Why the cheapest locksmith could end up being the most expensive

Why the cheapest locksmith could end up being the most expensive 

While I'm pleased to say our prices are competitive I'm also pleased to say we're not the cheapest and if that sounds a bit strange please read below to discover more :


Example 

Your locked out of your home - it's 9pm and raining - you google emergency locksmiths in Colchester and you're going to see the following (this applies to any area in the UK)

Top of the page are the adverts - these are paid for adverts with some costing the company up to £20+ when you click on them.  So why would they pay £££'s.  Simple - they appear at the top of the page and are more likely to get your enquiry especially if you're locked out and just want to get back indoors quickly.  These ads will use local numbers quote rapid response times and very low prices - looks good?

Sadly not - Nowadays the companies with the budget to compete and appear at the top for this type of "click ad" is normally a national company who subcontract their jobs to locksmiths.  They're not local, although they'll try their best to give the impression they are, and will normally take your booking (and a deposit upfront in some cases) then try their best to place your job with a subcontractor.  They can't give an accurate response time even though they'll tell you otherwise, and if they can't find anyone local they will arrange for someone out of area to visit leading to further delays.  Price looks good though?  Again unfortunately not.  An initial low price is inevitably either a callout charge or a charge for the first 15/30 minutes of attendance (and these jobs they tend to ensure click over into another hour or 30 minute charge.  On top of this what could have been a fairly straightforward job to get you inside without damage to the lock they'll say is high security and the lock will need to be damaged and replaced (at an exorbitantly high cost).  This is how a national company makes its money and how they can afford to appear at the top of your google search.  In hindsight none of this will matter now, they've already got your card details when you placed the booking and you are tied to a long wait with an excessive bill at the end of it all.

So, none of this is news to you and you know to ignore the ads and move straight to the local listings

Unfortunately some of the above still occurs with headline low prices trying to grab your attention and claims of rapid response with local numbers to catch your eye.

Pro-Lock have been trading since 2010 and we've seen a lot of companies come and go, some good some not so good.  Unfortunately it is still far to easy for companies to create a web page with a local number to capture business outside their normal area.  Today I am aware of several who operate this policy (they appear above us in some google searches) but they are based many miles away.  Others deliberately push a low initial price but that price inevitably changes when they arrive on your doorstep.  While we're all for competition we don't agree with this sharp practice to snare customers.  There is only one loser in this situation - you the customer.

In comparison our website doesn't have prices - for the simple reason each scenario is different.

You can call us 24 hours a day
You always speak to a locksmith not a callcentre
We provide an accurate, all inclusive quote over the phone
We also confirm an accurate time of arrival
No deposit taken - we only take payment on completion of the work

If your problem is difficult to explain over the telephone we attend free of charge, assess the problem and provide a quote before any chargeable work begins

Our prices won't seem unbelievably low but they will be competitive and reasonable.  Our specialist equipment and experience means, where possible, we will always get you back into your property quickly with no damage.  If the reason you can't get back in is due to a mechanical failure of the lock or mechanism our quote to gain entry still stands then once your back in the warm we will provide you with a quote for door repairs required which can be left with you as it is valid for 14 days (if you're happy with the quote we carry all common spares so can normally complete repair during same visit)

Don't take our word for it - if you want to see feedback from some of our happy customers who have used our services in Colchester click here 

This service verifies our actual location, checks our accreditations and insurance and provides a platform for our customers, satisfied or not, to leave their own feedback on our services