(I have been a printer technician for 15 years and am considering a career change*) One thing I do for printer calls if the issue isn't obvious or the client seems to have trouble describing the issue: Ask the customer to email you a photo. These days (2022) everyone has a camera handy. For Locksmithing a clear photo of the lock, door, and any available keys would probably cover all the bases.
Great videos, I really enjoyed the vacant house jobs, I cut my teeth on that kind of work. I had a house once that appeared to have a dead body in the bedroom, called the cops out, they went thru the house and found it was a pile of blankets and a throw pillow which had long gold fringe that looked like hair. It looked like a body in bed. Even the cops were freaked out when they first entered the bedroom. They agreed it did look like a body. I’ve had houses where people were living in them, and had to deal with that. The strangest thing is when you unlock a deadbolt and then it relocks from inside with a warning about having a gun, And go away Your 5 questions to ask customers is Spot on today I have customers send me photos to answer many of those questions. Great stuff I’ll subscribe now Byron B&B Mobile Locksmith’s Canton, Michigan
Good info! Here’s what I get...caller: I’m locked out of my car. Me: what kind of car is it...caller: it’s a blue car...me: where is the car....caller: in my yard. 😂😎
I hate it when I asked him where the car is and they tell me it’s in their driveway. Beside of my house. I just patiently pause and then I say I promise you if you don’t give me your address I will never find your locked car because I have never been to your house before. 😂
I've screwed myself before because I didn't pay attention to the number of doors requiring service on the work order. Figure it's a standard 3 door/6 cylinder rekey and arrive to ten exterior doors all requiring rekey. It'll really put a hitch in your giddyup.
Never really thought about that but it was interesting. I liked your options if there is glass next to the door and double deadbolt recommendation with a key close by for fire egress. People have no idea of smashing the glass or the fire issue.🍺✌
I'll admit, I'm considering getting into locksmithing and I'm happy I found this video because I had been wondering about the proof part of opening someone's doors and while I had thought of asking for the title or insurance last night, I was wondering still since you know, sometimes "Well, it's my mom's car/my friend's car and such." so it's helpful to know just walk if there isn't proof or at least hard proof.
AAA…. Was called.. said they would be there.. in 3 hours.. then never showed… the lady then was told she should find someone else… 5 hours later at 9:30 pm… I was called.. and was there in 20 minutes… mission completed 🥰 happy customer.. happier wallet 🙂👍
great questions. Too bad the customers often give wrong answers. I ask about the shape of the key head. is it round? - That means 5pin ruko, and mostly easy money. A square head means 6+ pins, possible sidebar. so risk of carbide and replacement parts.
keys in the states can have funky shapes. kwikset have sort of a hexagonal head, and schlage has a wild head with all kinds of angles on it. beyond that, segals, weisers, and dexters have pretty similar looking keys, round can be either american, master, or yale, ilco can be shaped like pretty much anything, and on top of that there are all kinds of novelty keys available for most of these brands. "my key is shaped like an ak47" isn't helpful
If they have both pieces of a broken key. I've had customers that have actually pulled the broken key out instead of jamming the broken key deeper in the lock.
Rune International if people are out of town and the pet sitter locked keys up they can. I’ve done it quite a few times especially when I get there to find a stupid smart key lock :) makes it much easier
Thanks Jason i find your videos interesting, informative, and entertaining keep em coming plz. I noticed a newspaper clip on your wall just being nosy ??
Gerry B our local free press paper m.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/jason-meeks/?templates=mobile the writer was off on a few dates. Here’s another from a larger publication amp.clarionledger.com/amp/19671715
Oh ok more hassle than worth ? You seem to fly through key changes re pinning i guess it's experience but still impressive, Would you say key cutting is your bread & butter or lock-out's ?
His bread and butter, (for income earned) is largely, likely, access control, lockouts, and key systems management for larger, corporate clients. That’s how it was for me at my last gig.
Just to be an agitator, it is possible for me to have my dead bolt lock without a key. its an old huber deadbolt on the inside with an ancient yale cylinder on the exterior that is spring loaded, the knob lock is dead and hasnt been functional for many years so only the deadbolt is used.
why do they make locks that keep you from removing the key when its locked? I've run into this problem multiple times with dead bolts. What is the point of locking something if you have to keep the key in the lock and can only remove it when its unlocked? It only makes sense for a prison, or a bomb shelter.
However, some of this info. is hard to extract from people. If they don’t want to take the time to answer them..... maybe it’s time to pass on this call. I have done that a lot!
I've had it happen many times that I drive a long distance to unlock a house, and the customer cancels in the last minute because some handyman neighbor of theirs got them in somehow. They refuse to pay the trip charge, or they won't answer the phone...is there anything I can do?
It happens, I thank them for calling and ask them to keep me in mind for the next time, and there will be a next time. By being nice and not demanding a trip charge you are more likely to get future business and referrals because you were nice, Remember, Scammers are not nice and only out to take all they can from our customers.
My favorite on car lockouts Is when you ask wheres the car and they say "At My House or In My Garage.!!!!!!"
(I have been a printer technician for 15 years and am considering a career change*) One thing I do for printer calls if the issue isn't obvious or the client seems to have trouble describing the issue: Ask the customer to email you a photo. These days (2022) everyone has a camera handy. For Locksmithing a clear photo of the lock, door, and any available keys would probably cover all the bases.
It’s definitely pretty common for us to request pics now :) saves a lot of time
Great videos, I really enjoyed the vacant house jobs, I cut my teeth on that kind of work. I had a house once that appeared to have a dead body in the bedroom, called the cops out, they went thru the house and found it was a pile of blankets and a throw pillow which had long gold fringe that looked like hair. It looked like a body in bed.
Even the cops were freaked out when they first entered the bedroom. They agreed it did look like a body.
I’ve had houses where people were living in them, and had to deal with that.
The strangest thing is when you unlock a deadbolt and then it relocks from inside with a warning about having a gun, And go away
Your 5 questions to ask customers is
Spot on today I have customers send me photos to answer many of those questions.
Great stuff
I’ll subscribe now
Byron
B&B Mobile Locksmith’s
Canton, Michigan
Good info! Here’s what I get...caller: I’m locked out of my car. Me: what kind of car is it...caller: it’s a blue car...me: where is the car....caller: in my yard. 😂😎
Debbie Anderson ALL.THE.TIME 😂😂🙄
I imagine you get a lot of Friday and Saturday night calls from people in "compromised" states of mind. :)
I hate it when I asked him where the car is and they tell me it’s in their driveway. Beside of my house. I just patiently pause and then I say I promise you if you don’t give me your address I will never find your locked car because I have never been to your house before. 😂
I have a feeling this will be a video I will return to many times for the reminders. Thanks for taking the time to do this Jason!
Good video. Wonderful coverage of the subject!
I've screwed myself before because I didn't pay attention to the number of doors requiring service on the work order. Figure it's a standard 3 door/6 cylinder rekey and arrive to ten exterior doors all requiring rekey. It'll really put a hitch in your giddyup.
Never really thought about that but it was interesting. I liked your options if there is glass next to the door and double deadbolt recommendation with a key close by for fire egress. People have no idea of smashing the glass or the fire issue.🍺✌
I'll admit, I'm considering getting into locksmithing and I'm happy I found this video because I had been wondering about the proof part of opening someone's doors and while I had thought of asking for the title or insurance last night, I was wondering still since you know, sometimes "Well, it's my mom's car/my friend's car and such." so it's helpful to know just walk if there isn't proof or at least hard proof.
AAA…. Was called.. said they would be there.. in 3 hours.. then never showed… the lady then was told she should find someone else… 5 hours later at 9:30 pm… I was called.. and was there in 20 minutes… mission completed 🥰 happy customer.. happier wallet 🙂👍
Very informative.
These are useful for when I start up.
Thank you for taking the time to do this video.
I love the CC tip thing. Trip charge. Great tip
Seems easy, but the information is either critical or useful to speed up the call.
Very Nice Jason. Great Video. Keep up the great work. Nick🧔🏽.
Great info.!!!!!
“Yeah, uh, hi, I’m just calling....”
Can you do a vid on all the stupidist comments made by customers?!😉👌
great questions. Too bad the customers often give wrong answers. I ask about the shape of the key head. is it round? - That means 5pin ruko, and mostly easy money.
A square head means 6+ pins, possible sidebar. so risk of carbide and replacement parts.
keys in the states can have funky shapes. kwikset have sort of a hexagonal head, and schlage has a wild head with all kinds of angles on it. beyond that, segals, weisers, and dexters have pretty similar looking keys, round can be either american, master, or yale, ilco can be shaped like pretty much anything, and on top of that there are all kinds of novelty keys available for most of these brands. "my key is shaped like an ak47" isn't helpful
You can also as if they can e-mail or text you a picture of the key.
King Street Rob yes, I never mentioned it but a quick email clears up many questions :) especially when they say “brown lock” 😂
Good enough picture and you can decode the key for a simple lockout. Already have it cut before you get there.
King Street Rob if they can take a detailed photo of the key, they are most likely not locked out.
If they have both pieces of a broken key. I've had customers that have actually pulled the broken key out instead of jamming the broken key deeper in the lock.
Rune International if people are out of town and the pet sitter locked keys up they can. I’ve done it quite a few times especially when I get there to find a stupid smart key lock :) makes it much easier
question 6: can you tumble the tumblers?
Thanks Jason i find your videos interesting, informative, and entertaining keep em coming plz. I noticed a newspaper clip on
your wall just being nosy ??
Gerry B our local free press paper m.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/jason-meeks/?templates=mobile the writer was off on a few dates. Here’s another from a larger publication amp.clarionledger.com/amp/19671715
Cheer's Jason i meant to ask if you worked on safe's & Vault's a whole different ballgame ?
Gerry B I do a bit but mostly only combo changes :) if it’s locked I pass on it
Oh ok more hassle than worth ? You seem to fly through key changes re pinning i guess it's experience but still impressive, Would you say key cutting is your bread & butter or lock-out's ?
His bread and butter, (for income earned) is largely, likely, access control, lockouts, and key systems management for larger, corporate clients.
That’s how it was for me at my last gig.
Just to be an agitator, it is possible for me to have my dead bolt lock without a key. its an old huber deadbolt on the inside with an ancient yale cylinder on the exterior that is spring loaded, the knob lock is dead and hasnt been functional for many years so only the deadbolt is used.
Lock without a key? Sure. Mind me asking how you plan on getting back in? Better yet, how would you lock it when you leave?
why do they make locks that keep you from removing the key when its locked? I've run into this problem multiple times with dead bolts. What is the point of locking something if you have to keep the key in the lock and can only remove it when its unlocked? It only makes sense for a prison, or a bomb shelter.
However, some of this info. is hard to extract from people. If they don’t want to take the time to answer them..... maybe it’s time to pass on this call. I have done that a lot!
I've had it happen many times that I drive a long distance to unlock a house, and the customer cancels in the last minute because some handyman neighbor of theirs got them in somehow. They refuse to pay the trip charge, or they won't answer the phone...is there anything I can do?
3:56 Ask for their creditcard number up front, put a reserve on it.
It happens, I thank them for calling and ask them to keep me in mind for the next time, and there will be a next time.
By being nice and not demanding a trip charge you are more likely to get future business and referrals because you were nice,
Remember, Scammers are not nice and only out to take all they can from our customers.