Will You Be the Next Victim of Crime? Your Odds Just Increased

CNN Justice: " Supreme Court won't delay release of California inmates"

For those readers who follow my blog you know my intent is not to promote our business, but with the impending release of 10,000 prisoner's I would be remiss to ignore passing along this information.

Thousands who have not completed their terms have already been released from L.A. county jails ( over 23,000) and county officials say some have been convicted of violent crimes. Statistics show that 99% of these felons will be back in jail with 3 years.

With that said, will your family, home or business be victim to the resulting crime that sends them back? For all of us, our odds just increased!

For heaven sake, I don't care who you call ( actually I do) but you can no longer wait to install high secruity locks or keep your head in the sand. Your Alarm is your second line of defense not your first.

It is easy to be numb to warnings of disaster but like a hurricane warning will you be the one who waits for the tree to fall on you before you act?

We may be in the Security business but we are human beings who care first!

Protecting what you most Value,
Vikki Flam

Increase in Crime and Sherman Oaks and 11 other areas

STOP AND READ ME-YOU ARE WORTH IT!
It is Vikki again and most of you know that my blog is usually not intended to promote Flam's Lock and key, however today is different and here are the reasons:
Yesterday I received a neighborhood crime alert from Public Safety First that reported a significant increase in violent and property crimes in Sherman Oaks and 11 other areas. This is for the period July 14 through July 20.

I was pleased to get the alert but when I read this I was once again concerned as as your security expert because that the article advised visiting Public Safety First for information on how to make your neighborhood safer.

I have blogged before on the importance of knowing that we are the security professionals, not the police, not big box store employees or scam locksmiths.
It is OUR job to keep abreast of over 2,000 security products, including high security locks and to know that it is the entire door that provides security, not just your lock. It is our job to protect what you most value and that your
pysical security (not our alarms) is the first line of defense.

It is your job to keep your head above the sand and to know who to call BEFORE you need a security professional and not after. Crime will only get worse when prisoners are released. It is also your job to shop integrity and not price as integrity ensures the best price, not to mention you don't want to hand your keys to a stranger.
Flam's has been blessed to be a part of Sherman Oaks and the rest of the Valley for over 60 years and 3 generations and simply and perhaps corney we just care!
Whether it is to scedule a goup security event or upgrade your home or business security just know we have an educated team to protect what you most value.

Yours in Security,
Vikki

LIE-locksmith scam advise you shouldn't ignore

So who watched the ABC program called “Lookout” this week and the segment about scam locksmiths?

Part of the information was old news but a needed reminder of the following:

1.       When you are locked out of your home or business most locksmiths rip you off by when they drill a lock that can be easily picked adding up to hundreds of dollars.They also insist on cash payments.

2.       Don’t think because you are calling a local locksmith that they are local.Many companies are based in other states and send independent contractors all over the nation. They get millions of calls a year and send out complete strangers who are handing you your keys.

3.       We personally know one valley locksmith who employed a registered sex offender for 12 years. He does not do background checks before hiring.PRETTY SCARY STUFF! Now this individual owns his own security company.

4.       Every company charged 3 to 4 times more than they quoted these vulnerable folks who asked first.

5.       Most companies show an address on google maps but when ABC went to these address’s they were all fake( not a surprise to us)

SO LISTEN UP-HERE IS FLAM’S ADVICE:

     1.LIE, YES I SAID LIE! When Flam’s is not available for lockouts we tell our customers to say something 

       Like this; “ I have locked myself out 3 times already ( I am such a ditz) to thankfully I know my lock

       Can be picked”. If they still have to drill it it means they are either inept or you have a high security

       Lock which is designed to be pick resistant(not*even Flam’s has had to drill a common lock but is

       About 1% of the time).

     2. Find a local brick and mortar 24/7 locksmith BEFORE you need them and don’t believe the internet.

     3. As a general rule most locksmiths who run 24/7 and have the largest ads are not the companies

         You would call for your more important security needs-that would of course be Flam’s. But

        Kidding aside, they do not have the required California State Contractors license and do mostly

        Lockouts.

Protecting what you most value,

Vikki Flam

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