Lake Zurich Lock and Key

Usually, when a customer contacts a mobile locksmith company they intend to be on the site where the job is to be performed.  In the event that the customer is unable to appear on the site, the technician will still be able to perform the service, but there are several legal obligations to adhere to first. In order to legally verify that the customer granted the company authorized the company to perform labor on their property, the customer must fill out a document known as a work release form. The company can either fax or email the form to the customer, at which point they must fill out their personal information, sign it, and photocopy a picture id with proof of address on it such as a driver’s licence. If the company neglects to fulfill this procedure, the customer can dispute the charges for the service in court or even sue them.  The same procedure is required if the customer wants to pay the company over the phone by credit card if they’re not located on the job site during the time that the service is performed. In this case, however, the company will send the customer what is called a credit card consent form.  Usually a requisite for a work release form will also entail a requisite for a credit card consent form. After all- if the customer is not on site, how else would they be able to pay?

Credit card consent forms can also come in handy when a client is out of town and they want to pay for a service for a relative or colleague. For example, 16 year old Lisa was locked out of her home; her key was in her bedroom on the nightstand- and her parents were away on vacation in Hawaii! Lisa also had her debit card locked in her bedroom with no cash on her and no means of entering her house whatsoever.  She contacted her mother immediately, who then in turn contacted a local mobile locksmith service, BestBuyLock. The telephone dispatcher informed the mother of the required procedure, and emailed her the credit card consent form. Lisa’s mother filled out the form, scanned her driver’s licence onto the document through her computer, signed it, and sent it back to BestBuy. Within 25 minutes, Lisa was back in her house enjoying her favourite tunes and relaxing, thanks to a mobile locksmith being only 15 minutes away from her and arriving promptly and punctually.

Can a locksmith produce an ignition key for my vehicle if I lost my original?

That depends on what type of vehicle you own. An ignition slot is actually a lock like any other type of lock, and each different type of ignition slot calls for a different procedure to mould a new key.  The locksmiths have to be specially trained in designing ignition keys and dealing with automotive issues in order to be able to produce a key. The first distinction that determines which technicians can or can’t work on a specific type of ignition is the category of the vehicle. Customers most typically contact mobile locksmiths to either design a new key for or change the ignition for their cars.

The relative complication or simplicity of forging a car ignition key for a customer depends on the year and model of automobile, with more contemporary models commonly posing a greater challenge. This is because later models (usually post- new millennium) are endowed with greater provisions to ensure that they cannot be replicated and that the ignition can’t be started by tampering with it.  The most common such feature is what is called a transponder chip. A transponder chip is a computer chip that is harbored in a black plastic shell covering the brass exterior of the car key. The ignition is designed to identify that specific key’s programming as the only key that can activate the ignition, effectively disabling counterfeit duplicates and hot wiring car bandits.

The other, less desirable consequence that this added feature holds for the customer and ignition specialist is that a key that has a transponder chip is exponentially trickier to produce once the original is misplaced. The locksmith must have extensive training in order to be able to effectively program a new transponder. Services including the production of a new transponder key often require the technician to order small, expensive parts that are very challenging to modify. Also, they require more time to complete. For the customer themselves this equates to prices in moderately higher ranges.  Different technicians have varying levels of experience and capabilities of supplying different transponder keys for different car models. As a general rule of thumb, however, most mobile locksmith companies employ a multitude of ignition specialists that are competent and equipped to produce most types of car keys.

Of course, as with all professional fields of service, there will be unique instances where the service provider will be incapable of assisting the customer.  One such instance is if the car has what is referred to as a VAT system. VAT is an acronym that stands for vehicular anti- theft (system). VAT systems are designed to ensure an even higher caliber of security than transponder systems.  VAT systems are designed so that only the car manufacturer themselves are able to generate a new key for the vehicle. They are referred to as “high security keys”- and there’s a good reason for that! The programming for each VAT key is so intricate that only the manufacturer is equipped to redesign one. Manufacturers that generally produce cars with VAT systems include Lexus, BMW, Jaguar, Volkswagen (periodically), and other high line vehicles.

Another factor that determines a locksmith’s capability of producing an ignition key for a vehicle is specifically what type of vehicle it is (duh). The second most common type of vehicles next to cars that customers typically call to have keys made for is motorcycles. Locksmiths make keys for motorcycles intermittently- sometimes, a locksmith can go their entire career without a single customer requesting a motorcycle key. Various locksmiths will have different levels of experience with different makes and models of motorcycles. The best advice to give a customer seeking a mobile locksmith to yield a key for their motorcycle is to contact the company and inquire as to whether or not it’s within their capacity.  As far as other types of vehicles such as boats, mopeds, scooters, (helicopters/jets?) – customers are better off getting in contact with the manufacturing companies, because it is almost impossible for ANY locksmith to propagate keys for these types of vehicles.

How far in advance do I need to call for a locksmith service?

Well, most mobile locksmith companies disseminate an abundance of locksmith technicians into any given field of operation. This means that no matter where you are, there is likely to be a mobile locksmith near you. The estimated arrival time for most clients, therefore, is about 30 to 45 minutes. Although there is a plethora of different types of locksmiths in any given area, the exact waiting time will depend on the nature of the service you require as well.

Mobile locksmith companies typically employ a multitude of different types of locksmith technicians that specialize in many different fields of the profession. Usually they employ a greater deal of lockout specialists, because lockouts are typically deemed more urgent, and many lockout scenarios are genuine emergencies. Utilizing a large number of these professionals ensure that there will be more on hand to guarantee punctuality regardless of the time and place the service is dispatched, around the clock. The estimated arrival time (ETA) for lockouts is the lowest of all manner of services, 20-30 minutes.

Any type of extra work performed on locks; such as repairing, rekeying, or replacing them (including ignition jobs) is considered priority, but the context is slightly less urgent. Since these types of services consume much more time to perform properly, it is more difficult to have the locksmiths zipping around town to serve clients. However, a myriad of specialists for this type of service are still deployed daily to minimize downtime between jobs. The estimated arrival time for these services is about 45 minutes or slightly more.

If these waiting periods do not suit your schedule, you can also schedule an appointment for a later time and/or date at your leisure. Sometimes when a client calls for a lock change or rekey, it is not an emergency either. Don’t forget, most mobile locksmiths like BestBuyLocks operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so not only can you call at any time of day, you can schedule an appointment for any time of day, any time of year!