Finding a Good Locksmith
If you are determined to find a good locksmith you’ll need to know what to look for. Finding a good locksmith takes a little research but it will certainly be well worth your efforts in the beginning. You’ll have to be cautious and observant if you want to be sure that you’re actually hiring someone who is considered to be a good locksmith. Ju st because you are more familiar with one service provider to another doesn’t make them better. It just means that they may advertise more than the other service provider.
If you are now looking for the best and most qualified locksmiths in North Chicago, you’ll need to know what it is that you are looking for. When you start calling around to speak with the different service providers in the area what you might not know is that you’re contacting the same service. There are some locksmith services that have more than one number and when you contact that number you’re actually contacting the same service provider. They do this in hopes of making you think that you are calling a different service provider. When you contact a call center, that same service provider may have the call center helping answer their calls. When a locksmith is dispatched it may be coming from a different service provider than you thought you were hiring. The problem is that the locksmiths they dispatch may not be as qualified and they may not have had a background check ran on them. This is extremely important for you to verify upfront, as your safety and security is at stake.
There are some locksmiths that will offer you a really low rate to get you to contact them. Once you do, they will be able to get you to believe that this low rate is all that you have to be concerned with. However, what they will do later is charge you more for things that were not disclosed up front. This practice is called the bat and switch. They will do the work and then when completed, they will charge you some thing different than what you saw advertised or that you were quoted. You can avoid this by making sure you are hiring a good and trustworthy locksmith. There are some that might even insist that you pay them in cash, especially if you seem reluctant to pay at all. You definitely do not want to do business with these types of service providers. You can find an inexpensive locksmith, within reason, if you do your homework. Here are some things that you should look out for when attempting to find a good locksmith in North Chicago:
Finding a Good & Trustworthy Locksmith
Pay Attention to Their Greeting: Pay close attention to the name of the company when you call. If they answer with a general greeting and do not use the name of the company then you are likely calling a call center. This means they will simply route your call to the first locksmith that is available.
Check business reviews: People will usually tell others when they are not satisfied with a certain service provider, which is why you should check online business review sites before choosing a locksmith. If the locksmith service has received more favorable reviews than negative reviews then it is a good chance that they have good locksmiths who have been professionally vetted and background checked.
They have a physical address: The fact that they have a physical address establishes them as a legit business entity. If the address of the locksmith you are considering doesn’t show a physical address online, you can always ask if they have one.
Get a written estimate: If you don’t get a written estimate then the locksmith is able to charge you whatever they like. In fact, a good locksmith will offer you a written estimate so that you will know what type of expenses you are about to incur. Your estimate should include: mileage fees, labor, parts replaced, emergency calls and service calls. If it doesn’t, ask them if there is an additional fee for the service that is missing and if they can put that in writing.
Professional license: Ask the locksmith to show you their license and other credentials. If they are unable to offer these then you should kindly ask them to leave. You do not want to do business with a locksmith that doesn’t have a license or insurance.
Upon Arrival of the Locksmith
After hiring a locksmith there are some things that you need to look at when they arrive, as a precaution prior to the start of work.
- Make sure they immediately identify who they are and who they work for
- Look outside to see if the vehicle they drove has the name of the company marked on it. If it does, make sure that it is the name of the company you hired. If it doesn’t then this is not a good sign. You should not continue with the services, as the one you researched should be the one that you are doing business with
- Ask for them to show you their identification if they do not readily offer it to you
- Ask for any credentials, such as insurance and license. If they are unable to present them to you then do not proceed with their services
- Don’t sign anything without reading it first
- Check to make sure that the written estimate is the same as the services you discussed if you spoke over the telephone
If you take the necessary time upfront to research a good locksmith, we’re sure that you will fare much better in terms of the quality of service that they have to offer to you.