An institutional locksmith called Locksmith Ledger about the general pay scale for locksmiths. This locksmith works for a large corporation and his only job was servicing an interchangeable core lock system in the corporate buildings. He was being paid $45,000 per year and was asking his employer for a raise and the employer was not complying.
During the last few months the federal government has suggested raising the minimum wage. Some cities have already raised the minimum wage ahead of any wage changes by the federal government. The government can suggest what they want but when thinking like a locksmith business owner, it is hard to raise employee wages without a reason. My opinion has always been that when an employee learns more and produces more, then he or she deserves a raise. Every company is in business to make a profit. Profit is achieved by grossing more than you spend.
The 2015 ALOA convention is a case in point. Convention exhibitors could be divided into to camps, those that were selling vehicle remotes and those that were not selling vehicle remotes. Besides exhibits of electronic car remotes, the only hints of electronic security were those exhibitors which were showing single-door access control products.
During my locksmithing days I regularly installed tubular deadbolt locks for approximately $100. Deadbolt installations today are in a similar pay range. I cannot pay my employees more money today as compared to yesterday unless I can sell a more expensive type of product to my customers. The aisles of the 2015 ALOA convention were never crowded and one reason is that many of the products and services on display at the convention are not those which will help double or triple our income. I asked every locksmith who stopped by the Locksmith Ledger booth the same question. What one product on the convention floor really impressed you? Nobody had a good answer.
Our Ledger offices are located in a large office building which has several tenants. The truck picture here shows a company which is currently working somewhere in the building. The truck sign provides a strong message. Security today is being sold in a different form and that is where the new dollars are being made.
