What is a Commercial Locksmith | What They Do?, Type Of Locks

Any business can fall victim to crimes such as burglary and theft despite its size and type. We have all heard of both small-scale home-run businesses to large establishments being targeted by criminals.

It takes a lot of time and effort to set up a business and seeing it being victimised like that can take a serious toll, both in terms of finances and mental health.

What’s even more disturbing is that many businesses are unable to bounce back from such incidents and have no other option than to permanently close shop.

If you own or run a business, you must understand the importance of keeping it safe and protected. The first, most fundamental security measure is to keep it locked and inaccessible for unauthorised people.

High-security locks are an essential element of any business’s security system providing a robust line of defence against an intruder, and hiring a commercial locksmith is the best way to do so.

A good commercial locksmith can work on just about any locking system and can provide multiple services such as the installation of appropriate locks, the ability to repair them and to access them in the event of lost keys.

Read on to find out what commercial locksmiths are, what they do, and how they can help your business.

WHAT IS A COMMERCIAL LOCKSMITH?

Locksmithing is one of the oldest professions in the world dating back 4000 years to ancient Egypt and Babylon where professional locksmiths were hired to keep valuables safe from thieves.

Over time, the profession has evolved with refined and polished skills and capabilities, along with better and stronger locking mechanisms.

For businesses, there are special locksmiths known as commercial locksmiths who provide services for commercial and industrial properties.

They can cater to small residential properties as well and have specialised skills to provide solutions for businesses on a large scale.

A commercial locksmith not only opens and changes locks but also helps with a variety of other services that may include installing and servicing electronic and digital locks, master key systems, and access control systems.

COMMERCIAL LOCKSMITH – JOB ROLE

Who would you call for your business’s security installations and periodic maintenance? A commercial locksmith, of course.

They are trained to work with and around the security issues faced by businesses and understand commercial and industrial security standards needed to give the best recommendations to their clients.

While running a business you are likely to be faced with issues with your locks, keys, safes, file cabinets, and so on. Also, you will have a lot of valuable property and assets to protect which is why it is necessary to build a good relationship with a commercial locksmith, someone who you can rely on in your time of need.

Following are some of the services that fall under a professional commercial locksmith’s job role:

New lock installation

A business might need new locks for several reasons. The existing ones might be old or broken due to prolonged use or compromised due to employees losing or misplacing keys.

It is important for a business’s security to install new locks as quickly as possible since an unlocked door is just as good as not having a door at all. Anyone can walk in leaving your place of work and its employees in a risky situation.

There are so many different types of locks to choose from and picking the best one for your business can be quite a challenge, especially if you don’t know much about them.

In addition to installing new locks, commercial locksmiths can also advise on the best locking mechanisms for different doors depending on the level of risk and subsequent security required.

Lock and key repair and maintenance

Just as everything else, locks require proper upkeep and maintenance. Regular use might cause them to malfunction, jam, or break down compromising your business’s security in the process.

To avoid situations where the locks don’t work as they must, they need to be constantly maintained and checked for faults.

Commercial locksmiths check them for any issues that might turn into a potential problem and fix them before they do.

If they feel some issues require the business owners’ attention, they encourage them to make the required changes to ensure top-level protection for their premises.

Lock replacement or rekeying

There are times when a business needs its locked replaced or rekeyed – depending on the situation. A commercial locksmith provides services for both and can even recommend which one you should go for.

Replacing locks is pretty self-explanatory. It simply means changing the existing lock to a new one. Rekeying, on the other hand, is a little different where the locks are kept as is – minus a few adjustments – and only the keys are changed.

Both procedures, rekeying in particular, require an in-depth understanding of various locking mechanisms and using the right tools to getting the job done. It is always best not to risk your business’s security and have it done by a certified commercial locksmith.

Replacement or additional keys

For when the existing keys are lost or misplaced, it is recommended to get the locks changed by not compromising the integrity of the system. You can never know who has access to them. You might think that you lost them when in reality they might have been stolen for a burglary.

For other instances such as when the existing ones break or when new employees join in, the need for spares arises and you might need replacement or additional keys.

It is best to not rely on cheap replacement keys that can easily be bent or broken and instead contact a commercial locksmith as soon as the need arises.

Security upgrades

Professional commercial locksmiths stay updated with the latest advancements in security and due to their experience, they are also aware of the common practices of burglars and intruders.

This helps them recommend the best locks, overriding any loopholes in the system that criminals might use to break-in.

Criminals are getting smarter by the day and so are security systems and locking mechanisms. Locksmiths advise clients on the type of upgrade they should consider for their system, whether it is in the form of sturdier locks or upgrading to digital ones.

Lockout response

Commercial lockouts are very common and can happen for various reasons such as you forgetting or misplacing the keys, malfunctioning locks, or the keys getting stuck and broken inside the lock.

What would you do if you were locked outside your business premises? Would you shut down work for the day and send your employees back home? Probably not.

When faced with such a dilemma, it is best to not forcefully try to open the doors and breaking in through the windows, which is most likely to cause more damage than actually help.

It is best to get professional help from experienced commercial locksmiths trained to deal with lockouts. Just give them a call, have them come over with their tools, unlock the doors for you, and get you and your team back on track.

Master key system

A master key system enables businesses to access all locks with a master key while maintaining the security of all individual rooms and eliminating the need to carry around a huge bunch of keys for every room in the building.

Buildings with multiple locking rooms can be complex to manage which is why a master key system is best for them, vastly simplifying the process without compromising security.

A master key system provides an affordable and effective solution for your business security needs, offering peace of mind ensuring that your business is safe against unauthorised access.

A commercial locksmith can design a master key giving the business owner or manager complete control over the premises.

Business safe installation, repair, and unlocking

Commercial locksmiths provide services for all kinds of locks. This includes not just the locks on doors but also windows and security safes.

Business safes, also called commercial safes, are secure boxes that can be used to lock up valuable items such as sensitive information, trade secrets, expensive equipment, and company valuables. They ensure that the contents remain protected from threats such as theft, fire, floods, and other disasters.

It is always recommended to have your business safe installed by a professional commercial locksmith to ensure that it is safe to use, the floor can bear the weight sufficiently, and it’s not in danger of falling or damaging anything.

In addition to providing installation services, locksmiths also help repair and maintain them and fix any sort of issues that might come up such as forgetting the combination or the hardware malfunctioning.

File cabinets are also used to store important information and can be susceptible to jamming. Instead of trying to force them to open, and damaging them in doing so, it is best to call a commercial locksmith who can easily unlock and fix them for you.

Digital lock installation and servicing

Since the entire world has gone digital, why not switch to digital locks? They do not require physical keys to gain entry and are also called keyless door entry systems.

Keys can be lost, copied, or stolen, possibly by a burglar looking for an opportunity to break into your business, compromising the overall security and putting everyone at risk.

Access control systems are a great example of digital locks where access is granted using a card swipe, key pin, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), or biometrics technology.

They come with a variety of controllers that allow only authorised people to enter a building, and they all vary widely in terms of control and complexity.

WHAT DO THEY DO FOR BUSINESSES?

Commercial locksmiths are a valuable asset for businesses for several reasons. Here are just a few things they can help businesses with. Let’s look at each one in detail:

Protecting against intruders

Locks and their quality are the first things that intruders check before trying to break into a property. Therefore, to protect your business from such threats, all businesses must invest in a good locking mechanism, installed and maintained by a professional commercial locksmith.

Their services not only help keep intruders out of the premises but also help keep file cabinets and safes inside the premises safe and secure. In short, commercial locksmiths help protect businesses from a variety of threats.

Protecting against internal threats

Danger doesn’t only lurk on the outside; it can come from inside too. Internal threats such as thefts and unauthorised access are a real problem for many business owners, leaving them in a constant state of vulnerability.

There might be certain places you would want to keep off-limits for certain employees. A good locking mechanism, ideally a digital one would be the perfect choice to keep access under control.

It is good to trust your employees, but it is also advised to take all the necessary security measures to keep you and your business safe.

Round-the-clock services

Security is essential for every business, regardless of the time of day, and emergencies such as damaged locks and commercial lockouts can happen at any time.

Commercial locksmiths offer emergency services and respond to calls 24-hours a day. This gives businesses someone to rely on, knowing that all their issues will be resolved ASAP without compromising on their security.

Comprehensive security solutions

Businesses can rely on commercial locksmiths to provide them with a comprehensive solution to meet all their security needs.

They are experts in the field and can assess the property to spot vulnerabilities and come up with solutions to increase business security.

Their services include running risk assessments on the existing locks, recommending better options, professional installation, maintenance, repair, unlocking, and creating master key systems.

QUALITIES TO LOOK FOR IN A COMMERCIAL LOCKSMITH

There are so many people out there claiming to be professional commercial locksmiths. It can be overwhelming to screen them to choose the best one for your business.

Since locksmiths help provide better security for your business, it is very important to ensure that they are trained to perform their services and have adequate experience.

Here are a few qualities to look for when hiring a commercial locksmith for your business:

Good customer service

A service provider is only as good as the quality of service they give and how good they are in dealing with their customers.

Good customer support during the inquiry stage is an indicator of the quality of service you will receive further down the line as well. You must have the guarantee that they’ll listen to your issue and respond to your emergency call-outs in your time of need.

Experience

The more experienced and qualified commercial locksmiths are, the better they can serve and help you with your business’s security issues.

Don’t go for the discounted deals that many locksmiths offer. Always opt for the best quality work by experienced professionals. A poorly done job by a beginner in the field could cost you much more than you would plan on saving in security risks and other expenses.

CONTACT CALDER SECURITY

You need to be able to trust the locks you have in your business but you also need to be able to trust whoever installs them. You need to know that they are skilled in the task and that they are honest and trustworthy tradesmen.

We at Calder Security are members of the Master Locksmith Association (MLA) since 1976 and can work on a wide range of locking mechanisms.

We are the official suppliers for leading lock brands including Chubb, Yale, Securikey, and Garrison, and can advise you on the best types of lock for your business.

In addition to professional installation services, our commercial locksmiths also offer repairing services for when the locks become damaged or develop faults and may not require changing, and are also fully conversant in business master key systems. We also offer an accurate, secure, and responsive key cutting service for all types of businesses.

Our qualified locksmiths have an in-depth knowledge of all kinds of locks and can often repair them on site. We can also access locks that have become jammed, including safes, and can respond to your calls quickly which can be very useful if you’ve locked yourself out.

Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash

What is a Commercial Locksmith & What do they do for business?