tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46072167793720696962024-03-14T02:49:38.848-07:00#1 Locksmith Pop-A-LockA work blog about Locksmiths and Pop-A-Lock. www.popalock.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-10357490364634876002010-07-30T07:07:00.000-07:002010-07-30T11:12:27.830-07:00Always LearningThe recent loss of my friend and business associate, Brent Poor, has brought some aspects of my life into a clearer focus. The central theme of this focus is on the harmony in life that can come from love as primary driver, both personally and in work.<br /><br />When I was told that Brent had passed, the immediate thought I had was "Impossible". The idea that such a large and prominent part of my life could just suddenly cease to exist simply could not register in my mind. This 'shock' triggered a cascade of realizations regarding the connections that my life is composed of now.<br /><br />It was from this trigger and successive thought cascade that I came to the following conclusions:<br /><br />1. My work is not at all separate from my personal life. Nor should it be.<br /><br />2. I view my coworkers and the franchisees that we support as a very large extended family.<br /><br />3. My closeness to my 'work family' rivals the intensity of any relationship I've had in my life.<br /><br />4. I feel personally responsible for not only the technical and tactical competence of the franchisees and their employees, I feel directly responsible for their health, well being, happiness and satisfaction levels and of that of their families.<br /><br />5. I realized this condition would likely be viewed as unhealthy by many people at first glance but upon closer examination, they would find this situation to be the most fulfilling experience that I can imagine.<br /><br />6. I have no plans to lessen this attitude or the behaviors that manifest from it, rather I hope to further nurture this situation.<br /><br />7. Even with the possibility of tragic endings to the tendrils of these relationships, the joy in life that I experience from these relationships categorically overshadows the negative realities that these tragedies can bring.<br /><br />8. It is not through any sense of 'duty' or 'obligation' that I seek out and sustain these relationships, it is from a direct desire to love others and to support their dreams and ease their struggles in any way that God provides me.<br /><br />9. Rather than distracting from my relationship with my own family, my 'work family' relationships strengthens my resolve, enlightens my mind to new possibilities and brings harmony to my sense of self because it unites my life with a single common thread...Love.<br /><br />10. Lastly, and most importantly, the quality of my life is directly proportionate to the quality of life of those that I support. It is directly from these relationships that I draw my focus, my strength, my stamina, my direction and my 'will to continue'.<br /><br />There are great lessons to be learned from any tragedy. This recent tragedy has served as a stark reminder that much of the joy in my life emanates from the connections I have with those around me. If you find yourself in a similar situation, rest assured that you are not 'spreading yourself too thin', embrace it and let it enrich your life and everyone you connect with.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=brent-patrick-poor&pid=144348411">In Memory of Brent Patrick Poor<br /></a><br />-Rob ReynoldsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-91650908585787131552010-05-13T17:48:00.000-07:002010-05-13T17:53:58.905-07:00Pop-A-Lock of Atlana wins BBB Award!I’m pleased to announce that Pop-A-Lock Atlanta won 1st Runner Up for the Better Business Torch Award for Community Service. The BBB was presented an essay on the Emergency Door Unlocking program and the work that we do with law enforcement and the military. This was the first time the franchise had participated in the Torch Awards and we are very grateful and honored that Pop-A-Lock of Atlanta won this award.<br /><br />The luncheon and awards ceremony was 5/13/2010 at the Westin Perimeter. The awards presentation was at the end of the luncheon.<br /><br />Please give yourselves a pat on the back and keep up the good work. Our EDU program is a very important part of our business and it’s a real blessing to rescue children locked in cars and provide free services to our police officers.<br /><br />P.S. There were plenty of pictures of the winners taken and some will be displaced on the BBB website and in the Atlanta Journal. In the meantime, I took a picture of the award and attached it. I’ve also listed some of the benefits of being a Torch Award winner…<br /><br />Please visit www.bbb.com to learn more about the Torch Awards.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.popalock.com/">www.popalock.com</a> for more information about Pop-A-Lock Locksmith services for the community.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-40039805672197371242010-03-22T04:52:00.000-07:002010-03-22T05:22:22.404-07:00Commutications: Hands Free LearningLike many other people, I commute to and from work. What makes my commute a bit special is that my commute is a little over 67 miles door to door each way. The route is not too bad, mostly open interstate across the <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lh5.ggpht.com/_t_5g3Y1AblI/Rf1vndByO-I/AAAAAAAAAno/zL6woqzQ8xk/SANY0273.JPG&imgrefurl=http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1lROfZGJXs3DqfUAvAYAbA&usg=__ZMPZKM3gBzSrFF6uJxODbYyMCWo=&h=1200&w=1600&sz=208&hl=en&start=8&sig2=FpoKODhUrveEx0R5HTP0-g&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=y9aXIzhCHgh7rM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAtchafalaya%2BBasin%2BBridge%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=LlunS7ywFtGVtgeO4JndAg">Atchafalaya Basin Bridge</a> of I-10, along one of the most beautiful stretches of Louisiana Swamp around.<br /><br />This journey provides me a solid 1.5 hours a day for phone calls to and from franchisees. To help me keep things on track I have a multi-point checklist that I use to make sure that when I 'catch up' I don't miss any vital areas, especially when supporting new franchisees. However, the topics are more often governed by some pressing need or idea by a franchisee. These vary from technical topics, hiring processes, advertising and marketing ideas, moral support and sometimes I get calls from 'old friends' who just want to know if there is anything new going on in the system.<br /><br />I've adopted the term Commutications: Communications that occur during Commuting, to describe this phase of my day. Jim Fetherman, franchisee for Central Texas, helped coined the term with me about 3-4 years ago...before there were actually any entries on Google for the term.<br /><br />Commuticating is a great way to help stay in touch with your team, your customers, your company or your family. What areas in your life could you be making productive use of?<br /><br />Locksmith Safety:<br /><br />I use a wired earpiece (as the only bluetooth devices that I've found that can keep up with a decent battery life are giant, over the head, boom mike types used by the truckers) so I can use both hands to drive. Additionally, my Voice Dial is set up for all of the main numbers I use frequently. By pressing and holding one button, then stating the name I'm looking for it, will dial the number.<br /><br />As locksmiths, we have to use the phone a lot. It is in our own best interest to invest in technology that will make our day safer! So while you are <em>Commuticating</em> please remember to be safe as possible and use a handsfree device and voice dial to avoid distractions!<br /><br />Have a safe and prosperous week!<br /><br />Tip: Did you know when you <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.popalock.com">Google Locksmith, Pop-A-Lock</a> is almost always on the front page.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-14762721344774304052010-03-08T05:41:00.000-08:002010-03-08T05:50:23.529-08:00Will all cars become keyless?<div>Q: Will all cars become keyless?</div><div><br /></div><div>A: From Pop-A-Lock Locksmith</div><div><br /></div>The list below identifies most of the current vehicles that have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">keyless</span>/proximity systems either as standard or optional features:<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Acura</span> - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/acura/rl/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/acura/rl/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">RL</span></a><br />Audi - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/a6/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/a6/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">A6</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/aud/a8/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/aud/a8/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">A8</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/q7/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/q7/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Q7</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/s6/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/s6/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">S6</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/s8/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/audi/s8/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">S8</a><br />Bentley - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bentley/continentalgt/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bentley/continentalgt/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Continental GT</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bentley/continentalgtc/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bentley/continentalgtc/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">GTC</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bentley/continentalflyingspur/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bentley/continentalflyingspur/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Flying Spur</a><br />BMW - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/3series/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/3series/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">3</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/5series/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/5series/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">5</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/6series/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/6series/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">6</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/7series/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/7series/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">7</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/alpinab7/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/alpinab7/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">B7</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m5/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m5/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">M5</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m6/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m6/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">M6</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/x5/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/x5/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">X5</a><br />Cadillac - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/sts/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/sts/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">STS</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/stsv/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/stsv/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">STS</span>-V</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/xlr/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/xlr/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">XLR</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/xlrv/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/xlrv/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">XLR</span>-V</a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cheverolet</span> - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/corvette/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/corvette/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Corvette</a> <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/fx35/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/fx35/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Infiniti</span> - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">FX</span>35</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/fx45/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/fx45/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">FX</span>45</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/g35/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/g35/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">G35</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/m35/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/m35/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">M35</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/m45/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/m45/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">M45</a><br />Jaguar - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/jaguar/xk/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/jaguar/xk/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">XK</span></a><br />Lexus - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/es350/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/es350/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">ES 350</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/gs350/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/gs350/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">GS 350</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/gs430/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/gs430/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">GS 430</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/is250/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/is250/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">IS 250</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/is350/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/is350/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">IS 350</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/ls460/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/ls460/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">LS 460</a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Maybach</span> - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/maybach/57/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/maybach/57/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">57</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/maybach/62/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/maybach/62/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">62</a><br />Mazda - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/cx7/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/cx7/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">CX</span>-7</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/cx9/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/cx9/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">CX</span>-9</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazdaspeed6/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazdaspeed6/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Mazdaspeed</span> 6</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/rx8/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/rx8/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">RX-8</a><br />Mercedes-Benz - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/clclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/clclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">CL</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/clkclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/clkclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">CLK</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/clsclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/clsclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">CLS</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/eclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/eclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">E</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/glclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/glclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">GL</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/mclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/mclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">M</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/rclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/rclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">R</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/sclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/sclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">S</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/slclass/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mercedesbenz/slclass/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">SL</span></a><br />Mini - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mini/cooper/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mini/cooper/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Cooper</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mini/cooper/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mini/cooper/2007/index.html_2";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">S</a><br />Mitsubishi - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/mitsubishi/outlander/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/mitsubishi/outlander/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Outlander</span></a><br />Nissan - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/altima/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/altima/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Altima</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/altimahybrid/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/altimahybrid/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Altima</span> Hybrid</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/maxima/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/maxima/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Maxima</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/murano/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/murano/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Murano</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/sentra/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/sentra/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Sentra</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/versa/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/versa/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Versa</span></a><br />Suzuki - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/suzuki/grandvitara/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/suzuki/grandvitara/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Grand <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Vitara</span></a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/suzuki/sx4/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/suzuki/sx4/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">SX</span>4</a><br />Toyota - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/avalon/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/avalon/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Avalon</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/camry/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/camry/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Camry</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/camryhybrid/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/camryhybrid/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Camry Hybrid</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/prius/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/prius/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Prius</span></a><br />Volkswagen - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/touareg/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/touareg/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Touareg</span></a><br />Volvo - <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/volvo/s40/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/volvo/s40/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">S40</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/volvo/s80/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/volvo/s80/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">S80</a>, <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/volvo/v50/2007/index.html" onclick="s_objectID="http://www.edmunds.com/volvo/v50/2007/index.html_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">V50</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Though the list is dominated by higher end vehicles, we see a number of 'bread and butter' vehicles such as the Nissan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Maxima</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Altima</span> and Toyota Camry; and even 'economy' vehicles such as the Nissan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Sentra</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Versa</span> on the list.</div><div><br /></div><div>The answer to the question 'will <b>all</b> cars become <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">keyless</span>' is likely "No". </div><div><br /></div><div>Many industrial vehicles such as street sweepers etc will likely use the simple mechanical key systems for some time to come. However, for the majority of passenger cars, trucks and SUV the answer is not 'if' but 'how soon'.</div><div><br /></div><div>As these vehicles enter the used car market, used car dealers will often only be providing 1 key with the sale. If you have one of these vehicles and find yourself with only 1 key...it is time to call Pop-A-Lock to get a second or third 'credential' for your vehicle. The cost difference between 1 extra key and replacing your last 'lost' key can be staggering.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can visit <a href="http://www.popalock.com">www.popalock.com</a> or call 1-800-Pop-A-Lock (1-800-767-2562) to find the nearest Pop-A-Lock. We can program your duplicate keys <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">onsite</span> for you at your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">convenience</span>!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-59749687483265019322010-03-07T06:10:00.000-08:002010-03-08T05:53:14.344-08:00Pop-A-Lock Locksmiths attend cutting edge transponder training3/5/2010 San Antonio, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tx</span>:<br /><br /><br />In conjunction with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Keypro</span>.com, Pop-A-Lock Locksmiths, instructors and franchisees attended a cutting edge transponder production and service class put on by <a href="http://www.istanbulanahtar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=68&lang=en">Istanbul Electronics</a>, producers of the Zed-Bull transponder service system.<br /><br />The Zed-Bull is a state of the art Multi-Vehicle/Multi-Function service tool which allows the user to perform a myriad tasks ranging from basic transponder cloning functions to very advanced immobilizer service.<br /><br />Zed-Bull or literally, 'Zero-Bull' provides another weapon in Pop-A-Lock's arsenal of tools to help customers receive the highest quality service for their high-tech vehicle security systems without having to depend on the 'dealer only' channel.<br /><br />Beyond it's current capabilities the Zed-Bull platform allows the engineers at Istanbul Electronics to continually expand the uses of the tool. The flexible and intuitive interface offers locksmiths and vehicle security technicians the ability to resolve problems on a wide variety of North American, European and Asian vehicles previously only serviceable by hyper-expensive dealer scan tools or highly complex and unreliable 'command line' type software.<br /><br />The device is able to be configured with a number of options ranging from a very intuitive cloning system, all the way up to transponder decryption and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">eeprom</span> read/write ability.<br /><br />As the automotive security industry continues to grow in complexity and sophistication, Pop-A-Lock Locksmiths are continuously adapting to these new systems and technologies to<b> best meet the needs of our customers!</b><br /><br />Please visit us at <a href="http://www.popalock.com/">www.popalock.com</a> to learn more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-40066499093591215492010-03-05T05:12:00.000-08:002010-03-05T05:12:37.125-08:00Smart Keys and anti-theft common sense<a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4289449.html">Are Keys Getting Too Smart? New Car Keys Bring Advanced Tech to Driver's Seat</a><br /><br />The link above is to a Popular Mechanics article about advanced keys systems.<br /><br />The author, Paul Eisenstein, explores some of the interesting features on two of the new generation <strong>transponder keys</strong>. The new Ford MyKey systems have a number of features that vehicle owners control certain aspects of the driving experience based on which key credential is presented. Though the RFID transponder is not very different than previous editions, it is the software in the vehicle that makes more use of the transponder in the key.<br /><br />Some of the new Ford MyKey features include:<br /><br />-Limiting Maximum Speed of the vehicle<br />-Limiting Volume control of the Radio<br />-Chime notifications at certain speed levels.<br />-Various comfort settings of the seat and steering wheel.<br /><br />What is most striking is not the technology, as many of these features have been implemented on high end luxury vehicles for several years. What will strike most people is that the first Ford vehicle to use the MyKey system is the humble <strong>Ford Focus!</strong><br /><br />BMW keys go another step on European models by allowing near smart phone like capabilities by their new keys. Bmw has teamed up with NXP semiconductors for their new multiple application key. The new keys can be used to pay for things much like a <strong>proximity</strong> type credit card device.<br /><br />Despite the increased cost of keys and the difficulty in finding people to service these high end vehicle electronic systems, <strong>transponder keys</strong> have worked in drastically reducing the theft of vehicles in the US.<br /><br />One thing most will notice after reviewing a list like the one below (<a href="http://www.nicb.org/">2007, Source NICB</a>) is that cars are still being stolen, however they are much older because the majority of them don't have factory equipped immobilizer/transponder systems:<br /><br />Honda Civic 1995<br />Honda Accord 1991<br />Toyota Camry 1989<br />Ford F-150 1997<br />Chevy C/K 1500 1994<br />Acura Integra 1994<br />Dodge Ram Pickup 2004<br />Nissan Sentra 1994<br />Toyota Pickup 1988<br />Toyota Corolla 2007<br /><br />2008, <a href="http://www.nicb.org/">NICB</a> "Hot Wheels Report"<br /><br />1994 Honda Accord<br />1995 Honda Civic<br />1989 Toyota Camry<br />1997 Ford F-150 Pick up<br />2004 Dodge Ram Pick Up<br />2000 Dodge Caravan<br />1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee<br />1994 Acura Integra<br />1999 Ford Taurus<br />2002 Ford Explorer<br /><br />A few thing you can do to make your vehicle <strong>'less attractive'</strong> to car thieves or thieves who want stuff FROM your car:<br /><br />1. Never leave items of value such as a GPS or other electronics in<strong> 'plain sight'</strong> where they are visible from the outside of the vehicle. Pack them up and take them with you or put them in the trunk.<br /><br />2. Never leave <strong>extra keys</strong> in your car. Thieves will take about 4 seconds to scan all the common locations and start the car and leave. This will be particularly difficult to explain to your insurance carrier when it is determined that your car was taken with a key.<br /><br />3. If you do invest in an aftermarket alarm, DO NOT put the <strong>stickers that identify the alarm</strong> on the vehicle. If a thief knows what type of system they have to bypass, they may have the specific information to bypass that system and are more likely to target that vehicle.<br /><br />4. Never <strong>leave your vehicle running</strong> while you run into a store. This is particularly true for leaving your vehicle running at the gas pump.<br /><br />5. <strong>Lock your car with the remote</strong> rather than with the key. Many vehicles alarm systems are only fully activated when the vehicle is locked with the remote. Some remotes require you to 'double click' the remote or 'long hold' the lock button to activate the alarm. Check your owners manual and learn how your remote works.<br /><br />Beyond these simple things you can do everyday,<strong> GET A DUPLICATE TRANSPONDER KEY MADE BEFORE YOU NEED IT</strong>.<br /><br /><strong>A </strong><a href="http://www.popalock.com/"><strong>Pop-A-Lock Locksmith</strong></a><strong> or an </strong><a href="http://www.findalocksmith.com/search.aspx"><strong>NASTF participating locksmith </strong></a><strong>can create a duplicate for your electronic key (the buzz word for electronic keys is 'credential') or even make a replacement for your key if all copies are lost...but an ounce of prevention is worth about 285.00 pounds of cure.</strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-39512538531747113492010-03-03T05:32:00.001-08:002010-03-07T06:45:51.426-08:00The Myth of 'Dealer Only' keys: There are simple alternatives!The Myth of Dealer Only Keys:<br /><br />A number of people are under the false assumption that their 'fancy new key' can only be duplicated or replaced by a dealership. This is a potentially costly and time consuming assumption.<br /><br />Pop-A-Lock Locksmith has invested in the equipment and training to service virtually any of the new automotive key system being produced.<br /><br /><strong>These include simple chip keys, proximity devices, integrated key remotes, remote starts including the latest 'High Security' keys.</strong><br /><br />Thanks to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">OEM</span>, aftermarket and governmental efforts these highly restrictive key systems can be serviced as a result of a unprecedented joint effort called <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">NASTF</span>. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">NASTF</span> established a Secure Data Release Model that has greatly improved the security and accountability of secure key information by establishing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-qualifications and tracking of information related to automotive security.<br /><br />So before towing your car to a dealership to have your key replaced or spending your day in a waiting room for a duplicate of your key, contact an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">NASTF</span> participating locksmith to have the work done!<br /><br />Pop-A-Lock and the Associated Locksmiths of America both support <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">NASTF</span> participation and compliance. You can find an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">NASTF</span> participating locksmith either by:<br /><br />1. Calling your local <a href="http://www.popalock.com/">Pop-A-Lock</a> or calling 1-800-Pop-A-Lock<br /><br />or<br /><br />2. Visit <a href="http://www.findalocksmith.com/">http://www.findalocksmith.com/</a> and select your location and checking the <strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">NASTF</span></strong> <strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">LSID</span> </strong>box at the bottom of the screen.<br /><br />Either of these methods will provide you with a selection of highly qualified and legitimate locksmiths who have access to the latest information to provide you excellent service on your late model vehicle.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-56915455440046983162010-03-02T05:44:00.000-08:002010-03-07T06:53:01.260-08:00Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Houston, Tx<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://itunes.apple.com/ar/app/my-locksmith-locator/id343433157?mt=8"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 68px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsITHh6DGlRXmPGRZn_eDxm1KThVv1hkZzfviqw9bTJi8Ao4m9fidngZsO6QJZ7Ozyiy9hyphenhyphen3m6RgkZRhSXlroq9N_vUDC0H9ar2zoVu5zvoHKpD8_U2U4J03jAH4jKoucUaGw8VEfuANe/s200/Locksmith_app.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444037636297026786" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.popalock-houstonlocksmith.com/">http://www.popalock-houstonlocksmith.com/</a> <div>now has one of the best Free Iphone - Itunes Applications available for download:<br /><br /><a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-locksmith-locator/id343433157?mt=8">Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Locator Application for Iphone!</a><br /><br />Pop-A-Lock is continually striving to improve service levels. One of the most important performance metrics that we track is arrival time promised and arrival time met. This is referred to as ATA or Actual Time of Arrival.<br /><br />There are many factors that can affect ATA, for example a major car accident during rush hour can bring the entire road system to a screeching halt. However, we are always searching for ways to minimize the affects of unexpected problems through more efficient staffing, zone management, navigational aids and of course, better communication.<br /><br />One tool that we believe will assist us with providing the best response time possible is our new <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pop-A-Lock Locksmith</span> Locator Smart Phone Application system. This system is currently available for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Free</span> through I-tunes for the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Apple Iphone</span>. The locator will soon be available for Blackberry and Android platforms as well.<br /><br />How does the Iphone help us to provide better locksmith service?<br /><br />The answer is simple, when a customer contacts Pop-A-Lock Locksmith through the Iphone application, the customers exact GPS latitude and longitude are sent to us electronically. This information is processed through a heads up navigational dispatch display to ensure that the nearest locksmith or technician is dispatched to perform service.<br /><br />This GPS location is also very useful when a customer is in a large parking facility such as a mall, sports stadium, college campus or other similar conditions. The GPS coordinates allow us to pin point the location of the locksmith customer with amazing precision.<br /><br />Pop-A-Locks use of this <b>Iphone and smart phone technology</b> saves our customers time at every level of service from initial contact, taking of call information, selection and dispatch of technician, location of the customer on-site and thanks to our electronic locksmith knowledge management system, the jobs themselves go much smoother.<br /><br />This system is being fielded nationwide right now! One of the leaders in our Pop-A-Lock franchise system, <b>Pop-A-Lock Locksmith of Houston, Tx</b> has fully embraced this revolutionary new system.<br /><br />The city of Houston and surrounding areas is a giant geographical area, that requires the coordinated effort of dozens of locksmiths, car door unlocking technicians, road service technicians, managers and dispatchers to support and maintain. The Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Locator application is assisting <b>Houston Locksmith customers</b> get better service, faster and with amazing results.<br /><br />Pop-A-Lock is proud to be a technology leader in the locksmith industry. Pop-A-Locks service offering has continued to grow and evolve with their customers needs. With the advent of Airbags, new vehicle design improvements, electronic and keyless equipped vehicles, Pop-A-Lock has invested in the technology and training to take care of customers who need assistance with these high tech systems.<br /><br />From safe, damage free openings and lock outs to replacement of lost and duplicate High Security keys, programming of Electronic Transponder Chips keys, Remote Locks systems and Keyless vehicles, Pop-A-Lock locksmith can take care of your needs. With the adoption of the Locksmith Locator Smart Phone system, we can meet your needs faster, more professionally and with greater precision than ever.<br /><br />You can download a free copy of the Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Locator application by visiting the Itunes store and searching for "Locksmith" or directly from any of the Pop-A-Lock websites.<br /><br />Please visit <a href="http://www.popalock.com/">www.popalock.com</a> for more information or to order service!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-90846719006260319802010-02-28T09:37:00.001-08:002010-02-28T09:47:56.478-08:00Expanding: Quality, Services and CoverageIf you are seeking a locksmith please visit: <a href="http://www.popalock.com">www.popalock.com</a> to find your local Pop-A-Lock locksmith!<br /><br /><strong>Expanding: Quality, Services and Coverage:</strong><br /><br />Many communities have had the benefit of having a Pop-A-Lock Locksmith in their area for many years. However, in some areas people aren't even aware that Pop-A-Lock has started servicing their hometown.<br /><br />Pop-A-Lock has been dilligently expanding the franchises geographic footprint in order to bring their fresh alternative to traditional locksmith offerings. In addition to a larger geographic coverage area, virtually every existing Pop-A-Lock has expanded their range of services to better meet ALL of Locksmith needs of their communities.<br /><br />Though everyone knows Pop-A-Lock opens locks, many aren't aware that we have also become the largest and best option for:<br /><br />-Replacing Lost Mechanical Keys<br />-Generating Electronic Transponder Chip Keys On site<br />-Keying of locks for Automotive, Commercial and Residential applications.<br />-Installation and sustainment of High Security and Key Control Locking Systems.<br /><br />These are just a few of the myriad services that Pop-A-Lock has brought to their customers.<br /><br />The number one thing that Pop-A-Lock does: Take care of any lock or key related problem, quickly and at a FAIR price!<br /><br />The following is a list of locations that currently support:<br /><br />Alabama<br />Birmingham<br />Mobile<br />Phenix City<br /><br />Arkansas<br />Fayetteville<br />Fort Smith<br />Hot Springs<br />Little Rock<br /><br />Arizona<br />Maricopa County<br />Tucson<br /><br />California<br />Placer County<br />Riverside County<br />Sacramento County<br />San Diego<br />San Francisco<br />San Mateo<br /><br />Colorado<br />Denver<br />Fort Collins<br /><br />Connecticut<br />Hartford<br /><br />District of Columbia<br />Washington<br /><br />Delaware<br />Wilmington<br /><br />Florida<br />Brevard County<br />Clearwater<br />Daytona Beach<br />Fort Lauderdale<br />Fort Myers<br />Fort Walton Beach<br />Jacksonville<br />Miami<br />Orlando<br />Palm Beach<br />Panama City<br />Pensacola<br />St. Augustine<br />St. Petersburg<br />Tallahassee<br />Tampa<br /><br />Georgia<br />Atlanta<br />Columbus<br />Savannah<br /> Hawaii<br />Honolulu<br /><br />Iowa<br />Des Moines<br /><br />Idaho<br />Boise<br /><br />Indiana<br />Indianapolis<br /><br />Kansas<br />Kansas City<br />Wichita<br /><br />Kentucky<br />Lexington<br />Louisville<br /><br />Louisiana<br />Alexandria<br />Baton Rouge<br />Crowley<br />Houma<br />Kaplan<br />Lafayette<br />Lake Charles<br />Monroe<br />New Iberia<br />New Orleans<br />Opelousas<br />Ruston<br />Shreveport<br />Slidell<br />Vermilion Parish<br /><br />Maryland<br />Baltimore<br /><br />Michigan<br />Grand Rapids<br />Macomb County<br />Oakland County<br /><br />Minnesota<br />Minneapolis<br /><br />Missouri<br />Cape Girardeau<br />Kansas City<br />Springfield<br /><br />Mississippi<br />Gulfport-Biloxi<br />Jackson<br /><br />North Carolina<br />Charlotte<br />Durham<br />Fayetteville<br />Greensboro<br />Raleigh<br />The Outer Banks<br /> Nebraska<br />Omaha<br /><br />New Jersey<br />Bergen County<br />Essex County<br />Hudson County<br />Middlesex County<br />Passaic County<br />Union County<br /><br />New Mexico<br />Albuquerque<br /><br />Nevada<br />Las Vegas<br />Reno<br /><br />New York<br />Brooklyn<br />Ithaca<br />Manhattan<br />Monroe County<br />Nassau County<br />Rochester<br />Staten Island<br />Syracuse<br /><br />Ohio<br />Cincinnati<br />Cleveland<br />Columbus<br />Toledo<br /><br />Oklahoma<br />Oklahoma City<br />Tulsa<br /><br />Oregon<br />Eugene<br />Portland<br /><br />Pennsylvania<br />Bucks County<br />Harrisburg<br />Lancaster<br />Montgomery County<br />Philadelphia<br />Pittsburgh<br />York<br /><br />South Carolina<br />Columbia<br />Greenville<br />Myrtle Beach<br />Spartanburg<br /><br />Tennessee<br />Chattanooga<br />Johnson City<br />Knoxville<br />Memphis<br />Nashville<br />Tri Cities<br /> Texas<br />Abilene<br />Amarillo<br />Austin<br />Baytown<br />Beaumont<br />Brownwood<br />Bryan-College Station<br />Conroe<br />Corpus Christi<br />Dallas<br />Galveston<br />Houston<br />Katy<br />Killeen<br />Lubbock<br />Midland<br />Missouri City<br />Odessa<br />Rio Grande Valley<br />San Angelo<br />San Antonio<br />Sugarland<br />Temple<br />Texarkana<br />The Woodlands<br />Tyler<br />Waco<br /><br />Utah<br />Orem Provo<br />Salt Lake City<br /><br />Virginia<br />Newport News<br />Norfolk<br />Richmond<br /><br />Washington<br />Seattle<br />Tacoma<br /><br />Wisconsin<br />Milwaukee<br />WaukeshaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-13972963377211078092010-01-05T04:43:00.000-08:002010-01-05T04:56:23.498-08:00A new decade for Pop-A-LockOver the holidays I had a chance to review the previous event of the year. I was very grateful to see many positive changes in several areas of our system.<br /><br />We have several new franchisees, most of which are off to a fast start up. Several of our locksmiths have earned various certifications including CRL's and the new CAL (Certified Automotive Locksmith). We have made several process changes to help franchisees get support they need on demand.<br /><br />More subtly but just as important has been the expansion of breadth and depth of services available. We are rapidly expanding High Security Automotive and Commercial keying capabilities in numerous markets. Many locations have added 'Reflashing' services for Lexus, Toyota, Acura and Honda vehicles (these are very expensive services from the dealer). We have been fielding a robust test program for additional automotive electronics such as the addition of remote start functions to vehicles, this is particularly useful for customer in the northern regions on frigid days like today.<br /><br />2010 will have some unique challenges that I have seen emerging. We have several large multi-regional accounts that have come to depend on our service and our reputation for excellent service has spread to other multi-regional users. We have seen some victories for the locksmiths against the scammers, but the war is still far from over.<br /><br />The central goal for 2010 is to expand and deepen the level of support for the franchisees, particularly for their locksmith and account divisions. A slew of actions are in the pipeline to help with internet marketing, sales training, advanced locksmith training, certification preparation and new franchise development.<br /><br />I wish anyone reading this a Happy and Prosperous New Year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-37641857949660231472009-11-04T18:40:00.001-08:002009-11-04T18:49:41.425-08:00Pop-A-Lock of St. AugustineThe week is going by quickly. I had an opportunity to visit and work with Jay and Pat, the owners of Pop-A-Lock of St. Augustine, Fl. Jay is a veteran Locksmith and Pop-A-Lock so the visit went a little easier than most initial visit.<br /><br />They have done a great job at spreading the Gospel of Pop-A-Lock already but we did have a chance to visit some great account opportunities. One of the advantages of having a 'high skillset' on the technical side such as Jay has, you can target larger and more complex accounts.<br /><br />Pay is doing a great job as well! She is a full blown tech and is popping locks with the best of them now.<br /><br />St. Augustine is more accurately described as 'St. Johns'. It is a sprawling area with a lot of history. It is not everyday that I get to pass by the Fountain of Youth!<br /><br />I always joke with my wife, "Thanks to Pop-A-Lock I've gotten to visit so many cities and get to drive by such famous landmarks!"<br /><br />Seeing the city through the eyes of a Pop-A-Lock is such a different perspective than a 'tourist visit'. Our customers come from literally every area of town, every income bracket and every demographic.<br /><br />You can learn more about Pop-A-Lock of St. Augustine at <a href="http://www.popalockofstaugustine.com/">www.popalockofstaugustine.com</a><br /><br />PS. They have one of the most memorable local phone numbers I've ever seen: 904-940-0000<br /><br />PPS. I'd like to thank Pat and Jay for such a hospitable and productive visit!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-42403061470776681782009-10-14T12:58:00.000-07:002010-02-28T10:02:31.868-08:00Time Management within the Pop-A-Lock BoxGTD: Time Management within the Pop-A-Lock Box<br /><br />In a recent exchange with a franchisee, they asked me ‘How do you keep up with all this stuff?’ I gave them a quick history on my background and the simple philosophy that I have adopted. Additionally, I have some pretty neat tools that I’ve picked up that help me keep track of things. As a disclaimer, I get less done than what I would like, I feel some sense of guilt nearly all the time for not ‘doing’ enough ; be that at Pop-A-Lock, at home or with my family. I always feel as though each day is my last. I’ve felt this way since I was about 15 years old and don’t really know why, I had no significant event that I can remember…the feeling just ‘popped’ up on me one day and provides some sort of ‘fundamental drive’ to most of my actions and interests.<br /><br />So the base ingredient of the ‘system’ is a day to day near death experience type of motivation to ‘do’ stuff.<br /><br />Next, Interwoven into that is a strong commitment to not letting down Carl, Steve, Don, Jim Fetherman, Paul Sewall, Sam Landers or any of the other franchisees that play such an important part in my life. In the back of my mind I hear a constant mantra…If you don’t help these people in your own particular way, who else will?<br /><br />The System: I give full credit David Allen and his book GTD (not a self help book) for systematizing many of the process below. I (and probably you) have hodgepodged together many of the same concepts own my own from other sources such as Officer Candidate School and super high intensity training at the University of ‘Trial and Error’.<br /><br />Rule 1: Collect every thought, every input, every request, every suggestion, every complaint and every piece of feedback into a ‘trusted system’. For me this is surprisingly a very non-technological device; a small hardcover notebook. The purpose of the notebook is to get everything OUT of my head because if I don’t I start committing items to memory through repetition and review. This mental effort of reviewing ‘what’s next’ and ‘don’t forget’ items is very disruptive to any productive time I have. By getting it out of my head, I can step back look at the items and work on them in a more logical manner. I don’t go through a lot of ‘preparation’ or use a special planner with prioritizing letters etc. Those things have always seemed to waste more time. On the electronic side, I do use Outlook to create emails to myself as described in more context later.<br /><br />The second step is determining if something is ‘Actionable’, in other words is the stimuli that I am getting require some physical action in space. If not I do one of three things with it:<br /><br />-I delete it, throw it away or otherwise decide that there is nothing to be done with it. The phrase ‘get into empty’ is associated most closely GTD. This goes for your inbox, your calendar, your notebook whatever. If it can be deleted…get rid of it so it doesn’t take up space in your mind. However, I never actually delete anything I just move it to delete and can pull it up at any time later but it is clear of my ‘Mental Ram’ so I can torture myself with other projects and Next Actions. <br /><br />-I file it away as Reference. Thanks to Google Desktop I do this pretty liberally in the My Documents folder because with Desktop I can find it later by using keywords. Outlook is also very helpful for this as I have one folder that says ‘reference’ that I throw anything that I may need to look at later in it. Google desktop also indexes all Outlook mail.<br /><br />-Sometimes I’m not sure if an input is actionable or not, for these items I open a new outlook email make a quick note on it then drag it over to my calendar, put it on a ‘recurrence’ reminder for some interval say once a week for certain items, maybe as long as a year for other items. If it is ‘just not that important’ then I will fold the page over in my notebook and every several months I’ll flip through my bent pages in my old notebooks and see what I ‘thought’ was important at the time. The best most powerful aspect of the ‘drag and drop to the calendar’ is that I can ‘Fire and Forget’. Often times when it Pops on my calendar I have some new information or perspective on the issue that will allow me to delete it.<br /><br />The second ‘rule’ is that if something takes less than 2 minutes to accomplish…I just do it. There are hundreds of things a day that people ‘put off’ because they think they are prioritizing but actually they are just using ‘planning’ as an excuse to procrastinate.<br /><br />A common challenge to this practice is: If I keep stopping what I am doing to do these little things, then I’ll never get anything done.<br /><br />There is something to be said about staying focused and ‘on task’ however, there is a little hidden truth here: If you really intend to do both tasks, then there is only one way to ‘waste time’…that is by putting off the 2 minute task. If you continue to ‘revisit’ or have to set up a reminder or ANYTHING except just doing the task…then you have truly wasted time.<br /><br />This is a lead into the misunderstood term ‘Multi-tasking’, very few people multi-task. I do many true multi-tasking for example: Brushing my teeth, putting on deodorant and watching the morning weather. However, what most people refer to as ‘multi-tasking’ is the ability to quickly and fluidly shift from one task, to another then back the original task without much ‘friction’ or loss of efficiency. For many of us that means, quickly switching from talking to a customer, to looking up a keyblank, to sending in an order, then putting ourselves onsite and taking care of the issues at hand.<br /><br />A choice: If it takes longer than 2 minutes then I decide if it is a Next Action or a Project. The two aren’t really different except for the ‘scope of work’ involved, however every project has a ‘Next Action’ at the very front of it.<br /><br />Next Action: Is a physical action that occurs in space and whose description is normally started with a verb: Email, Call, Write, Order, Read, Go to, Schedule flight, make reservation. I avoid what Chris Appelton the San Diego franchisee refers to as ‘Orwellian’ speak, which is characterized by fluffy words like: Coordinate, Plan, Arrange, Review or Foster. You don’t ‘coordinate’ you call someone, you email someone else, you speak to someone in person. This is most closely associated with a ‘things to do list’ however, most people’s ‘things to do list’ is really full of fluffy stuff.<br /><br />A Project is a multi-step action and I can use my ‘fluffy’ words to describe that but it has to be composed of Next Actions, for example:<br /><br />Project: Coordinate Baltimore 2009 tow show with Tony<br />-Write email to tony with suggested agenda<br />-Call Scott to verify his needs and intentions<br />And so on.<br /><br />The concept of ‘Waiting for’ is a status of an specific next action in a project. From the above example of the Tow Show, a ‘waiting for’ is “Waiting for decision by tow show personnel if they are going to allow us to use a room if we aren’t exhibiting. These are the nagging little things that can drive you crazy trying to ‘follow up on’. For me these are the bane of my existence, because I know that most people aren’t carrying on their day to day business the same way that I am and resolving that 2 minute issue will be put off by them for days, weeks or even months before they respond back. However, there is a good way to deal with these issues, for me I drag the email with the substance of the project into my calendar and set a reoccurring reminder on my Outlook so that instead of me nagging myself…I nag the person who I am ‘waiting on’. Often times people come to the realization that you mean business and really need an answer and it is easier for them to address you than to ignore you any longer.<br /><br />Waiting For usually takes one of two form ‘delegation’ and ‘depending on’. The first one is when you are in some leadership role and have to delegate tasks to others. Whereas the second one is a ‘followership’ role where you are dependent on someone else to do something but they are outside of your sphere of influence. Depending on can range from Waiting on a boss or partner to do something, an outside agency, a skillset provider etc. Sean is a good example of that for me, there are many things that we do that I am ‘depending on’ Sean to accomplish, Royalty Adjustment on 411 is a good example of that type of project for me.<br /><br />Managing large projects taps into another level of skillset but for the most part the same general rules apply.<br /><br />Scheduled Review: I look at my stuff constantly in real-time, however I have a pop-up that comes up twice a week during the week and I have a specific time on the weekend that I just go through everything. This usually generates a lot of deleting and crossing out because they were things that were ‘actioned’ already and no longer need my attention. The physical action involves going through my email in-box, going to the last page in current notebook and going through my calendar deleting or changing stuff. When I get through with this I usually rewrite my ‘next actions’, putting at least one ‘next action’ from any current projects and my mind is at ease.<br /><br />Troop Leading Procedures<br /><br />Another time tested and battle tested process are the 9 Troop leading procedures. It is a systematic combination of the two old axioms: The Best Plan rendered too late is worthless and the first casualty of any war is the best laid plan. I have always said that these are more ‘descriptive’ than ‘proscriptive’ in that they describe what is ‘supposed to be going on’ however direct application is never perfect…big however If you miss any steps you are likely doing something wrong.<br /><br />I have encountered many people in many different walks of life and violation of these troop leading procedures appears to be a rampant problem, particularly omission of steps 2 and 3.<br /><br />1. Receive the Mission: This sounds like a passive step but it is usually the first mistake people make. They don’t actively think about what someone is asking them to do, they misunderstand, they don’t capture the details in a trusted system. I can’t count how many new owners have sat in SFA and not written down a thing they encounter, I know they didn’t retain the material because when I ask basic question at the end they cannot answer them. When you are listening for understanding, it is ok to not take notes but when you are listening to ‘receive the details of a mission’ it’s best to capture those items. <br /><br />*However, the most important aspect of receiving the mission is the ‘brief back’, this when you state back to whoever you are dealing with what you perceived they just told you. It is surprising how often this prevent some major misunderstanding, however many people don’t do it because they didn’t understand and are trying to cover up for the fact they weren’t paying attention, they are embarrassed to ask clarifying questions or they simply don’t really intend to do anything about it anyway.<br /><br />2. Make a Tentative Plan: Many people, even ‘seasoned’ operators skip this step. They jump straight into researching and trying to dig up all the details on an issue. In many most of the procrastinators I deal with this is their fatal flaw, they don’t want to commit to a simple course of action early on in the process…because they might be wrong.<br /><br />3. Give a Warning Order: This is letting the people involved in some process know that ‘change is coming’ that ‘action is soon’, this gives them time to begin processing information and taking actions at their level. If it is a subordinate leader under you, then they should be going straight to Step one of this process.<br /><br />4. Start Necessary Movement: This is the stage that regardless of what specifics you are doing, you likely need to get in place. For us it is things like exchanging contact information, making sure you have your ‘beans and bullets’, setting up accounts, getting credit card processing going, contacting the phone company to find out what information you will need etc.<br /><br />5. Conduct a Reconnaissance/Research: This is when you begin your strong due diligence, getting the part numbers, going look at the job site, going to a company webpage to see what they are about, contacting other franchisees, calling SFA for questions and support, going to a meeting, meeting with a realtor, meeting with a dealership employee etc.<br /><br />6. Complete the Plan: This is when you finalize what your next actions are going to be, create time lines, draw the layout of the building, prepare the final order, get the final feedback from anyone you are consulting with on the project.<br /><br />7. Issue the Plan: You let everyone know in detail what you is going on, what you are asking them to do, what they can expect, answer their questions.<br /><br />8. Rehearse the action: GET YOUR BRIEF BACK from your subordinates, subordinate leaders, cohorts, partners or others involved to ensure they know what is going on. Test the projector, email the instructions to yourself to see if the format looks correct, send them to someone else to make sure they can read the attachments, do a mock sales call with a teammate etc.<br /><br />9. Supervise and Refine the Plan: Make it a point to touch back each person to ensure that things are going as intended, if not identify the problems, seek solutions and refine the plan and keep others abreast of ‘Changes’ (I know these as Frago or fragmentary orders).<br /><br />In summary, these are just some ‘hacks’ that can help you either get more things done, or far the less motivated…get the same things done with less hassle/problem/stress. Warning: The subtle questions “Is this actionable?” and “What is the Next Action?” become very dominant in your thinking. I know that I have personally ‘put people off’ because they frequently confront me with ‘non-actionable’ input and I don’t tend to play along (for long)…I’m polite, smile and say ‘Ok, all that sounds good, but no real action needed?’ This is a brief back to confirm that what they are talking about is not ‘actionable’ and that no ‘next action’ is required. It can come across a little stiff but probably helps both parties.<br /><br />Follow Up: If you would like to learn more do an internet search for GTD you will find a ton of information...but don't look too much go GSD: Get Something Done.<br /><br />www.popalock.com<br /><br />There is no substitute for a SINCERE desire to take care of customers. The motivation to ensure that customer, clients and accounts are taken care of properly and promptly is what drew me to Pop-A-Lock and has kept me here. When everything is said and done, nobody but nobody follow through for customers as much, as frequently or with the same degree of alacrity as the team at Pop-A-Lock. If you need a locksmith please consider using us, we love to prove that the needs of our customers are THE FOCUS of our entire business.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-92209775598727249392009-10-01T05:44:00.000-07:002009-10-01T06:23:48.675-07:00Honored 2: Louisiana Life Safety Advisory Board<a href="http://gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&catID=2&articleID=1639">Governor Bobby Jindal Announces Appointments to the Life Safety and Property Protection Advisory Board</a> <br /><br />I have assisted the State Fire Marshal's office for several years with issues regarding locksmith licensing in the State of Louisiana. The state utilize various volunteer committees composed of industry representatives from across the state for guidance on issues such as education, training, administrative rules development, legislative clarifications, terminology and information gathering purposes.<br /><br />However the State utilizes a specific Board assigned by the authority of the Governor to assist specifically regarding issues of Life Safety and Property Protection. This board has a locksmith representative to help provide insight into technical and logistical aspects of the locksmith industry.<br /><br />I was nominated to serve on this board and was recently appointed by Gov. Jindal to represent the Locksmiths and affiliated industries within the State of Louisiana.<br /><br />I have always received a great sense of satisfaction from performing duty and service, especially when it comes to education and helping others understand locksmithing and the property protection industry. The LSPP board offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the efforts of the State to ensure that the field practices within our industry help the public be safe and protect the public faith that security practices are fairly and honestly represented.<br /><br />My agenda is very simple: Ensure that the locksmith industry is fairly represented in the affairs of the board and to provide the board with technical and tactical information needed to make smart decisions regarding the practices that it has purview over.<br /><br />The ever present mission in any type of leadership position is education. Helping foster education and training opportunities in the State is an ongoing effort that serves to increase the professionalism, effectiveness and safety practices used within the locksmith industry. Working with the LSPP board and serving on the Louisiana Life Safety and Security Association advisory board will greatly assist in the effort of bringing quality education and training opportunities to the locksmiths and prospective locksmiths of Louisiana.<br /><br />=========================================<br /><br />Did you know?<br /><br />Only a few states and municipalities have enacted legislation to protect their citizens by establishing basic standards for locksmiths regarding criminal history, competency and technical integrity. (<a href="http://www.aloa.org/legislation/Leg_Map/ALOA_Map.htm">Source: Aloa.org</a>)<br /><br />Please contact your representative and urge them to sponsor/adopt/support licensing of Locksmiths and other Security Professionals in your state. The Associated Locksmiths of America provides logistical and administrative support to your elected officials by providing model bills, ethical standards of practice, nationally recognized certifying exams, continuing education classes and connections with local associations to support grass roots support for their efforts.<br /><br />They need only contact legislative@aloa.org to get started.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-90672220642323388422009-10-01T05:15:00.000-07:002009-10-01T05:42:30.778-07:00Honored 1: Aloa Person of the Year for the Legislative Action NetworkI recently had some honors/responsibilities placed on me. The first happened at the Associated Locksmiths of America convention and tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nv this August.<br /><br />Aloa named me as Person of the Year for work I've been doing to help combat the scammer locksmiths through the Legislative Action Network. The presentation was unannounced and I was quite taken by surprise. I received a call a short while before the award banquet and was asked to 'stop by' and say hello to a few people, so I did. I came by and spoke with a few people and was about to excuse myself as I had some other planned events coming up shortly and was asked 'won't you sit tight just for about 15 minutes'. <br /><br />The presenter, Tim McMullen was making the presentations and they got to the last item and he started saying how some person had done this and that and all these anti-scammer things. I thought to myself, "I guess this is who they wanted me to talk to, I need to coordinate my efforts with what he is doing...it sounds like he is doing some good things."<br /><br />Then at the end of the presentation, they said my name! I could feel my face flush with true surprise. I will always remember thinking how only seconds before I was trying to think of ways to communicate with the who's efforts they were describing. <br /><br />I'm ever entertained by life's little irony's.<br /><br />My next next thoughts as I walked up to get the very nice plaque were very sobering, real people are depending on me to sustain these efforts, to double those efforts in fact. I am not the commanding officer in this effort, Aloa is in the Company Commander spot...but I'm very conscious that I am at least doing map reading and navigation duty on the effort. My biggest fear is to lead the effort into an ambush or off the correct path.<br /><br />In summary any accolade properly bestowed is also pre-loaded with responsibility.<br /><br />The best way to 'stay clear' of scammers is by doing one of these two options when trying to find a real local locksmith:<br /><br />1. Find a bona fide local <a href="www.popalock.com">Pop-A-Lock</a> locksmith to service your needs.<br /><br />2. Visit <a href="http://www.findalocksmith.com">www.findalocksmith.com</a> to select an Aloa professional locksmith.<br /><br />Look for the Aloa symbol and scammer warning in your local yellow pages when seeking a 'scam free' locksmith.<br /><br />Pop-A-Lock Locksmith<br />Aloa LocksmithUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-61539490533067096172009-09-04T04:30:00.000-07:002009-09-04T04:46:18.899-07:00Much more than a franchise: Pop-A-Lock of Riverside, CA LocksmithThe longer I am with Pop-A-Lock the more I come to understand the true nature of what a 'family run' business means. The paradox of our company is that we seem like a 'big' company but in truth we are a single living entity of people all heading for the same goal.<br /><br />I was reminded of that this week when I got some good news from our Riverside branch. They had finally gotten a contract that they had been seeking for some time and I was included on the distribution of an internal email that they sent to their team of techs and locksmiths. The email was such a 'local' and 'personal' exchange with their team, thanking them for all of their efforts that it really highlighted to me how much of a 'family business' we really are now.<br /><br />Riverside is one of the hardest working 'boot strap' locations I've had a chance to work with since my time in Pop-A-Lock. They have an extremely large coverage area and a great deal of scammers to compete with there. Despite that, they have persevered, learned the trade well and have stayed focused on the primary mission: Make customer truly satisfied.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.locksmith-in-riverside.com">www.locksmith-in-riverside.com </a>is the homepage of Pop-A-Lock of Riverside. They provide every type of locksmith service we offer. They have had a good deal of success with many local businesses who have come to appreciate the specialized attention and care that they receive from Pop-A-Lock of Riverside.<br /><br />Congratulations to Art & Teri and their whole team on their recent account success and I'm sure there are many more to come.<br /><br />Pop-A-Lock of Riverside Locksmith can be reached:<br /><br />Riverside / Corona 951-683-2669 <br />Arlington 951-688-5397 <br />Mira Loma 951-361-1733 <br />Moreno Valley 951-243-6393 <br /><br />or Toll-Free 1-800-POP-A-LOCKUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-57404965395446694032009-09-02T11:22:00.000-07:002009-09-02T11:25:32.226-07:00Mass AG Files Lawsuit against Locksmith FirmAttorney General Martha Coakley Files Suit Against Bronx Locksmith Company and Its Owners for Role in Locksmith Scheme<br /><br />BOSTON – Today, Attorney General Martha Coakely’s Office filed a lawsuit against a Bronx, New York, based company and its principals for allegedly operating a locksmith scheme that deceived Massachusetts consumers into believing they were contacting local locksmith companies, and then charged consumers hundreds of dollars more than the quoted price for their services. The Attorney General’s Office also obtained a temporary restraining order preventing defendants from destroying any documents or transferring any assets and is seeking permanent injunctive relief, restitution, penalties, costs and attorney’s fees. <br /><br />“The defendants have repeatedly taken advantage of vulnerable consumers who are locked out of their homes and cars,” said Attorney General Martha Coakley. “By saturating Massachusetts phone books with their false advertisements and overcharging customers for their services, the defendants have not only harmed consumers, but also negatively affected legitimate locksmith companies in the Commonwealth.”<br /><br />According to the complaint, filed today in Suffolk Superior Court, Dependable Locks Inc., run by principals David Peer and Adam Olivkovich, is a locksmith company that operates under at least a dozen different aliases and acted as a front for a scheme by which consumers were deceived through false advertising, false low estimates, and high pressure tactics. Consumers were targeted by the defendants, who would pose as local locksmiths by advertising in Massachusetts phone books and on the Internet by using local phone numbers and false regional addresses. Typically, Dependable Locks’ aliases began with the letter “A” or numbers to ensure placement at the beginning of the phone book listings. However, when a consumer called one of the defendants’ listed local numbers, they actually reached an operator at a call center in the Bronx, New York. The corresponding addresses listed with Dependable Locks’ aliases are false and are actually used by other non-related businesses or are personal addresses. Some of the aliases that the defendants used include 123 24 Hour A Locks & Locksmith, 24 Hour A Locks & Locksmith, A Emergency A Locksmith, and Emergency A Locks & Locksmith.<br /><br />Once a consumer made contact with the call center, the operator would then quote an artificially low price for the service and fail to indicate that they only accept cash payment. The complaint further explains that the call center would dispatch a locksmith in an unmarked vehicle. Instead of picking the lock, the locksmith would replace the entire lock unit, often in a shoddy manner, and use high-pressure tactics and intimidation to force customers into paying previously undisclosed fees often hundreds of dollars more than the price consumers were originally quoted over the phone. According to the complaint, in one instance a consumer was charged over $800 after being quote a price of $54 over the phone. <br /><br />The Attorney General’s Office alleges that the defendants have violated the Attorney General’s regulations by failing to provide an advance written estimate of repairs to customers, making or charging for repairs that have not been authorized by customers, representing that repairs are necessary-when such is not a fact, and failing to provide customers with an itemized list of repairs.<br /><br />A hearing has been scheduled on the Attorney General’s request for a preliminary injunction on September 10, 2009, at 2:00 p.m., in Suffolk Superior Court.<br />This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Shannon Choy-Seymour of Attorney General Coakley’s Consumer Protection Division with assistance from Jake Harney of Attorney General Coakley’s Investigations Division.<br /><br />Source: http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=cagopressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Cago&b=pressrelease&f=2009_08_31_dependable_locks&csid=CagoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-18043425653604501122009-07-30T15:50:00.001-07:002009-07-30T15:54:34.180-07:00Pop-A-Lock HawaiiI had the opportunity to visit Hawaii during the start up of our franchise there. We did initial technical training as well as a week of set up and marketing.<br /><br />The website is www.popalockofhonolulu.com and have some unique Hawaiian graphics on the vehicle that use the Hibiscus in the design. Perhaps they will post some pictures up soon on their site.<br /><br />We owe a big thanks to Paul and his team at the Auto Recyclers yard where we did training. I posted lots of pics up at my facebook page.<br /><br />They are equipped to do nearly any type of locksmithing including key generation, rekeys, installation, transponders and high security keys.<br /><br />The island was very beautiful and it was a very productive visit!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-58398913438598676362009-03-26T07:42:00.000-07:002009-03-26T07:45:10.689-07:00California Creates Unlicensed Activity Action UnitIn an effort to combat phony locksmiths, California has created a specialized unit to track down and prosecute these con artist.<br /><br />UNLICENSED ACTIVITY ACTION UNIT (UAAU)<br /><br />In February of 2009, the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services<br />(BSIS) developed an Unlicensed Activity Action Unit (UAAU) to increase their efforts to curtail unlicensed and unregistered activities of those performing work in the Private Security Industries which include Alarm Companies, Locksmiths, Repossessors, Private Investigators, Private Patrol Companies, Security Guards, and Weapons Training Facilities. <br /><br />This unit is staffed by experienced enforcement analysts from within BSIS's Enforcement Division. UAAU primary function is to investigate unlicensed and or unregistered activity leads received from the public, licensees and government agencies; as well as conduct sweeps with other law enforcement and governmental agencies. <br /><br />REPORTING UNLICENSED AND UNREGISTERED ACTIVITY<br /><br />The Bureau has simplified the reporting process by providing an online activity lead form. The informant may remain anonymous but if there is not enough information provided the Bureau may not be able to pursue. Anonymous activity lead forms will be kept confidential. The activity lead forms are processed according to the date of receipt, priority, and staff availability. You must provide as much detailed information as possible including the location(s) and time(s) of the activity which are extremely important. <br /><br />UNLICENSED ACTIVITY ACTION UNIT (UAAU)<br /><br />Access the online UAAU Activity Lead form at http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/uaau_lead_form.pdf<br /><br />Complete the UAAU Activity Lead Form and submit it to the Bureau either by: <br /><br /><br />Mail it to the Bureau at: <br />Bureau of Security and Investigative Service P.O. Box 980550 West Sacramento, California 95798<br />ATTN: UAAU <br /><br />Fax it to the Bureau at: (916) 575-7289 <br /><br />Email it to the Bureau at: uaau_bsisunit@dca.ca.gov <br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Avoid the scams, just remember the name <a href="http://www.popalock.com">Pop-A-Lock A Trusted Locksmith</a> Nationwide. No cons, no bait and switch just great service.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-2378880246931536252009-03-14T08:08:00.000-07:002009-03-14T09:33:39.737-07:00What is all the fuss about Locksmiths in Google?There has been a recent flurry of activity on many <a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/">SEO blogs</a> regarding Locksmiths across the country. Whats the deal?<br /><br />Most locksmith listings in the United States are now Phony. They far out number the legitimate locksmiths...probably by an unspeakable order of magnitude. If you pick a phone number at random from the internet, odds are you will be ripped off.<br /><br />A search in any major city (or lots of rural areas) will result in a massive display of fradulent listings. In <a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/18/google-maps-proves-more-locksmiths-in-nyc-than-cabs/">one recent article</a> an SEO guru noted there according to Google there are more locksmiths in NYC than Cabs. This is an obvious exploit that is being conducted by unscrupulus people<br /><br />The Associated Locksmiths of America (www.aloa.org) has been doing it's best to combat this but this is beyond the ability of 'outsiders' to do anything. It may be even be beyond the capacity of law enforcement and Google themselves to correct the problem as well.<br /><br />As the largest legitimate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop-A-Lock">provider of locksmith service </a>in the United States, we have become a centralized point for many locksmiths to complain about this scammer/phoney/spammer locksmith problem. We have invested SIGNIFICANT amounts of money into legal fees, research and communication into helping combat this both on our own behalf as well as independent locksmith who we have no formal relationships with in some cases. We have the most <a href="http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/maps/thread?tid=077f4fbe646f4684&hl=en">formal complaints on file with Google</a>, the legal system and the yellow page directories.<br /><br />Why is this a big deal?<br /><br />The scam is robbing customers for tons of money by overcharging them many times the going rate to have service performed. There are also some serious questions regarding how taxes are being paid and if the 'worker bees' that are being imported to perform the work, usually form outside the country, are possibly being exploited.<br /><br />"Go along with the scam or you might you lose your citizenship." This is the unspoken sword of damaclese hanging over the head of the employees (actually most of them are not w2 employees they are not paying payroll taxes).<br /><br />So what can be done?<br /><br />I'm truly at a loss for a magic bullet solution for the whole situation. However, from our standpoint there is a magic bullet: Don't Call a locksmith...call Pop-A-Lock instead. If stranded individuals or individuals in need of locksmith service just called us directly, we could take care of them nationwide and no one would ever get ripped off by locksmiths again.<br /><br />We are the only company who can make that claim and have massive amounts of historical data to justify the statement. Since 1991 we have performed literally millions of calls and from BBB records, I estimate that we have a legitimate complaints in the Six Sigma range against our work. I'm sure any Six Sigma Guru can appreciate how incredible that is, particularly for a service business that is resolving such an 'emotional' problem as that of people being stranded and locked out of their house, business or vehicle.<br /><br />About the most legitimate complaint we occasionally get is that we arrive later than projected. This is a statisically very small percentage. The reality of the nature of traffic and the unpredictability of certain types of work contributes to this and we often reduce the cost of service to help compensate...even though it may have been something out of our control. <br /><br />From a data sample of nearly 3 years worth of data our Average ETA for road service calls is under 34 minutes, in some cities that arrival time is less than 20 Minutes. That is not 'projected time' that is measured data from the time a request for service is sent out until the tech is onsite with the customer. That metric can also be vetted against data from Major roadservice providers who have used us in the past as well.<br /><br />We currently service over <a href="http://www.popalock.com/locations.php">148 MSA's</a> in the US, which is about 5000 communities with real tax paying, American, W-2 employees. In areas where we have no Pop-A-Lock we recommend locksmiths from the Associated Locksmiths of America Database or state licensing databases that we have real time access to 24 hours a day. <br /><br />We pay our taxes, we pay fair wages and offer benefits to our employees in many locations. This gives us a very stable base of knoweledgable employees who, unlike the majority of the industry, require at least a certain amount of formal training before they are allowed to service customers.<br /><br />We are licensed both as a company and down to the employee in every state and city that requires licensing. Our own requirements for employees usually far exceed the requirements dictated by the governing authority over locksmiths in the state.<br /><br />To be clear: There are thousands of great locksmiths around, some of these people are the most skilled people in the world at a very demanding trade that can be very difficult to get training in specialized subjects. If someone has a longstanding relationship with an existing locksmith, by all means use someone you know and trust. The last thing you do though is look up a locksmith at random from the yellow pages, 411 or the internet. <br /><br />All circumstances considered, if you have no other information and you are stranded the smartest thing to do from a purely statistical and logical perspective is to call 1-800-Pop A Lock (or a local number through 411 or your smart phone browser). If we have someone in your MSA we will service you at a fair price, if we don't we will give you the next best option in your area if any other options exist.<br /><br />If you are a locksmith and have found that your ad has been hijacked, please submit your complaint directly to Google through this <a href="http://maps.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=maps_spam">link</a> (http://maps.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=maps_spam)<br /><br />Our home website to <a href="http://www.popalock.com/locations.php">find locksmiths nationwide</a> is: http://www.popalock.com/locations.phpUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-88578009393994070862009-03-13T11:29:00.000-07:002009-03-13T11:31:16.660-07:00California Helps Fight the Locksmith ScammersDear Folks in the Locksmith business<br /><br />Please see Robin's note below that the in California, the DCA is willing to contact local DA's and get the erroneous listing info removed but they need lists by local area.<br /><br />Perhaps some of you best know how to accumulate that information<br /><br />Mike Blumenthal<br />Understanding Google Maps<br /><br />On Mar 9, 2009, at 3:34 PM, <rmclaren@charter.net> wrote:<br /><br /><br />Bill said someone could spend a couple of weeks looking up all these guys, but said it needs to be broken down into geographic areas. This is because (hope I can say this succinctly), XXXXXXXXX does have a license in CA, HOWEVER, they are trying to say these guys are independent contractors, nope no can do, each one has to be individually licensed which obviously they are not.<br /><br />So #1, get the list by geographical area so the DCA contacts the local DAs<br /><br />#2, the PUC can stop the internet advertising also because the listings are for CA locksmiths. Verizon, Bell, etc, all the "yellow pages" If it's bogus advertising here in CA, CA's PUC has authority no matter where it is coming from.<br /><br />So my point is, if someone over there on your blog or people that you may know who would want to sit down, break it down in to geographical regions (per DA offices) do the thorough search for that area and then send the info to Bill he will be happy to do what it takes because he is the one in charge. He just doesn't have the time to do it himself and is depending on info collected and sent in, especially because this agreement with the PUC is so recent.<br /><br />It's a start anyways in the right direction.<br />Robin<br />--<br />"We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds." Chekhov<br /><br />---- Mike Blumenthal <mike@blumenthals.com> wrote: <br />This is avery good news. The difficulty I see with it is that it <br />takes a year for a Yellow Page book to be republished and it does <br />nothing to stop the spread of the numbers to Google and Yahoo...so <br />while it is very positive, it may not stop the numbers from <br />proliferating<br />On Mar 9, 2009, at 3:03 PM, <rmclaren@charter.net> wrote:<br /><br />Mike,<br /><br />I just got off the phone with the Department of Consumer Affairs <br />for CA speaking to Bill who is the investigator in charge of the <br />locksmith scam here. The DCA has 14 investigators, Bill handles <br />the locksmith scam.<br /><br />Here's the good news! Just recently there has been an agreement <br />between the DCA and the Public Utilities Commission. Get this, all <br />these "yellow pages" can't list these bogus numbers anymore! As <br />the entities come to their attention, the DCA contacts the PUC who <br />then when given the information of where the listings are has the <br />authority to make the adveriser drop the listing! Bill told me <br />this was a very recent agreement of understanding between the DCA <br />and PUC.<br /><br />MAYBE this is the way to go with this, get the different states to <br />get similar agreements to boot these thieves off the listings.<br /><br />Now I'm going to sit down at my computer as time allows. Bill said <br />to go by geographical locations because it's the local district <br />attorneys offices they are working with. When they get enough or <br />complete list, then they send them off to the local da office and <br />then they get down to work. The DCA also contacts the PUC directly <br />to pull the advertising.<br /><br />For instance, look at this one<br />http://www.xxxxxxxxxx.com/<br /><br />I just called them and informed them that by CA law they must list <br />their address and business license #. They hung up on me.<br /><br />Here is the law here in CA. The agreement between the DCA and PUC <br />is recent.<br /><br />http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/locksmith_fact.shtml<br /><br />http://www.bsis.ca.gov/industries_regulated/locksmith_act_revise.shtml<br />--<br />"We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky <br />sparkling with diamonds." ChekhovUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-1151900622182877032009-03-02T17:59:00.001-08:002009-03-02T17:59:34.247-08:00Pop-A-Lock of Virginia Awesome Locksmith!Pop-A-Lock of Virginia was established in August of 1996. Since then Pop-A-Lock of Virginia has been providing Emergency Locksmith Services, Car Unlocking Services, and Roadside Assistance Services with one objective in mind: 100% customerer satisfaction. Pop-A-Lock of Virginia is a family owned business committed to customer service, quick response times, and professionalism. Pop-A-Lock employees are rigorously screened, and receive the most technologically advanced training in the locksmith and car door unlocking industry.<br /> <br />Pop-A-Lock of Virginia is licensed by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, and is bonded and insured. As well, Pop-A-Lock provides a 100% guarantee on all work performed. Pop-A-Lock Locksmiths will arrive at your location in marked vehicles, and will be outfitted in company uniforms inluding ID Badges. We pride ourselves on standing out from our competitors in a positive manner.<br /> <br />Finally, "POP-A-LOCK GIVES BACK". We are proud to take part in the National Community Service Program created by Pop-A-Lock called the "Emergency Door Unlocking (EDU) Program" in which Pop-A-Lock provides it's door unlocking service free to the customer when a child is locked inside a vehicle or home. Pop-A-Lock of Viginia has exclusive agreements with police departments and 911 dispatch centers in Richmond, on the Peninsula, and in Southside to make EDU service a priority.<br /> <br />Give Pop-A-Lock of Virginia a chance to earn your business for life!!!!!!!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-6520619431884694892009-03-01T06:46:00.000-08:002009-03-01T07:10:35.196-08:00How NOT to get scammed by a locksmith!Recently my cousin was out of town and broke the key to his truck off in the ignition. He was in a city that had no Pop-A-Lock and he called me to get some advice. He orginally was asking how to get the key out but soon realized that would likely do more harm than good.<br /><br />With the do-it-yourself option out of the way we began to try to find a real local locksmith who could give him a hand at a reasonable price.<br /><br />He had no internet access and the phone book was missing from his room so we were forced to go to the internet to locate someone.<br /><br />When I did the search for the city (middle of nowhere texas) and the term locksmith. I got hundreds of listings, the odds of all of them actually being locksmiths in BFE texas were slim to none. Some even had local numbers but I suspected that the only thing 'local' about the companies was the area code and prefix.<br /><br />I called two of them that looked legit but got an answer of 'Locksmith' in a thick foreign hard to identify accent. I know what that means (one price now but a huge price later).<br /><br />I looked through the phone numbers and listings until I found one that had a address listed then went to Google(r) maps and checked the street level view. The address showed a government looking building and no sign of a locksmith shop...another strike out.<br /><br />Lastly, I called 411 and asked for a locksmith in that town and was given the same number that I had found on the internet earlier. Strike 3 blah.<br /><br />Here I was the Director of Operations for the largest locksmith company and I'm struggling to find a locksmith for my cousin. I checked the www.findalocksmith.com site and they had no listing for that area or for the zip code either.<br /><br />Left with no other real option, I resorted to calling the local police station (non-emergency number) explained my situation and asked for a referral for a real local locksmith. The dispatcher gave me a local number and I called them to get some help.<br /><br />When I called the locksmith I explained who I was and what was going on with my cousin. We also discussed how his local internet had been over-run with fake listings, he stated that there were actually only two locksmiths within a 25 mile radius of that town and was candid enough to tell me the name of the other locksmith.<br /><br />He took care of my cousin at a great price and also inquired about becoming a Pop-A-Lock provider.<br /><br />At the end of this episode I'm still left with only two ways of really getting a 'real' locksmith:<br /><br />1. Call 1-800-Popalock (1-800-767-2562) if we have a provider we can tell you immediately without having to search.<br /><br />2. Go to <a href="http://www.popalock.com">find a locksmith</a> on our <a href="http://www.popalock.com">Popalock.com</a> page<br /><br />3. Or call the local non-emergency number for police or fire and ask for a referral.<br /><br />So many of the other local names are so close aaaaa1aaaaa Locksmith could be a real local or it could be scammer, at this point is almost impossible to tell.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-3859943700076612142009-02-11T05:23:00.000-08:002009-03-17T14:36:11.249-07:00New Orleans Locksmith Pop-A-LockNew Orleans is one of the flagship cities for Pop-A-Lock. It one of the first markets that was developed in the franchise system and continues to be a leader. I've had the pleasure of working for Pop-A-Lock of New Orleans back in 2002-2004 before transferring to the Las Vegas Pop-A-Lock.<br /><br />The work crew in New Orleans is very stable, if you used Pop-A-Lock 5 years ago, chances are that you will have the same technician service you if you are in the same area. I've done ride along with a number of technicians and locksmiths in the big easy and the level of knowledge of the city is stunning. I'm not talking just about knowing major areas and major commercial areas, I mean down to in depth knowledge of residential streets and convoluted industrial areas.<br /><br />The organization of the city is based on well thought out zones that are staffed with overlapping coverage. The CBD, Metarie, Kenner, Gretna, Westwego and even down to Chalmette are densely covered with service people. The filter of time has resulted in a very strong operations strategy with extremely well trained and seasoned veterans working the city.<br /><br />Seeing this operation from the inside out, I can tell you that 'old fashioned' customer service drives the entire business. If you call and say that you have locked your child in your vehicle, the entire city reorganizes to get you help. Regardless of what they are doing, where they are going, the closest couple of people start immediately heading over to help you, usually more than one is dispatched in case they run into traffic. I've always thought that people simply would not believe the level of dedication by both the management but down to the individual locksmiths to legitimately take care of people.<br /><br />Every year I have the opportunity to work with the New Orleans Locksmiths to do continuing education. We cover all the fundamentals of Lock Bypass, Life Safety Considerations, Authorization for Entry as well as new locks and techniques that have developed over the past year. The irony is that I usually learn as much from this experience as the locksmiths do, they all have interesting stories of 'exceptions to the rule' and unusual conditions which jobs had to be completed.<br /><br />New Orleans can cut and program nearly any type of key. They recently invested in the technology to cut laser type keys such as BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Audi and Lexus. This really rounded out complete locksmith service for the area. I know it may sound a bit corny but one of the most irritating things for a locksmith is to have to tell a customer, "Sorry, we can't help you." Particularly in areas like New Orleans, where the individual locksmiths take their work so personal and take the view that their customers are real people with real problems and not just 'somebody calling'.<br /><br />If you have ever had service from Pop-A-Lock of New Orleans, please feel free to post a comment to back up what I'm saying or just send a comment to me directly. The thank you letters that we get from customers are held in such high regard and are distributed down to the techs. (We have software that records the details of every call we take and the owner can look up any call to see who did it, even if it is several years old).<br /><br />You can learn more about the #1 New Orleans locksmith by visiting their local website <a href="http://www.locksmithneworleans.com">www.locksmithneworleans.com</a> or by visiting the corporate home page for Pop-A-Lock www.popalock.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-53097445192746091292009-02-02T19:48:00.000-08:002009-02-02T19:49:18.886-08:00Child Locked in Vehicle letter.I hope I can pass along locksmith's compassion <br /><br />Recently, I had the misfortune of accidentally locking my keys in my car, with my 1-and-a-half-year-old son inside. Although I knew my son was OK and I was right there and he could see me, this was an uncomfortable situation for me as a mother.<br /><br />I would like to thank Kirk, of Pop-A-Lock Locksmith/Lockout Services for his kindness in responding to my frantic call, and for unlocking my vehicle and not charging me when he saw that my toddler was crying in the car. I was so touched by his compassion, and I hope I can pass it on in some way. I hope that anyone who needs a locksmith will give this kind man their business. Times are tough, and I am sure he could use it. Thank you, Kirk!<br /><br />CHRISTY, BoiseUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607216779372069696.post-66582720409176421652009-01-29T16:18:00.000-08:002009-03-26T19:45:09.263-07:00Locksmiths vs HackersOver the past few years there has been an emerging culture of 'locksport' enthusiast. The stereotype that has come out of that is the 'hacker who picks locks better than a locksmith'. There have been a number of articles on this movement in popular internet webzines. One that recently caught my eye was <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5026429/locksmiths-hate-geeks">This one: Locksmiths Hate Geeks</a>.<br /><br />As most rumors do, this has a grain of truth to it. Because of the internet, the fundamentals of lockpicking are more readily available to the general public and people who or interested in subversive topics are likely to be attracted to both 'hacking' and 'lockpicking'. Combine the element of some High IQ filters and add 'competition' to the mix, you end up with a quite interesting group of people who are very proficient at picking (and impressioning too).<br /><br />Personally, I find the whole topic pretty silly. Being a locksmith has far more to do with being ready to help a customer at a fair price anytime day or night than it has to do with lockpicking. Newsflash to the geeks, comparing locksport to locksmithing is like comparing running fast to playing professional football. Most of you will outgrow the interest. Newsflash to the locksmiths: Hire these geeks, they will probably make good locksmiths.<br /><br />Geeks usually meet many of the requirements of being a good locksmith: curious, technical in nature, don't want to work in a repetitive mindless job, they like challenges, like learning new things, don't have huge aspirations of owning the corporate world and they are good with numbers and computers.<br /><br />To be clear, 'hacking' for criminal purposes is against the law and those people should be prosecuted. 'Hacking type' refers to someone with knowledge and skills of finding work arounds for electronic security, they have professional people who work for companies to identify problems in systems and software and serve a valuable purpose like the gentleman described below.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blackbag.nl/?page_id=2">Barry Wels</a> is one of the legends in the 'underground' of lock bypass. I've personally met Barry and exchanged information with him while working on training for a Spanish company we were assisting to get into business. He had some invaluable information on European locks and I shared some feedback on some of the other species of locks that I was encountering down there.<br /><br />Barry is probably the Diety...or at least a Demi-God of the underground 'locksport' community. I have personally heard people demonize him, particularly for releasing information about 'bump keys' to the public.<br /><br />The root of the argument is over '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_disclosure">Disclosure</a>'. Disclosure refers to the idea of 'blabbing' about a security flaws when you find them. This is the real division between the geeks and the locksmiths, not 'lockpick envy' as the article above might suggest. The geeks seem to represent Disclosure and locksmiths don't want the information in the wrong hands.<br /><br />I personally am torn on 'Disclosure', I see validity in both points of view. I don't want anybody disclosing my Pin number on the internet. Yet if Barry and his gang figure out that someone can hack into my bank account or my phone...I want them to identify the problem and make the people responsible for it to FIX IT. The fact is that most companies such as software devs, internet devs and lock companies are often slow to react to 'limited disclosure' efforts. Releasing security flaws to the 'public domain' often causes immediate reactions to fix the problem.<br /><br />But there is a point when it goes too far. If I found out Barry was coaching individuals who were committing crimes, he should be held accountable. That is the big grey area: If the little teenage girl that is often show bumping open Medeco(r) locks goes out and commits a crime by bumping open some jewelry store lock...is the person who taught her those skills a co-conspirator and going to get in trouble. You would think 'uh, Maybe' but consider: Would a rifle range instructor from the Marine Corps be held responsible for President Kennedy's death? <br /><br />Even within the 'underground' the term 'responsible disclosure' has begun to circulate more, I don't know if that has been motivated by the hovering possibility of litigation by some manufacturer or if that whole side of the camp is maturing with age, either way it is good to hear that some discretion is gaining popularity.<br /><br />Back to Barry, Barry is a Genius (yes with a capitol G). Barry has been mischaracterized as a 'hacker' when in fact his real life's work is quite the opposite, he works on real security. His lockpicking and bypass seems to be more of a fascination and passion. Barry also happens to be a world class impressionist.<br /><br />Barry works for <a href="http://www.cryptophone.com/">Cryptophone</a>, which their website describes as: <em>GSMK CryptoPhones are the first and only fully trustworthy solution for completely confidential mobile phone calls.</em> That is a pretty big claim, especially for someone who's life is centered around dispelling very similar claims.<br /><br />To me the most interesting thing about the whole issue is that in his work, Barry embraces the very sword that he swings at various locking devices, they release their source code for review by peers...they dare people (and probably welcome people to try) to 'hack' it. "Here is our claim: <em>It is secure.</em> Here is our data: <em>See if knowing HOW we secure it helps you hack it</em>." No security through obscurity with that. However, I'm sure there are those who would savor a bit of the irony if the technology that secures their secure phone could be hacked and shown on the internet.<br /><br />Consider this ethical dillema:<br /><br />I wonder what would happen if Barry himself, discovered a flaw, even post production, of their phone that would trigger a massive recall if 'full disclosure' were made. If only he knew about it, would he 'out' his own product. Any non-disclosure documents/contracts aside...I bet he probably would.<br /><br />For all the negative comments I've heard about 'those hackers' giving away all the lock secrets, I have to say that the idea of 'disclosure' reeks of <em>integrity</em>. They really have an open architecture approach that can serve a purpose. <br /><br />The ugly truth is that nothing is truly secure, there will always be a 'bypass' or workaround to some measure. "Social Engineering" will always be a hole for sure.<br /><br />Yet, the bell is rung, you have to hide things in plain sight it seems. It is true people need better locks on their doors. I personally think that some people in the 'disclosure community' are not really interested in 'helping humanity' by forcing people/manufacturers to improve their security. I think they have found a drum that they can beat and get a bit of attention. But that is their business and it is not for me to judge if it is right or wrong lest judge their motives. <br /><br />However, I suspect that one of the 'disclosure guys' will one day utter the magic words, "...but if you pay me $$$, no one has to know about the problem." At that point the 'integrity' part is gone and they will join that 'long grey line', it turns into blackmail. I'm sure someone will try it one day, the opportunity is just too obvious for someone NOT to do it.<br /><br />Security comes down to common sense and budget. Do you want a house that is secure against typical attacks or do want a house that Barry Wels couldn't get into. If you want the latter, you should probably contract Barry to build it for you...it might take 20 years and cost a billion dollars but he could probably do it.<br /><br /><br /><br />The only Nationwide <a href="http://www.popalock.com">Trusted Locksmith</a><br /><br /><br /><br />A good quality lock that resist 'real world' attacks such as kicking and prying is the Ultimate Lock. It can be fitted with most types of cylinders, the security of the Ultimate lock is not in the keyhole, it's in the construction of the dual locking bolt arrangement and the physics of kick resistance. Check it out at <a href="http://www.theultimatelock.com">www.theultimatelock.com</a> I have personally installed these devices and have tested them to my satisfaction. We have one on our own training center door.<a href="http://www.popalock.com"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6