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How long does it take for a locksmith to come out

Many questions may arise while calling a locksmith for the first time. If you lost your car keys or locked out of your house, the first question on your mind is, how quickly will the locksmith be here?

As a dispatcher for over eight years, I have fielded numerous customer calls and serve as the most effective contact person for the technician. My job is to anticipate the customer's concerns and make sure they are resolved while helping the technician achieve a solution for you as quickly as possible. Over the years all the experience I have gained matching technicians with customers has taught me everything needed to make the customers' experience, the best possible.

On first speaking with someone of urgent needs, a technician will input your exact address into his GPS and give you an ETA. An excellent service will send your job to a technician that is reasonably close to you, within a 25 to 35-minute time frame. Unless you are in an isolated area or require unique parts to complete your job, this is usually a reasonable wait time.

No matter how long a locksmith takes to arrive, the minutes can seem like hours. The primary goal of any good locksmith is to manage the expectations of the customer. Calling during peak hours, for example, morning or afternoon rush hour, a courteous technician will let you know that there is high traffic and the wait times will be a bit longer, or they are busier than expected, and other emergency locksmith jobs are scheduled ahead of you.

You might get lucky, the technician could now be finishing up a job a few blocks away from you and will be there sooner than you expect. More likely than not, when you call, the technician is in the middle of another job or would like to be at your service as quickly as possible, but a variety of factors will determine how fast he saves your day.

Remember, navigating to you comes with many risks, including traffic jams, accidents, school bus hold-ups, and many other unknowns. You should never be forced into a lengthier than expected wait time without a full update or explanation from the technician. If you feel uncertain at any moment, it is your right to call and get an update on the estimated time of arrival.

The unexpected does occur, especially in the locksmith business. What should not happen is you not knowing of any uncertainties that emerge. Out of respect for the customer, any good locksmith would communicate immediately with you if there are any significant changes to their prompt arrival. Anything less is negligence on their part.

If you can reach your technician and he/she keeps you reliably updated, it is always in your best interest not to call another company. Calling for another technician in many circumstances puts you at risk of both technicians arriving at the same time, and denying you service when you most critically need it.

As always, patience is vital. Being in a predicament like this is tough, and understandable. Make sure, upon your initial conversation with the locksmith you understand the reasonably expected time of arrival.

infographic dispatching a locksmith in 60 seconds