How To Become an Emergency Locksmith

Have you been wondering how to become an emergency Locksmith? There are a few different avenues that you can take that will get you to where you want to be, and a few key skills that are essential to have. Keep reading our blog to find out the best way to become an emergency Locksmith and the best skills to have.

What is an Emergency Locksmith?

An emergency Locksmith is someone who’s able to go and help a customer out as quickly as possible. They’re normally needed for emergency situations, for example if someone is locked out of home or locked out of car. They usually respond with urgency and will come and as quickly as they are able. For example, Keytek® Locksmiths emergency Locksmiths aim to be with a customer within 30 minutes*.

Get a Locksmith Qualification

Although not a currently a legal requirement with current legislation, it’s important to note that you need the proper skills and knowledge to have a trustworthy and solid foundation for a Locksmithing business. It’s also important to note that legislation may change in the future making it a requirement to have completed a course and gained an accreditation or qualification in order to run a Locksmithing business.

Therefore, we suggest that one of the first things you need to look into having to become an emergency Locksmith is getting a qualification or an accreditation. This will not only give you the skills and knowledge to start your own Locksmithing business, but it’ll also allow you to join most Locksmithing networks for you to get extra jobs in.

At Keytek Locksmithing Academy, we have an experienced and highly qualified trainer to teach you everything you need to know about becoming an emergency Locksmith and share key industry knowledge and insight. From the admin side such as risk assessments and providing quotations for jobs, to the practical elements such as identifying lock types, opening uPVC, wooden or car locks, and diagnosing and fixing lock issues.

How Much Does it Cost to Become a Locksmith UK?

Depending on the course you complete it can cost between £2,000 to £2,600 to complete a Locksmithing course which will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to become a Locksmith and start your own business.

When thinking about the cost to become a Locksmith, it’s also important to think about the business start-up costs too, such as purchasing a van and the tools required, the stock to carry around the required insurance to comply with the law.

How Long Does it Take to Train as a Locksmith in the UK?

It can take around a week to two weeks to complete one of our Locksmithing courses, depending on which course you complete. After training on a course to be a Locksmith, you can then start your business straight away, but it can take a while for you to feel comfortable as you gain experience on the job.

Quick Thinking and Acting

As an emergency Locksmith, you need to be able to easily juggle multiple jobs and find good routes, so you get to each job in the quickest amount of time. When you get a new call in, you’ll need to quickly figure out when you can do it and the best way to get there in the quickest amount of time, so the customer isn’t waiting around for you all day.

Customer Service

Customer service is a key skill as a Locksmith. Whether you have a stressed-out customer from them being locked out of home or locked out of car, or they have a damaged lock that needs diagnosing and fixing, calming the customer down and being mindful and helpful in those situations will always make things easier.

Admin and Math Skills

Administration is essential for several reasons. From booking appointments and keeping your calendar organised, creating risk assessments, keeping information GDPR protected and secure to creating quotes and invoices for customers, admin and maths are needed for owning and running a Locksmithing business.

Set Your Working Hours

As an emergency Locksmith, you can choose whatever hours you would like to do, however we recommend offering to work unsociable hours to get the most out of your work. This includes advertising 24/7 service availability or working late into the night or early in the morning and working bank holidays. Typically it doesn’t fit into everyone’s lifestyle, but if you can make it work for you then typically Locksmiths do charge extra for these out-of-hours jobs.

If you wanted to sign up to a national Locksmithing network, you are usually able to set your own hours with them as well, so you can choose whether you want to work out-of-hours or not. Again, typically most Locksmiths can be busy morning and evenings as that’s when people leave or return from work and find themselves locked out of house.

Market Your Locksmithing Business

As your becoming a Locksmith and setting up your emergency Locksmith business, it’s a good idea to start thinking about your marketing. This can include creating your own website and social media accounts, advertising in the local paper or magazines or using word of mouth to spread the word about your business, and the happier customers you have the better the word-of-mouth advertisements will be.

So if you’ve decided that you want to come an emergency Locksmith, why not start your career by calling 01202 711159 or emailing academy@keytek.co.uk, we’d be happy to answer any questions you have and send you information on our courses.

*where possible