Local Rotherham locksmith

Why use a local, independent Rotherham locksmith?

In amongst all the football and tennis and the like, I was revisiting a classic British film on TV the other day – Local Hero. This 1983 film directed by Bill Forsyth is one of the most charming of the 1980s, with fine performances by the likes of Burt Lancaster, Peter Capaldi and Jenny Seagrove. Its theme tune by Mark Knopfler is also instantly recognisable, with Newcastle United running out to it at every home game. The film itself explores the conflict between a massive international oil corporation and a little Scottish village, and this got me thinking about the differences between global companies versus smaller local firms.

We undeniably live in a global age, with multi-national corporations like Amazon and Google spanning over all the continents. Need something from China? A couple of clicks of a mouse and it’s there. Have to chat to a business in Australia? Not a problem, just hit them up on Zoom. Sometimes it seems we’re becoming more homogenised, with distance becoming irrelevant.

Buying local

Now, whilst this can be a good thing, there is also a bit of a pushback recently with the concept of “going local” coming to the fore. Buying local is more environmentally friendly, for one, reducing travel and transportation of goods, not to mention that supporting local businesses can only be a positive thing for the economy, especially after the last 18 months we’ve all had. There are also positives for the customer – the local knowledge, the personal contact you don’t get with a massive corporation, and getting to know a face you trust.

In my line of work, this last point is especially pertinent. There are national locksmith companies out there, who, when you phone for assistance, will subcontract the job to someone ostensibly nearby. However, these still may be based in another county, and it’s unlikely you’ll get the same person more than once if you need repeat work.

This is where I feel being a local Rotherham locksmith, working just in the one area really pays dividends. I get to know my customers, they get to know me, and I can build up a positive reputation in the locality.

For my local Rotherham customers they get someone they trust, with knowledge of the local trends when it comes to burglaries and crime spikes – after the police, I’m generally the best informed of what kind of break-ins are taking place and what can be done to protect against these. There is also peace of mind for my customers in that I can always be called back in the rare instance any work needs fixing or replacing. I can also be on site quickly, already being nearby.

Reputation

Local does sometimes have the reputation of being synonymous with expensive and restricted choice – look at why we choose the big supermarkets over the nearby corner shop – cheaper prices and more range. However, I like to think this is not the case in my profession. After all, a national company will not only have to pay the so called local Rotherham  locksmith to attend your property, they will also take a cut for themselves for running costs and profit. That isn’t the case with me – there is no middleman, it’s just me and my van.

This doesn’t mean a lack of options either – I carry most items needed for fixing or replacing locks on my van itself, and anything that isn’t there I can get my hands on pretty quickly. So it’s the best of both worlds – local but without the drawbacks that one sometimes associates with going local.

Returning to the film, don’t worry, I’m not describing myself as a Local Hero – after all that’s for you to decide, not me! But seriously, even if you’re reading this a long way from South Yorkshire, I’d still emphasise the benefit of choosing a local locksmith – the price, convenience and specific knowledge benefits the consumer, it’s better for the local economy and environment, and there is the guarantee of the customer knowing exactly who’s done the work in case return visits are required.