The Locksmith Radio Show

The Locksmith Show starts off with Wacko Locksmith Charley playing a silly game of "fake voice-mail message" before the guys start talking about the ambulance traveling hell adventures Charley has been having, some more locksmith scam invoices that Andrew McColley from Andrews Lock and Key found, and some funny real-time posts from Facebook users in of emergency locksmith services.

Charley was in Tucson doing several different lock jobs but when he was 15 miles outside of Tucson, the check engine light goes on, and the ambulance goes into LIMP mode. His roadside service provider had problems finding his policy, so he was sort of on his own. Once he got the ambulance taken care of he went to the Motel 6 off of Congress Road and checked in. After he walked into his room, he found a bug of some sort laying on the middle of the floor. He scooped it up in a cup and brought it to the front desk joking "is meat extra with the room" and the front desk lady responded "oh they are in season now." Locksmith Charley again joked "as if it is perfectly normal for them to be in season in my room." Charley lived up to his intro name of Wacko Locksmith Charley while sharing this story. He pulls out an Altoids container and two plastic cups with plastic bags in them and begins passing these centipede type bugs around the table.

He goes on to talk about how another locksmith named Greg that Charley works with often, brought down his other locksmith van for them to get the other jobs completed. Then when he was headed back to the hotel after a night of playing poker at Desert Diamond Casino the alternator started to seize up. Charley called his mechanic Hector at San Tan Auto who helped Charley out in an emergency situation and they swapped out the alternator in the parking lot of his hotel room.

Andrew McColley talks about finding a bunch of invoices a Yelp listing showing the locksmith scammers around town taking advantage of the consumer for these made up "high security latches" and "air bag tools." Andrew jokes about one of the invoices charging extra for "no door frame" on a Hyundai Tucson which he knows has a door frame. Charley talks about the President from ALOHA sending out a message to all locksmiths that he wants the contact person, phone number, and company info of any locksmith association that they are not aware of. You can send the information using the contact form.

Locksmith Charley comes across a Yelp review left by Dan H. who seems to be working with the scammers and is not happy about it. He goes on to explain how they are trained and what the consumer should do if they come across one of the "locksmiths" from 24/7 Locksmith Services. Charley points out how this guy knows that it is wrong and then gives him some referrals to reach out to if he is interested in trying to do locksmith work with a legitimate locksmith company.

Andrew McColley reads off some more of the reviews depicting which ones are real, which ones are fake, and how bad a consumer got took by them, only to express anger on Yelp afterwards. Andrew points out one for $195 mailbox lock replacement, coupled with several one star reviews, and some one-liner 5-star reviews that are most likely fake or bought. Charley points out Steve M. which was a review that was obviously written to try to promote the company. A lady who posted and retracted the statement saying she had the wrong locksmith company but then re-posting it saying no she had the right locksmith company and they were horrible.

Andrew and Charley give advise again that any time you are dealing with an invoice make sure that you read it carefully and cross off any blank line item before signing the document. Andrew recommends that the locksmiths get invoices with the company name on the header or go paperless and use receipt and invoice services available on smartphones or software for those locksmiths that carry around laptops. Charley talked about how one of his worker bees went out on a rekey and had the customer write a check out to him personally and gave the customer an invoice with Locksmith Charley on the top of it. Charley immediately said how he advocates against this action and made sure to tell his employee that if he runs out of invoices he needs to get a hold of Charley or go to the office and pick more up.

Andrew the Tech Guy has a new segment in locksmith news gathering real-time data from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Andrew McColley talks about how more leads have been coming through social media and word-of-mouth referrals. Charley talks about how grateful he is that Hector from San tan Auto Repair was able to help him out in a time of need. Then the locksmiths give recommendations of other professional apart of the local association or just long time "friendly competitors."

Locksmith Charley gives the advise to find a locksmith before you need them and save them in your phone so you make sure that you are not going to get scammed when you end up in need of a lock or key service.