WHY LOCKSMITH CALLS GO TO VOICEMAIL
You’re on a rekey with the cylinder apart. You can’t drop the pins.
You finish at 2pm to seven missed calls, none with a voicemail. Two existing customers, one supplier, and four prospects: a customer locked out of their house right now, a property manager needing 12 units rekeyed between tenants, an agent wanting locks changed before a Friday closing, and a business asking about a master-key system for a new office. By 5pm, three already called someone else. The lockout was a same-day $95, and the rekey contract was worth thousands. Most locksmith shops are 1-to-3-person operations with no office staff, and the phone rings in the truck.
No trade punishes a missed call faster. Emergency work, lockouts, rekeys and lost keys, is 52 to 60% of everything a locksmith gets called for, and none of it is scheduled. The caller is standing in a driveway, stranded beside a car, or locked out of a business after hours, and they keep calling down the list until someone picks up. Rekeying and lock installation account for another 28 to 33%, and automotive for 15 to 17%, so the phone is almost entirely people who need someone now.
captured lockouts cover the month
of locksmith calls are emergencies
See what missed calls cost your business
Service-mix and job-value figures: industry estimates.
HOW IT WORKS
Every lockout answered. Every rekey captured. Every lead routed.
The call forwards. Nothing changes for the caller.
Your business line forwards to SubCall. No app, no hardware, no new number. Callers dial what they always have.
It picks up in under 3 seconds.
Warm, in your business name. “Thanks for calling Anderson Locksmith, how can I help?” Even mid-rekey at the bench.
It qualifies the job: lockout, rekey, or install.
Lockout, rekey, new install, or automotive? Residential, commercial, or auto? Locked out now, or scheduled? Deadbolt, smart lock, or master key? A customer locked out becomes a same-day priority. A 12-unit rekey routes commercial.
The job lands. Your tech gets a text.
Within seconds: name, address, lock type, issue, urgency, timing, and category. On an automotive call it carries the truck make, model and year, so the tech rolls with the right tools. The customer gets a confirmation.
CALL TRIAGE
It knows a lockout from a master-key job.
Generic services treat every locksmith call the same. SubCall runs different protocols for emergency lockouts, multi-unit rekeys, pre-closing changes, and master-key systems.
WHY LOCKSMITHS PICK SUBCALL
Over an answering service, or hiring.
| SubCall | Answering service | Hiring | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers 24/7 (evening calls) | Included | Upcharge | Requires overtime |
| Knows locksmith terminology | Built-in | Generic script | Months of training |
| Separates lockout / rekey / install | Sorts each type | No | Inconsistent |
| Captures lock type and location | Structured data | Free-form notes | Inconsistent |
| Multi-unit property-management qualifying | Specialty intake | No | Manual |
| Master-key system qualifying | Master-key intake | No | Inconsistent |
| Captures access details for the tech | Trained intake | No | Inconsistent |
| Dispatches via SMS | Instant | No | Manual |
| Monthly cost | From $349/mo (500 min) | $400–900 | $3,500+ /mo |
| Set-up time | Under 5 minutes | 3–5 days | Weeks |
LOCKSMITH FAQ
A few questions, answered.
How does it qualify locksmith leads?
It asks during intake whether it’s a lockout, rekey, install, or automotive job, the lock type, location, residential vs commercial vs auto, whether it’s an emergency, and timing. The structured intake gives your tech a job-ready brief before they roll.
Does it handle car lockouts differently than home lockouts?
Yes. Automotive lockouts capture the truck make, model, and year during intake so your tech rolls with truck-compatible tools. Residential lockouts capture the address, ID verification, and safety status instead.
Can it verify ID before dispatch?
Yes. It asks during intake whether the caller has ID showing the property is theirs, or a licence matching the truck registration for automotive calls. That protects you on break-in liability before anyone rolls.
Can it handle multi-unit property-management contracts?
Yes. It captures unit count, rekey vs new hardware, per-move-out turnaround, and timing, and routes the lead to your commercial estimator with quote-ready data.
How much does it cost for a locksmith business?
From $349/month, including 500 minutes and 24/7/365 coverage. No after-hours upcharge, which matters when most lockouts happen at night. Compared to hiring a dispatcher at $42,000+/year or a generic answering service at $400 to $900/month, it pays for itself with a handful of captured lockouts.
What locksmith-specific questions does it ask?
Lockout, rekey, install, or automotive, lock type, location, emergency status, residential, commercial, or auto, and timing.
Can it handle emergency lockouts differently than scheduled work?
Yes. Lockouts and stranded customers get flagged as same-day priority and dispatched fast. Rekeys, installs, and master-key jobs get scheduled.
How long does setup take?
Under 5 minutes. A few questions about your trade, forward your number, and every service is running.
Does it handle commercial master-key work?
Yes. It captures door count, master-key vs zoned access, hardware spec, and timeline, and routes the lead to your commercial sales lead.
Does it replace my phone number?
No. Your existing business number stays the same. Calls forward to SubCall, and callers dial what they always have.