PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE Review Your Pricing for 2022 that school. I do work for three different school systems. The smaller institutions cannot afford to hire a full-time locksmith, but they still need lock work done. The true institutional locksmith usually only works on one or two brands of locks, W and they have extensive knowledge of those brands. If the general locksmith can make friends with institutional locksmiths, it’s a benefit to both of them. If you run into a lock that you cannot figure out, check to see if there is an institution near you that uses that brand. If they have an on-staff locksmith, see if he or she can help you. Likewise, if they run into something in the general field of locksmithing, you might be able to help them out. One hand washes the other. This is where networking can be a huge benefit. Get your local institutional lock- smiths to join your local association. Join the AIL division of ALOA. Knowing the members will help you get knowledge that you may need. People tend to help people they know. Would you tell someone how to take a lock apart and fix it over the phone, if you did not know that person? Probably not. However, if it were someone you’re friendly with, you probably would. Review Your Pricing Did you raise prices this year yet? Better start thinking about it, because all the suppliers have already. Some have several times over. If your products cost more and you do not raise prices, you are losing money. You cannot afford to subsidize your customers just because they want lower prices. Think of yourself and your business, and be successful this year. SAFETECH Registration for SAVTA’s SAFETECH convention opens soon. We will be in Lexington, KY, at the Griffin Gate Marriott April 4-9. This is a great chance for you to broaden your skills and learn a bit more about safe deposit locks and safes and vaults. There are classes for everyone, from beginners to experts. Take a look at the class lineup and see what you might be interested in. You can see the brochure on SAVTA.org, or email [email protected] if you have questions. hat is an institutional (or institutionalized) locksmith? This is a locksmith who is an employee of an institution. Normally, this means working for only one institution. However, there are many of us who work for many institutions. Ever done work for a school? Most of us have, just not as an employee of “Think of yourself and your business, and be successful this year.” Bill Mandlebaum, CML President ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc. [email protected] WWW.ALOA.ORG JANUARY 2022 KEYNOTES 5
