The Pros and Cons of Business Review Sites

Flam's Lock and key is proud of their reviews and we are often approached to advertise on Yelp and Angie's List because of the majority of positive reviews.
I started this blog telling you this so you will agree that what I write is not biased or with an agenda to promote our company.
There are just a few things that you need to know before basing your decision to use ANY business based on its reviews but I will use Locksmith's as an example:

• Many reviews are based on services that do apply to the problems you need to solve. For example, if most of the reviews are raving about lockout services for auto and home the companies usually are not high end residential and commercial security professionals but 24/7 mobile services.They are easy to spot because that is what they advertise, There are always exceptions to the rule but you shouldn't have to look for a needle in a haystack.

• When a review says the company arrived on time and did a great job how does the customer always know? For example, was a lock replaced that could have been repaired? If the customer needed re- keys do they know the quality of pins and keys the company used? If they called a locksmith and said they need their locks changed because they just moved to a new location did the locksmith sell them new locks when the cylinders only needed repinning(I know companies that do that)? Do you know if the company replaced a lock that could have been easily picked? I know you don't and that is one of the major scams.

• Do you use Yelp? If so are you aware that many positive reviews are filtered on the bottom of the page because they have a system that 'automatically' determines if it is a ligitimate review. They often get it wrong!
• Yelp also claims that paid advertisers are treated the same as non-sponsored business's but it is interesting to note the number of reviews that are not filtered when they pay to advertise. I will continue to test what for now is a theory.

I think the take away  from this blog is that consumers should not 'entirely' rely on review sites and need to take some extra steps in researching companies. Word of mouth referrals that allow you to ask questions are still in the smart shoppers tool kit. There is a rule that still hold true...if you hear 3 good things about the same company it is usually true and the same for 3 bad things.
Protecting what you most value,
Vikki Flam

Do Your Core Values Align With the Way you Shop For Vendors?

Blog: Do Your Core Values Align With the Way You Shop for Vendors?


Posted on April 1, 2013 at 12:50 pm Email Print Comment I am guessing that most of you would not know the complete answer because you don't know what you don't know.



I got to thinking this weekend after a young consumer came to Flam's to ask what kind of lock he needed He brought in pictures, took 40 minutes of our time and then pulled out a copy of an internet price and asked if we would sell it for the same.



This happens more and more and will eventually drive us out of business, leaving him with no professional's mind to pick and higher internet prices.



So here are some questions, some related to the above, some not:



1. When you say you appreciate small business do you mean it? Are you willing to pay a bit more to keep us around?



2, Most people say they believe in a 'living wage' but would you choose a locksmith who illegally classifies employees as independent contractors so they don't have to pay social security or workers comp? It also means they can quote cheaper prices. The majority of locksmiths do this. Would it matter to you and would you take the time to find out?



3. Most people want products 'made in America' and resent manufacturers sending job overseas. However, all the locks we sell that are made in America cost more and all to many do not want to pay the higher price. Would you? By the way, most products sold at big box stores are from overseas. Do you care?



Just some stuff to chew on, see if you walk the talk and live your values in the market place.



Yours in Security,



Vikki Flam

Beware of Newest Form of False Security, it's not your locks this time

News flash-"BBB(Better Business Bureau) of the Southlandis no longer licensed to serve as a BBB." My lord, an instititution over 100 years old.

Part of a larger letter, this was sent to BBB accredited business's like Flam's Lock and Key and thousands of others last week continuing to explain it did not comply with several standards relating to accreditation, reporting on buinsesses and handling complaints.

This is yet another blow to the smart consumer that tries to check in earnest the reputation of of a company they want to hire because review sites like Yelp and Angies list also have flaws of which the consumer is not aware ( unless they own a business).

Yelp's computer system  has a filter system that hides and filters positive reviews that are often legitimate yet you will see over 200 reviews from clients that advertise with them. They claim to know what they are doing but I don't trust it, even through we have good ratings.

Angies list, also gives us and others shining reviews but the criteria upon which one consumer rates service might be different than mine or yours.Do you care that they arrived on time or smelled good or were affordable if you are not qualified to know if their work was honest and good?

So what is the take away from all of this? It is OK to have starting points but in the end getting word of mouth referrals and learning the required credentials is our responsibility. We even need to go a step further and ask them to email or fax their insurance certificates and licenses, a request any decent business would not only be proud to do but elated to know there are intelligent shoppers.

We must shop for trust and do our homework.

Yours in Security,
Vikki Flam

Beware of Newest Form of False Sense of Security, it's not your locks

Lock Picking Workshop Threatens our Security

In today's LA TIMES in the LAEXTRAsection there is an article called "Picking this idea apart" which talks about a workshop approved by Oakland's mayor on how to pick locks. Really, this is not a joke and the community outrage is discussed in the article. Others in our local community, like greenleaf@watch2.org have also referenced this article

The reaction to the workshop caused only one change,even scarier, they cannot hand out lock pick sets which they do in other workshops. It is against the law for Flam's to sell lockpick sets to anyone not licensed in our trade so we are shocked they can do this. The rationalization stated in the article by one of the instructors says "As for the risk of educating burglars, most can find guidance online without having to pay $40.00 to come to an event where you have to use your real name.',
The article also states the workshop beckons:"In many cases, opening a lock without a key is easier than you think!" Open to participants 10-101, it has sold out.

As a side note, the article begins by opening "Burglaries have plagued just about every corner of this beleaguered city of late:Last year,Oakland averaged one break-in every 42 minutes-a 44% increase over 2011.

The take away from this article, as stated in my prior blogs is twofold:

1. Invest in high security locks like Medeco, Multi-lock, Primus, etc. because they are the most pick and bump resistent. Also, if sold the most recent patent, your key cannot be duplicated. It is 'real security' not 'feel good security'.

2. Vet the hell out of the lockmith you call because scams are on the rise, most are not properly licensed and all to many quote you on expired patents. Mobile locksmiths also cannot offer you 'non-carded' keys because they don't have a shop where you can get your keys duplicated. You don't have to know what this means today lest to say make a part of your education to compare apples to apples and reputation and ingrity before price.

We, at Flams's Lock and Key, have spent our entire career protecting your life and assets , that is the "why' of our reason for being in business, and we hope you are as enraged by this workshop as are we!

Yours in Security,
Jack and Vikki Flam

Class Room Intruder Locks Save Lives

It has been too long since my last blog and I have been struggling about the appropriateness of this topic. Why? Because a blog is not intended to promote a product but to be conversational and educational. But today I am blogging as a parent and not a business owner,a parent who cried last night watching the memorial for Sandy Hook.




If what I have to say today saves one life than it trumps offending any accusations of being opportunistic.As a security professional class room 'intruder locks' are not new to Flam's Lock and Key but they may be to many readers. These locks allow the teacher to lock the outside of the room from the inside, with a key, so they don't have to exit the room to lock the door. This is different than a double sided lock because the lock can still be opened with a key from the outside by the administration. This is important because of child molestation protection for the kids and teachers.



This lock also prevents the kids from being able to lock the teacher outside the room, unlock a thumb turn, which some schools opt to use instead.It is this simple and this sad that there is even a need for these locks for ANY reason but in these crazy times I am glad we have them.



In the past schools dismissed them because of the additional cost but after Sandy Hook there are few of us who can argue with the 'real' cost. This security is not in the 'virtual' world of violence and games that contribute to these unfathomable crimes but they are in the real world and can make a real difference.



Yours in Security,



Vikki Flam

Cheap Customer of the week with Security tip on keys

Posted on August 1, 2012 at 8:03 am

As many of you know Flam's Lock and Key will be celebrating 60 years in business this year and when we think we have seen it all we are yet again pleasantly surprised.
This is a funny cheap customer story for this week but one that also sends a helpful tip you should know about your keys.
A gentleman came into the shop and asked us to duplicate a key because the one he got at Lowe's did not work. When Jack looked at the copy he gave to Lowe's he told him several things:
1. His key was worn which in our world is a bad key, one that will eventually stop working and will also wear down the cylinder. Either case will be costly be a lock out or cylinder replacement. JACK DECODED THE KEY AND THEN PUNCHED AN 'ORIGINAL' KEY, somthing only a good locksmith would know and do. It also did not cost more than a regular $2.50 duplicate.
2. He also told him that key cutters at big box stores do not look at the keys first, they just duplicate them. They also use 'generic' key blanks which are not as good as the manufacturer's key blanks, even if you give them a good key.
3. He explained to him that you should always, when possible, duplicate keys from orginals because each time you duplicate from a duplicate the cuts go down a generation to the point it will eventually will not work. A good analogy is duplicating pictures; each time you make a copy from a copy it gets granier and grainier.
Good information, would you agree? Well here is the head turner of the story;
When Jack was done the customer thanked him for his knowledge, for a new key that would work and the asked how much it would be to cut a second key.When Jack told him $2.50 the man said it was too expensive and he would take it to Home depot.
Need more be said?
By the way, look at events calander for National Night Out on August 7th. A little brag, we are the only security professionals the Van Nuys Poice ask to set up a booth at this annual event. The patch will also have more information on this so keep your eyes peeled.