Lock Shop - Old Fashioned Customer Service

[DerbyDad03]

Customer Service is alive and well - in some places.

A youth sports organization that I am a part of bought a shed to store some equipment. One of the board members bought a lock with 2 keys, with the plan to have a dozen more keys made later on. When I asked her for my key, she said she can't find a store that carries the correct blanks. She tried the borgs and one local hardware store.

I told her I know of a lock shop that will either have the blanks, or worse case, will sell us a new lock for which they can supply a dozen keys.

Taking over the "project", I took the key to the lock shop and explained the situation. Here's how he handled it:

He found 3 blanks that were really close. 1 is a bit shorter than the original, 2 are a bit longer. He cut keys out of all 3 blanks, handed them to me (along with the original) and told me go see if any of them work. If any of them do, he'll make the rest, it not, we'll chose a new lock.

Can you imagine one of the borgs letting a customer walk out with 3 keys to test, all on the verbal promise that he'll come back if they do? I think not.

(And please don't suggest a combination lock - that ship has sailed.)

[The Daring Dufas]

There is actually a patent for a fingerprint reading padlock. I want the one with a retina scanner. *snicker*

TDD

[DerbyDad03]

If the "board of directors" I'm stuck with had a fingerprint reading lock with a retina scanner, they'd probably stick their finger in their eye trying to open the lock.

[Stormin Mormon]

You're right, that is uncommon small town service.

Now, may I offer some advice on your padlock situation? Master, and American both make some very good padlocks that will handle outdoor weather reasonably well. And have keys which can be copied. If unauthorized duplicates are a concern, some padlocks have removable cylinders. And at least one company makes cylinders with an odd keyway, not found on key racks. And sold only to locksmiths. I can get one particular keyway called "JS" at fairly close to regular cylinder prices. And all the keyblanks I want.

[The Daring Dufas]

*snicker* I know people like that too. How is it that folks with such dazzling intelligence always seem to wind up in charge of things?

TDD

[HeyBub]

It's the "Peter Principle." A person does a good job and gets promoted. This sequence repeats until the person reaches a level at which he is incompetent. There he stays, doing an incompetent job, until retirement.

Here's how it works at the Houston Police Department.

1. An incompetent manages (through guile, lies, or payoffs) to get past the probationary period. But his supervisor knows he should not be interacting with the public. He's assigned in the file room, where he has nothing to do but study for the sergeant's exam.
2. He aces the exam, and is assigned to the property room. Again, he has nothing to do but study for the lieutenant's exam.
3. After passing the exam with the highest possible marks, he's assigned to the academy. This cushy job leaves ample opportunity to study for the captain's exam.
4. After becoming captain, he's assign to the mayor's security detail where he can major in brown-nosing the politicians. When an opening for deputy chief appears, he's the logical candidate.
5. After a couple of years as deputy chief, he gets offered a job as chief of a smaller city (Omaha, Minneapolis, etc.).
6. With a few years as chief of a medium-sized metropolis, he comes back to Houston as chief.
7. Then to the Department of Homeland Security, then to retirement.

You'll notice he's never made an arrest or conducted an investigation. I would say he's never interacted with a criminal, but he's been paling around with politicians for about ten years.

I heard Lawrence J. Peter give a lecture once. The most memorable line: "I have been studying government, man and boy, for over forty years. I have yet to discover whether we are being led by well-meaning fools or by really intelligent folks who are just putting us on."

[Tekkie®]

HeyBub posted for all of us...

I don't think they are well meaning any more. I don't think they are smart enough to fool anyone except themselves.

If everyone rises to their level of incompetence then why am I stuck at the bottom? I should be master of the world. I know; I don't kiss ass and tell it like I see it...

[The Daring Dufas]

I was on a remodeling job some years ago and one of the carpenters had retired from The Birmingham Police Dept. His reason for leaving was the fact that he had taken the sergeant's exam several times and the last time he took the test he had the third highest score. The powers to be went all the way down to number

150 and promoted a Negro. He took an early retirement because he had enough of the male bovine droppings. I better stop, I'm getting mad again and may start telling the truth which seems to upset a lot of people.

TDD

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks for the advice. As it turns out, all 3 of the keys work just fine. The shortest one seems to be the smoothest, but that might just be a specific key thing and not due to the length. In any case, even if I get a mix set, I know he'll have enough blanks for the dozen or so I need.

The lock that was chosen is supposed to be weatherproof and has a shrouded shank so you can't get a bolt cutter on it.

It's similiar to this:

Trust me, if I have to open the shed in the winter, I'll be sure to bring my propane torch with me.

[Stormin Mormon]

Thanks. That's a good picture. Right, those discus style padlocks often take a blank that leaves the hardware guys confused. Heat may be needed, if some water gets in, and freezes. They often have a drain hole to prevent that.

[HeyBub]

Excellent choice of locks for the application. Don't overlook the hasp to which it's fitted either. Or the hinges.

I get a kick out of the commercials for "The Club" and similar anti-theft devices. A bolt-cutter on the steering wheel itself easily defeats the gizmo. It's a bitch to go to the parking lot and find, instead of your car, The Club lying on the pavement.

[Liz Megerle]

BTDTGTTS, early 80s I'm at the police station making the report of my stolen car. The desk sergeant asks "Are you sure it's been stolen? I swing the club, attached to my steering wheel, up onto the desk. He managed not to crack up, but a smile got through. I did get my 50 bucks back from The Club.

[Boden]

I disagree with #7. The Homeland Security people that I encounter are not bright enough to to pass any exam. I strongly suspect that 9/11 was the best thing that happened to them. They were unemployed on 9/10 and after 9/11 they had a uniform, authority and a guaranteed guberment paycheck.

[Stormin Mormon]

Hatred defined by a liberal: When a conservative is winning a debate.

[Stormin Mormon]

...... and vote the way I tell you.

[gpsman]

nd tell it

Then nobody wants your perspective. Ask Colin Powell if knowing what the f*ck you're talking about is perceived to be of any value these days. -----

- gpsman