.
A locksmith is expected to know most of these systems. It’s impossible to know all of them, which is why we all specialize. There is simple too much on the market right now to know it all, and know it well. Our toolbox now has as much electronic gadgetry in it as traditional locksmithing equipment and we are having to learn computers as well as metalwork. It’s a brave new world in locksmithing.
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Southwest Florida Locksmith: Naples, Bonita, Cape Coral, Lehigh, Fort Myers
(0)Purchasing a high security lock or security system is an effective way of protecting your home or office. Don’t leave it until the last minute, or after you have been burgled because by then it’s too late.
Do it when it occurs to you, or after reading this. Being pro-active about security should be second nature to us, but it seems only parts of it are. We are increasingly aware of personal security, about being safe in the dark or built up areas, we know about internet security and the importance of firewalls and the problems of identity theft. Yet we seem woefully ignorant about the most prevalent form of security in the world. The locks on our doors to keep the world at bay.
There needs to be much more thought put into this subject by all home and business owners out there. It’s no good leaving it until you come home to find your front door open, or your office emptied.
A little research and awareness can save a whole lot of trouble down the road. The internet is a great source of information, but you can’t beat a locksmith for up-to-date information and advice. We spend our lives researching and learning the best in our industry just so we can assist people in your situation. We would much rather help you prevent a crime than help you clear up after one.
For securing a residential property, a combination of a cylinder security lock and a deadbolt on all external doors would be ideal.. The combination of locks serve as an excellent safeguard for even the most determined burglar. The different technologies complement each other. A cylinder may be breached by a skillful person, but the physical barrier of a good deadlock won’t be beaten except by a determined physical attack. Most burglars won’t try this as it make too much noise and takes too much time.
To secure commercial properties, a range of solutions are available. For the high value, larger company, an electronic security device coupled with a euro cylinder lock would be a good place to start. If money is no object then a magnetic lock controlled by access cards and a PIN would also be a good deterrent. Even if the card is lost, the PIN adds another layer of security to it.
If you use euro locks, ensure they are a certified 5 or 6 pin tumbler. They should also come with concealed mountings for electrical locking.
Now do you see the kind of information a locksmith can provide? Good, up to date, clear advice that won’t cost the earth and will make you and your property safer in the long term.
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Starting your own locksmithing company
(0)Posted on November 6th, 2009adminBonita Locksmith, Buckingham Locksmith, Estero Locksmith, Fort Myers Locksmith, Naples LocksmithStarting your own locksmithing business can be a daunting prospect, as can starting any kind of business. It is a profession that is always moving, evolving and you will have to keep up if you want to be successful.
If you can cope with the constant learning and development, then locksmithing is a rewarding career. It is one of the few permanently “in demand” businesses. Despite the economic gloom of the last couple of years, those of us in security have seen no drop in demand for our services.
If the economy is doing well, our services are in demand because criminals want all the nice fruits of people’s labor. If the economy isn’t doing well, criminals are more desperate for money and burgle more. For us, it’s a win-win situation.
A lot of the job is about allaying fear. While the majority of people will never be burgled, they will be affected by the fear of being burgled. Our job is to make them feel as secure as possible by providing the best advice, guidance and equipment to help them secure their property.
The vast majority of us are “one man bands”, sole operators who run our own business and work alone. There are larger firms out there, but they are in the minority. It’s often by choice that locksmiths stay small. It keeps things simple and allows you to specialize in something. Growing large complicates matters somewhat and you will invariably spend more time running the business side of things than helping people.
While it may sound morally wrong, we work on fear. People are afraid of being burgled or attacked in their home, and we have to capitalize on that. There is nothing wrong with demonstrating how easy it can be to break into a clients car or home to show them how vulnerable they are. You have to keep it within limits though, and only do it to prove a point, not to scare them into buying stuff they don’t need.
To last any amount of time in this business you will need to join trade associations and any local locksmith guilds. Not only will they add a bit of credibility to your operation, but they can also help with advice. They helped me with business advice, financial as well as trade skills, training and holding seminars describing the new innovations in the industry. While you may be a sole trader, no man is an island. Engage your local locksmiths and keep in touch. Don’t be afraid to share information and be nice. There is enough business out there for us all.
Being a locksmith involves constantly working, developing and training. Keeping on top of developments is almost a full-time job in itself. As long as you are the type of person who can cope with constant change, and have a genuine desire to help people, this could be a trade for you.
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