Scheduling Tips
Appointment Scheduling Tips for Locksmiths
Managing a locksmith business means balancing high-pressure emergencies with scheduled hardware installations. To keep your van moving and your revenue growing, you need a scheduling system that prioritizes $150 emergency lockouts without delaying your $400 deadbolt installations.
The 70/30 Emergency Split
A locksmith's schedule should never be 100% booked with scheduled rekeys or installations. Aim to fill only 70% of your day with planned work like master keying or smart lock setups. This leaves a 30% 'emergency gap' to catch high-margin house and car lockouts that come in throughout the shift. If you book your day solid, you lose the $100 profit from a 10-minute car opening because you were stuck at a pre-planned rekey for two hours.
Key takeaway: Leave three 30-minute gaps in your daily schedule to capture immediate emergency call revenue.
Implementing the 'Drill or Pick' Buffer
Every locksmith knows a 'simple' rekey can turn into a nightmare if a cylinder is seized or a set screw is stripped. Always add a 20-minute buffer after every scheduled job. This 'buffer time' accounts for unexpected hardware issues and ensures you aren't late to your next client. If a job goes perfectly, use that extra 20 minutes to respond to missed calls or organize your key blanks and pinning kits in the van.
