Always Learning

The 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.

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.

It was from this trigger and successive thought cascade that I came to the following conclusions:

1. My work is not at all separate from my personal life. Nor should it be.

2. I view my coworkers and the franchisees that we support as a very large extended family.

3. My closeness to my 'work family' rivals the intensity of any relationship I've had in my life.

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.

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.

6. I have no plans to lessen this attitude or the behaviors that manifest from it, rather I hope to further nurture this situation.

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.

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.

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.

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'.

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.

In Memory of Brent Patrick Poor

-Rob Reynolds

Pop-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.

The luncheon and awards ceremony was 5/13/2010 at the Westin Perimeter. The awards presentation was at the end of the luncheon.

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.

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…

Please visit www.bbb.com to learn more about the Torch Awards.

www.popalock.com for more information about Pop-A-Lock Locksmith services for the community.

Commutications: Hands Free Learning

Like 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 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge of I-10, along one of the most beautiful stretches of Louisiana Swamp around.

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.

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.

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?

Locksmith Safety:

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.

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 Commuticating please remember to be safe as possible and use a handsfree device and voice dial to avoid distractions!

Have a safe and prosperous week!

Tip: Did you know when you Google Locksmith, Pop-A-Lock is almost always on the front page.

Will all cars become keyless?

Q: Will all cars become keyless?

A: From Pop-A-Lock Locksmith

The list below identifies most of the current vehicles that have keyless/proximity systems either as standard or optional features:

Acura - RL
Audi - A6, A8, Q7, S6, S8
Bentley - Continental GT, GTC, Flying Spur
BMW - 3, 5, 6, 7, B7, M5, M6, X5
Cadillac - STS, STS-V, XLR, XLR-V
Cheverolet - Corvette Infiniti - FX35, FX45, G35, M35, M45
Jaguar - XK
Lexus - ES 350, GS 350, GS 430, IS 250, IS 350, LS 460
Maybach - 57, 62
Mazda - CX-7, CX-9, Mazdaspeed 6, RX-8
Mercedes-Benz - CL, CLK, CLS, E, GL, M, R, S, SL
Mini - Cooper, S
Mitsubishi - Outlander
Nissan - Altima, Altima Hybrid, Maxima, Murano, Sentra, Versa
Suzuki - Grand Vitara, SX4
Toyota - Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius
Volkswagen - Touareg
Volvo - S40, S80, V50

Though the list is dominated by higher end vehicles, we see a number of 'bread and butter' vehicles such as the Nissan Maxima, Altima and Toyota Camry; and even 'economy' vehicles such as the Nissan Sentra and Versa on the list.

The answer to the question 'will all cars become keyless' is likely "No".

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'.

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.

You can visit www.popalock.com or call 1-800-Pop-A-Lock (1-800-767-2562) to find the nearest Pop-A-Lock. We can program your duplicate keys onsite for you at your convenience!

Pop-A-Lock Locksmiths attend cutting edge transponder training

3/5/2010 San Antonio, Tx:


In conjunction with Keypro.com, Pop-A-Lock Locksmiths, instructors and franchisees attended a cutting edge transponder production and service class put on by Istanbul Electronics, producers of the Zed-Bull transponder service system.

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.

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.

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.

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 eeprom read/write ability.

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 best meet the needs of our customers!

Please visit us at www.popalock.com to learn more.

Smart Keys and anti-theft common sense

Are Keys Getting Too Smart? New Car Keys Bring Advanced Tech to Driver's Seat

The link above is to a Popular Mechanics article about advanced keys systems.

The author, Paul Eisenstein, explores some of the interesting features on two of the new generation transponder keys. 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.

Some of the new Ford MyKey features include:

-Limiting Maximum Speed of the vehicle
-Limiting Volume control of the Radio
-Chime notifications at certain speed levels.
-Various comfort settings of the seat and steering wheel.

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 Ford Focus!

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 proximity type credit card device.

Despite the increased cost of keys and the difficulty in finding people to service these high end vehicle electronic systems, transponder keys have worked in drastically reducing the theft of vehicles in the US.

One thing most will notice after reviewing a list like the one below (2007, Source NICB) 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:

Honda Civic 1995
Honda Accord 1991
Toyota Camry 1989
Ford F-150 1997
Chevy C/K 1500 1994
Acura Integra 1994
Dodge Ram Pickup 2004
Nissan Sentra 1994
Toyota Pickup 1988
Toyota Corolla 2007

2008, NICB "Hot Wheels Report"

1994 Honda Accord
1995 Honda Civic
1989 Toyota Camry
1997 Ford F-150 Pick up
2004 Dodge Ram Pick Up
2000 Dodge Caravan
1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
1994 Acura Integra
1999 Ford Taurus
2002 Ford Explorer

A few thing you can do to make your vehicle 'less attractive' to car thieves or thieves who want stuff FROM your car:

1. Never leave items of value such as a GPS or other electronics in 'plain sight' where they are visible from the outside of the vehicle. Pack them up and take them with you or put them in the trunk.

2. Never leave extra keys 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.

3. If you do invest in an aftermarket alarm, DO NOT put the stickers that identify the alarm 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.

4. Never leave your vehicle running while you run into a store. This is particularly true for leaving your vehicle running at the gas pump.

5. Lock your car with the remote 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.

Beyond these simple things you can do everyday, GET A DUPLICATE TRANSPONDER KEY MADE BEFORE YOU NEED IT.

A Pop-A-Lock Locksmith or an NASTF participating locksmith 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.

The Myth of 'Dealer Only' keys: There are simple alternatives!

The Myth of Dealer Only Keys:

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.

Pop-A-Lock Locksmith has invested in the equipment and training to service virtually any of the new automotive key system being produced.

These include simple chip keys, proximity devices, integrated key remotes, remote starts including the latest 'High Security' keys.

Thanks to OEM, aftermarket and governmental efforts these highly restrictive key systems can be serviced as a result of a unprecedented joint effort called NASTF. NASTF established a Secure Data Release Model that has greatly improved the security and accountability of secure key information by establishing pre-qualifications and tracking of information related to automotive security.

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 NASTF participating locksmith to have the work done!

Pop-A-Lock and the Associated Locksmiths of America both support NASTF participation and compliance. You can find an NASTF participating locksmith either by:

1. Calling your local Pop-A-Lock or calling 1-800-Pop-A-Lock

or

2. Visit http://www.findalocksmith.com/ and select your location and checking the NASTF LSID box at the bottom of the screen.

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.

Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Houston, Tx

http://www.popalock-houstonlocksmith.com/

now has one of the best Free Iphone - Itunes Applications available for download:

Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Locator Application for Iphone!

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.

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.

One tool that we believe will assist us with providing the best response time possible is our new Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Locator Smart Phone Application system. This system is currently available for Free through I-tunes for the Apple Iphone. The locator will soon be available for Blackberry and Android platforms as well.

How does the Iphone help us to provide better locksmith service?

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.

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.

Pop-A-Locks use of this Iphone and smart phone technology 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.

This system is being fielded nationwide right now! One of the leaders in our Pop-A-Lock franchise system, Pop-A-Lock Locksmith of Houston, Tx has fully embraced this revolutionary new system.

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 Houston Locksmith customers get better service, faster and with amazing results.

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.

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.

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.

Please visit www.popalock.com for more information or to order service!

Expanding: Quality, Services and Coverage

If you are seeking a locksmith please visit: www.popalock.com to find your local Pop-A-Lock locksmith!

Expanding: Quality, Services and Coverage:

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.

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.

Though everyone knows Pop-A-Lock opens locks, many aren't aware that we have also become the largest and best option for:

-Replacing Lost Mechanical Keys
-Generating Electronic Transponder Chip Keys On site
-Keying of locks for Automotive, Commercial and Residential applications.
-Installation and sustainment of High Security and Key Control Locking Systems.

These are just a few of the myriad services that Pop-A-Lock has brought to their customers.

The number one thing that Pop-A-Lock does: Take care of any lock or key related problem, quickly and at a FAIR price!

The following is a list of locations that currently support:

Alabama
Birmingham
Mobile
Phenix City

Arkansas
Fayetteville
Fort Smith
Hot Springs
Little Rock

Arizona
Maricopa County
Tucson

California
Placer County
Riverside County
Sacramento County
San Diego
San Francisco
San Mateo

Colorado
Denver
Fort Collins

Connecticut
Hartford

District of Columbia
Washington

Delaware
Wilmington

Florida
Brevard County
Clearwater
Daytona Beach
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Myers
Fort Walton Beach
Jacksonville
Miami
Orlando
Palm Beach
Panama City
Pensacola
St. Augustine
St. Petersburg
Tallahassee
Tampa

Georgia
Atlanta
Columbus
Savannah
Hawaii
Honolulu

Iowa
Des Moines

Idaho
Boise

Indiana
Indianapolis

Kansas
Kansas City
Wichita

Kentucky
Lexington
Louisville

Louisiana
Alexandria
Baton Rouge
Crowley
Houma
Kaplan
Lafayette
Lake Charles
Monroe
New Iberia
New Orleans
Opelousas
Ruston
Shreveport
Slidell
Vermilion Parish

Maryland
Baltimore

Michigan
Grand Rapids
Macomb County
Oakland County

Minnesota
Minneapolis

Missouri
Cape Girardeau
Kansas City
Springfield

Mississippi
Gulfport-Biloxi
Jackson

North Carolina
Charlotte
Durham
Fayetteville
Greensboro
Raleigh
The Outer Banks
Nebraska
Omaha

New Jersey
Bergen County
Essex County
Hudson County
Middlesex County
Passaic County
Union County

New Mexico
Albuquerque

Nevada
Las Vegas
Reno

New York
Brooklyn
Ithaca
Manhattan
Monroe County
Nassau County
Rochester
Staten Island
Syracuse

Ohio
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Toledo

Oklahoma
Oklahoma City
Tulsa

Oregon
Eugene
Portland

Pennsylvania
Bucks County
Harrisburg
Lancaster
Montgomery County
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
York

South Carolina
Columbia
Greenville
Myrtle Beach
Spartanburg

Tennessee
Chattanooga
Johnson City
Knoxville
Memphis
Nashville
Tri Cities
Texas
Abilene
Amarillo
Austin
Baytown
Beaumont
Brownwood
Bryan-College Station
Conroe
Corpus Christi
Dallas
Galveston
Houston
Katy
Killeen
Lubbock
Midland
Missouri City
Odessa
Rio Grande Valley
San Angelo
San Antonio
Sugarland
Temple
Texarkana
The Woodlands
Tyler
Waco

Utah
Orem Provo
Salt Lake City

Virginia
Newport News
Norfolk
Richmond

Washington
Seattle
Tacoma

Wisconsin
Milwaukee
Waukesha

A new decade for Pop-A-Lock

Over 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I wish anyone reading this a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Pop-A-Lock of St. Augustine

The 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.

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.

Pay is doing a great job as well! She is a full blown tech and is popping locks with the best of them now.

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!

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!"

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.

You can learn more about Pop-A-Lock of St. Augustine at www.popalockofstaugustine.com

PS. They have one of the most memorable local phone numbers I've ever seen: 904-940-0000

PPS. I'd like to thank Pat and Jay for such a hospitable and productive visit!

Time Management within the Pop-A-Lock Box

GTD: Time Management within the Pop-A-Lock Box

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.

So the base ingredient of the ‘system’ is a day to day near death experience type of motivation to ‘do’ stuff.

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?

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’.

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.

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:

-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.

-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.

-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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

Project: Coordinate Baltimore 2009 tow show with Tony
-Write email to tony with suggested agenda
-Call Scott to verify his needs and intentions
And so on.

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.

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.

Managing large projects taps into another level of skillset but for the most part the same general rules apply.

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.

Troop Leading Procedures

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.

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.

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.

*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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

www.popalock.com

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.

Honored 2: Louisiana Life Safety Advisory Board

Governor Bobby Jindal Announces Appointments to the Life Safety and Property Protection Advisory Board

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Did you know?

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. (Source: Aloa.org)

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.

They need only contact legislative@aloa.org to get started.

Honored 1: Aloa Person of the Year for the Legislative Action Network

I 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.

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'.

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."

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.

I'm ever entertained by life's little irony's.

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.

In summary any accolade properly bestowed is also pre-loaded with responsibility.

The best way to 'stay clear' of scammers is by doing one of these two options when trying to find a real local locksmith:

1. Find a bona fide local Pop-A-Lock locksmith to service your needs.

2. Visit www.findalocksmith.com to select an Aloa professional locksmith.

Look for the Aloa symbol and scammer warning in your local yellow pages when seeking a 'scam free' locksmith.

Pop-A-Lock Locksmith
Aloa Locksmith

Much more than a franchise: Pop-A-Lock of Riverside, CA Locksmith

The 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.

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.

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.

www.locksmith-in-riverside.com 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.

Congratulations to Art & Teri and their whole team on their recent account success and I'm sure there are many more to come.

Pop-A-Lock of Riverside Locksmith can be reached:

Riverside / Corona 951-683-2669
Arlington 951-688-5397
Mira Loma 951-361-1733
Moreno Valley 951-243-6393

or Toll-Free 1-800-POP-A-LOCK

Mass AG Files Lawsuit against Locksmith Firm

Attorney General Martha Coakley Files Suit Against Bronx Locksmith Company and Its Owners for Role in Locksmith Scheme

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

Source: http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=cagopressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Cago&b=pressrelease&f=2009_08_31_dependable_locks&csid=Cago

Pop-A-Lock Hawaii

I 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.

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.

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.

They are equipped to do nearly any type of locksmithing including key generation, rekeys, installation, transponders and high security keys.

The island was very beautiful and it was a very productive visit!

California Creates Unlicensed Activity Action Unit

In an effort to combat phony locksmiths, California has created a specialized unit to track down and prosecute these con artist.

UNLICENSED ACTIVITY ACTION UNIT (UAAU)

In February of 2009, the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
(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.

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.

REPORTING UNLICENSED AND UNREGISTERED ACTIVITY

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.

UNLICENSED ACTIVITY ACTION UNIT (UAAU)

Access the online UAAU Activity Lead form at http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/uaau_lead_form.pdf

Complete the UAAU Activity Lead Form and submit it to the Bureau either by:


Mail it to the Bureau at:
Bureau of Security and Investigative Service P.O. Box 980550 West Sacramento, California 95798
ATTN: UAAU

Fax it to the Bureau at: (916) 575-7289

Email it to the Bureau at: uaau_bsisunit@dca.ca.gov

Thank you.




Avoid the scams, just remember the name Pop-A-Lock A Trusted Locksmith Nationwide. No cons, no bait and switch just great service.

What is all the fuss about Locksmiths in Google?

There has been a recent flurry of activity on many SEO blogs regarding Locksmiths across the country. Whats the deal?

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.

A search in any major city (or lots of rural areas) will result in a massive display of fradulent listings. In one recent article 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

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.

As the largest legitimate provider of locksmith service 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 formal complaints on file with Google, the legal system and the yellow page directories.

Why is this a big deal?

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.

"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).

So what can be done?

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.

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.

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.

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.

We currently service over 148 MSA's 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If you are a locksmith and have found that your ad has been hijacked, please submit your complaint directly to Google through this link (http://maps.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=maps_spam)

Our home website to find locksmiths nationwide is: http://www.popalock.com/locations.php

California Helps Fight the Locksmith Scammers

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