Plan the planned work
Locksmith days tend to run two tracks. One is the urgent track: lockouts and break-in repairs that arrive at random. The other is the scheduled track: rekeys, new deadbolts, a landlord changing locks between tenants, an office adding keycard doors. The second can be booked days ahead, if there is a good way to do it.
Without one, those customers call, leave a message, and play phone tag. A booking page cuts that out.
A page for each type of visit
With Centera, each service gets its own booking page, which asks the right questions up front.
Some customers book a rekey and then add a second request on the day: a broken mailbox lock, a sticky patio door. A notes field on every page gives them room to mention it, so you bring the right cylinders and the right time instead of making a second trip.
- Rekey or lock change (home): how many locks, front and back doors, and whether it is a move-in.
- Rental turnover: an address, the number of units, and a note about lockbox or key handover.
- Commercial visit: business name, number of doors, current hardware, and whether it needs a master key system or just a lock swap.
- Key and fob quote: vehicle make, model and year, with a photo of the key if the customer has one.
Each page blocks the right amount of time and syncs with your calendar, so a morning of rekeys doesn't overlap a commercial walkthrough.
Keeping lockouts off the booking page
A booking page is the wrong tool for someone standing outside a car. So set it up so urgent situations go to the phone. Your page can say, in plain words, that lockouts should call. Nora picks up when you can't, flags the call, and pings you. That keeps your calendar for the work that can wait, and your phone for the work that can't.
Reminders and reschedule links
A customer who books a rekey gets a confirmation with the date, the address, and a link to reschedule or cancel. A reminder goes out ahead of the visit. For a rental turnover, it asks that the unit be empty and the door reachable. A closed-door visit to a locked building wastes the trip, so a reminder does real work.
If plans change, the customer moves the appointment on their own and you see it before you leave.
A QR code on the van and the invoice
Your QR code opens the booking page. Place it on the van, on the receipt you hand over after a job, and on a card left with a property manager. A homeowner you helped at midnight can scan it a week later to book the rekey they didn't have time for.
To set this up around your jobs, start with a 15-minute review, or look at your current online presence in the free report.
Questions owners ask
Can people book a lockout online?
You decide. Most locksmiths keep lockouts on the phone, where Nora flags them and pings you. The booking page is for planned work.
Can I take commercial jobs through the page?
Yes. A commercial page can ask for the number of doors, current hardware, and a contact, then book a walkthrough.
Do I have to give set arrival windows?
No. You choose which times your page offers, and you can change them whenever you like.