When you call a professional service to assist you, there are a few things that you expect from that service: promptness, professionalism and courtesy, to name a few. What you don’t expect, however, is for that service to be a fraud! In fact, few people give any thought to the validity of a professional service when they make a call, leaving virtually anyone open to being scammed.
Locksmiths are one such service that is frequently and unfortunately plagued with frauds. Shady companies offer needless upcharges or premiums on work, or worse, can cause damage to your home through their own poor technique, costing you more money in the long run. It sounds horrible, but unfortunately, it’s something that many homeowners have experienced firsthand because they didn’t take the time to properly vet the service that they called upon.
If you’re in the market for locksmiths in Bergen County, NJ, make sure that you’re assessing a few key criteria before you give someone access to your home and, in turn, allow them to exacerbate your problem:
- Look at reviews: When you’re locked out, the last thing that you might have time for is a comprehensive web search of reviews on a locksmith you’re thinking about calling. So, to ensure that you’re able to get the service you need in a timely manner, without searching around the web for testimonials, try to enlist the help of a locksmith that offers firsthand accounts of their quality on their website or on a common review site like Yelp or Angie’s List.
- Check their professionalism: There are a few key things that all reputable locksmiths in Bergen County, NJ will do to let you know that they’re the real deal. Firstly, they should always ask for your identification, to be sure that they’re helping the real homeowner gain access to their home. Second, they should always offer you a price or estimate upfront on the work they’re about to do, so that you can accept it before work begins. And finally, they should always be uniformed, so that you know they work for a reliable company.
- Check their technique: You don’t have to be a locksmith yourself to understand what it takes to properly open a locked door. And, in fact, you can tell if you’re being taken advantage of by how the locksmith approaches your situation. If they don’t even attempt to pick your lock and skip right to the power drill, you can bet you’re in for a ride! Every credible locksmith will attempt basic picking on your lock first, then inform you of the situation before they try anything more drastic—this also means telling you if your price for service increases in any way.
When it comes to calling a professional for service, like a locksmith, many people feel like they’re at the mercy of the professional, based on their inexperience with the situation. This isn’t always the case, however, and you should always know what to look for when it comes to being duped.