Four Qualities of a Good Locksmith 160909

What makes a good locksmith different from a bad one? Many prospective locksmiths will ask themselves this question, and there are many possible answers that can be given. This article describes four characteristics which are common to most highly successful locksmiths, and which offer a strong model for any new locksmiths to try to emulate.

People Skills

For any locksmith job, but particularly for emergency ones, it is of crucial importance that the customer is put at their ease, and feels comfortable letting you into their home to work. For this reason, being a good locksmith means being good with people. A strong sense of humour can be a big help, as well as a professional manner that reassures the customer that you know exactly what you are doing.

The people skills aspect of the job is one of the reasons why ex-military personnel often make good locksmiths - they tend to be self-confident and very well-mannered as a result of their military training, which always creates a great impression on customers.

Knowledge

Locksmithing involves coming up against a variety of different challenges on a daily basis, and the best locksmiths are those with the in-depth knowledge to know exactly what to do in any given situation. A busy locksmith will regularly encounter cylinder locks, mortice locks, backsets and uPVC doors, and each of these will require a different approach.

Much of the knowledge required for advanced locksmithing comes from in-field experience, but a trainee locksmith can still do their best to read up on lock-picking theory and choose a thorough training course to give themselves the best possible start in the industry.

Dedication

Like all tradesmen, locksmiths rely on a strong reputation among their customers to succeed against the competition. The best way to do this is by going the extra mile on every job you do, and creating a lasting good impression in each customer's mind.

While some poorly motivated locksmiths may get away with doing shoddy quick fixes and overcharging for jobs on a few occasions, the reputational damage it will do to their brand will end up costing them more in the long run, as they lose out on repeat business and word of their bad service spreads.

Flexibility

It is a fact of life that people always get locked out of their homes at the most inconvenient times possible. It is therefore quite hard for a locksmith to keep regular hours when the nature of their work is so irregular. The answer for a new locksmith is to be willing to be flexible in your working schedule, and accept that that you may initially have to work nights to maximise your income and experience.

The four qualities discussed above are among the most important for anyone working in the locksmithing industry to possess, and go a long way to separating the good locksmiths from the bad. In such a competitive industry, it is not enough to simply do an adequate job reasonably competently - excelling as a locksmith means doing an outstanding job expertly.