Over the past few years the number of automotive locksmith services being offered has more than doubled. One of the reasons for this sudden increase in these services is the growing number of vehicles on the road and the second reason being that its good money. An automotive locksmith can easily make twice as much as a regular locksmith and in half the time. The more experienced he or she is the more clients they will get. But in between the experienced and often expensive automotive locksmiths are those who are out to scam people and ones with no experience both of which should be avoided at all costs. Below we look at five signs that the locksmith you’re considering is not good.
Sign no. 1: The Business is not registered
All legitimate automotive locksmith services need to be registered. If the business you are interested in hiring is not registered or they do not have a registration or license number chances are that either they are trying to fly under the radar to avoid paying taxes which means that they are unreliable or they are running a scam. Either way its best to stay away from businesses that are not registered. Not being registered also means that they may also not be very good at what they do and so you’re essentially doing business with them at your own risk which is not recommended.
Sign no. 2: They have just opened Shop
Sure, there are many new automotive locksmith services opening up around the world and some of them are even good but most are not. New automotive locksmith services which have essentially been setup by people who have recently been certified or those who may have come from another city often mean that you do not know what to expect when it comes to quality of service. You also don’t know if you can go back to them if the problem returns a few days later. Even though these new services may be cheap and may look more than willing to help get your car door opened or locks fixed you should opt to pass. These are services that are best used by people who have cheap vehicles with easy to understand locks that a newbie locksmith can work on and practice.
Sign no. 3: No Insurance
There are some automotive locksmith services that try to save on insurance so they don’t have any. That said like any other good service having insurance is vital for even automotive locksmiths. Not having insurance is a sign that the locksmith is either not confident in the work he or she does or they are just not making enough to buy insurance. Either way these are the services you should avoid because if something goes wrong you’re not going to be covered by the locksmith’s insurance which could mean more money out of your pocket than you save. Always ask the locksmith if he is fully insured and if possible even ask to see proof of it prior to allowing them to work on your vehicle.
Sign no. 4: They have a Generic Name
You have probably come across quite a few advertisements both online and offline for automotive locksmiths but instead of having a real name they have names like “24/7 Locksmith” or “Auto locksmith” etc. Even though just seeing this in an advertisement should raise a red flag you should also call up the service. Ask what their registered name is and if they insist that it’s this generic term that they are using then there is a good chance that these are scammers. If anything these locksmiths should be reported to the authorities because they are not registered and are deliberately being secretive about something which should be publically known. In the essence of saving time simply avoid them.
Sign no. 5: They don’t have References
Any good automotive locksmith in any city around the world would have at least fixed the locks of a few dozen cars throughout the year. Out of these dozens of vehicle owners they have helped they should be able to provide you with a few references. Leading automotive locksmith services like Marco Automotive Locksmiths has years of experience and a long list of references they can give clients on demand which is why they are so widely trusted.
Citations:
Mark is an automotive locksmith with over twenty years of industry experience. In addition to being an expert with auto locks he is also an expert with alarm systems and the newest electronic locks. Over the years he has helped hundreds of car owners to continue to visit him and have referred countless others to his service