Stop us if this scenario seems a bit, familiar. You ran out of the house in the morning, leaving your keys oh so not conveniently on the upstairs dresser, but somehow managing to lock the doors behind you. Or perhaps sometime during your afternoon walk your keys mysteriously slipped out of your pocket and into the blackhole of downtown streets, park paths and nature trails you frequent. Worst yet, maybe a late night out has conveniently erased your memory of exactly where your keys were left, but whichever establishment you’re pretty sure you couldn’t muster up the courage to show your face there again to ask.
Enter the need for a locksmith and their handy, ever-ready lockout services. But before you grab the phone to dial up the first $19 special you come across online, there’s a few things you should know about flat-rate fees that could help an annoying scenario from becoming a nightmare of extra costs, fees and poor results.
What You Get for $19
What cut-rate locksmith companies often fail to tell you when it comes to lockouts is that they $19 fee only pays for the initial call. Sure, getting the locksmith to your home or auto is important, but doesn’t exactly cut it if you want to gain access to your locked-out property. Once the locksmith is on site you’ll often be charged additional fees far greater than the initial $19 hook.
The Bait and Switch Game
This $19 initial fee is often a form of bait and switch, designed to get unwary customers to pony up big fees, many times far in excess of what you would have paid a professional locksmith that disclosed their costs up front. By the time the company is on site, customers have already paid the initial $19 call fee and companies use this knowledge to ratchet up the price of their services, playing on the fact that customers won’t want to wait for another company or be out what amounts to a deposit on the actual cost of a lockout.
Individual Locks Equal Individual Pricing
The reason flat-rate pricing doesn’t work for most lockout cases is that each scenario is different when it comes to the service that must be provided to help gain access to your property. Deadbolt types, car doors and alarms and various other locking mechanisms all need to be assessed for the proper amount of work and materials needed to complete the job. While professional locksmiths strive to keep their prices reasonable across the board, it’s often difficult to provide the same rate to clients with wildly varying lockout situations.
Quality, Experience and Professionalism Cost Less in the Long Run
As you can see, going with the initial low-cost savings plan may not work out in the long run when it comes to hiring a locksmith for your lockout needs. That $19 investment buys you nothing more than a locksmith’s trip out to you and often ends up costing you more than a call to a professional locksmith company would at the outset.
In addition, experienced and professional locksmith companies show up on time with the tools they need to get the job done and offer 100% customer satisfaction guarantees to ensure that the work performed is exactly as requested. If you’re in need of lockout services or general locksmith services, call A-1 Locksmith for all your security needs. Our licensed and bonded technicians will ensure you gain access to your vehicle, home or property and provide complete detailed estimates and invoicing for all work performed. With A-1 Locksmith, you can rest assured knowing the safety of your home and family is in the hands of experienced professionals.
Also, we offer a flat-rate lockout fee that is all inclusive and surprise free.
