2025 Locksmith Ledger State of the Industry Survey

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* 1. Please choose the description that best describes your primary business:

Retail Locksmith Shop/Store

Mobile Locksmith (no retail location)

Institutional/Facilities (incl. schools, hospitals, government, industrial)

Other (please specify)

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* 2. What services does your business provide? (select all that apply)

Emergency Lockout Service

Transponder programming

Masterkeying

Commercial Door Hardware Installation/Upgrades/Repairs

Residential Lock Installation/Upgrades/Repairs

Stand-alone Access Control

Networked Access Control

Video Surveillance

Safe servicing

Other (please specify)

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* 3. What market sectors does your business have a presence in? (select all that apply)

Automotive

Banking & Finance

Corporate (Office buildings)

Critical Infrastructure—Utilities & Energy

Education

Government (incl. military)

Healthcare

Hospitality

Manufacturing & Industrial

Residential, Multifamily

Residential, Single Family

Retail

Sports & Entertainment (incl. casinos)

Other (please specify)

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* 4. What product categories does your business service or sell? (select all that apply)

Access Control

Mechanical Door Hardware

Electrified Door Hardware

Automotive

Video Surveillance

Safes/Safe locks

Home Automation

Alarm Systems

Retail Impulse Items (incl. padlocks, key hiders, key rings, bike locks)

Other (please specify)

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* 5. What product category do you most want to add to your business?

Access Control

Mechanical Door Hardware

Electrified Door Hardware

Automotive

Video Surveillance

Safes/Safe locks

Home Automation

Alarm Systems

None

Other (please specify)

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* 6. What equipment purchases are you planning to make in the next 12 months?

Key machines

Transponder programmers

Locksmith vans

Locksmith specific tools like pinning kits / lock picks

Electronic Access Control-related products

Installation tools/jigs

Power tools

Business management software

None

Other (please specify)

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* 7. What are your organization’s 3 biggest business challenges in 2025? (select no more than three)

Controlling costs

Tariffs

Product delays

Keeping current with new technology/products

Diversifying product lineup/services

Finding, training and retaining employees

Acquiring/keeping customers

Creating recurring monthly revenue

Succession/transition planning

Other (please specify)

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* 8. What are the 3 biggest threats to your business? (select no more than three)

Economic conditions, including rising interest rates

Tariffs

Increased prices

Product delays

Technology outpacing skills

Finding/retaining employees who have the right skills

Competition from larger service providers

Internet/direct sales

DIY big-box stores

Unscrupulous competitors/scammers

Negative online reviews

Regulatory compliance

Age/health

Other (please specify)

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* 9. What are your top concerns when it comes to hiring (select all that apply)?

Finding qualified candidates

Providing needed training

Compensation and benefits

Retention

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Which market segment increased the most for your business in the last year?

Residential (Single-family)

Multifamily

Commercial

Automotive

Institutional/Facilities (incl. schools, hospitals, government, industrial)

None

Other (please specify)

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* 11. What product segment has shown the most growth in the last 12 months?

Access Control

Mechanical Door Hardware

Electrified Door Hardware

Automotive

Video Surveillance

Safes/Safe locks

Home Automation

None

Other (please specify)

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* 12. Where do you purchase your products? (select all that apply)

From local locksmith distributors

From large national chain distributors

Direct from manufacturers

Big-box stores

Online vendors such as Amazon

Other (please specify)

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* 13. When it comes to selecting a distribution partner, what’s most important?

Price

Geography/Shipping Costs

Product Selection

Speed of Service/Turnaround

Product Knowledge/Support

Personal Relationships

Other (please specify)

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* 14. What can suppliers do to best support your business in the next 12 months? (select all that apply)

Supply products in a timely manner

Hold/reduce prices

Provide easily attainable training

Provide round-the-clock tech support

Provide product consultation/information

Other

Please specify other or add comments

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* 15. What technology or service advancements are most important to your business? (select no more than three)

Smart Locks

Interoperable Technologies that Incorporate Legacy Hardware

Wireless Solutions

Video Integration

Multifactor Credentialing

Touchless Door Openings

Power over Ethernet connectivity

Cloud Computing

High-Security Cylinders

Automotive Transponders

Service Subscriptions

Other (please specify)

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* 16. What effect will electronics have on your locking solutions in the next 3 years?

Electronics will be a major driver of my product portfolio.

Electronics will complement my existing portfolio but won’t be a primary consideration.

Electronics won’t factor in at all.

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* 17. How much does your business expect to implement with respect to electronic access control in the next year?

More than before

The same as before

Less than before

I don’t expect to implement solutions for electronic access control

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* 18. How are your 2025 revenues trending compared with 2024?

Significantly Down (down more than 10%)

Slightly Down (down less than 10%)

About Even (up or down less than 1%)

Slightly Up (up less than 10%)

Significantly Up (up more than 10%)

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* 19. How are your 2025 profits trending compared with 2024?

Significantly Down (down more than 10%)

Slightly Down (down less than 10%)

About Even (up or down less than 1%)

Slightly Up (up less than 10%)

Significantly Up (up more than 10%)

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* 20. How has your pricing changed in the past year?

Our prices have stayed the same

Service call / labor charges increased 0-10%

Service call / labor charges increased more than 10%

Higher product costs passed onto customers

Added surcharges for gas or mileage

Other (please specify)

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* 21. What is your average service rate call during business hours?

Under $50

$50 - $75

$75 - $100

$100 or above

Other (please specify)

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* 22. How does your weekly schedule of customer projects in 2025 compare with the same time as last year?

Significantly Down (down more than 10%)

Slightly Down (down less than 10%)

About Even (up or down less than 1%)

Slightly Up (up less than 10%)

Significantly Up (up more than 10%)

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* 23. Do you expect that to increase or decrease in the next year?

Decrease Significantly (down more than 10%)

Decrease Slightly (down less than 10%)

No Real Change (up or down less than 1%)

Increase Slightly (up less than 10%)

Increase Significantly (up more than 10%)

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* 24. How do you advertise/market your business? (select all that apply)

Company Website

Google Search Engine Ads

Physical Ads (newspaper, magazines, flyers, signs)

Broadcast Ads (TV, radio)

Social Media Presence

Paid/Sponsored Posts on Social Media

In Person

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Stickers/Engraving on Installed Products/Keys

I Don’t Advertise or Market My Business

Other (please specify)

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* 25. What change did you make to your advertising/marketing program in 2025?

Increased Advertising/Marketing

Targeted Advertising/Marketing

Reduced/Stopped Advertising/Marketing

No Change

Comments:

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* 26. How do you prefer to receive continuing education/training?

Online

At a local locksmith association meeting

At a local distributor/facility

At a trade show

At a manufacturer’s facility

It depends on the subject

Comments:

2025 Locksmith Ledger State of the Industry Survey

Question Title

* 1. Please choose the description that best describes your primary business:

Question Title

* 2. What services does your business provide? (select all that apply)

Question Title

* 3. What market sectors does your business have a presence in? (select all that apply)

Question Title

* 4. What product categories does your business service or sell? (select all that apply)

Question Title

* 5. What product category do you most want to add to your business?

Question Title

* 6. What equipment purchases are you planning to make in the next 12 months?

Question Title

* 7. What are your organization’s 3 biggest business challenges in 2025? (select no more than three)

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* 8. What are the 3 biggest threats to your business? (select no more than three)

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* 9. What are your top concerns when it comes to hiring (select all that apply)?

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* 10. Which market segment increased the most for your business in the last year?

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* 11. What product segment has shown the most growth in the last 12 months?

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* 12. Where do you purchase your products? (select all that apply)

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* 13. When it comes to selecting a distribution partner, what’s most important?

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* 14. What can suppliers do to best support your business in the next 12 months? (select all that apply)

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* 15. What technology or service advancements are most important to your business? (select no more than three)

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* 16. What effect will electronics have on your locking solutions in the next 3 years?

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* 17. How much does your business expect to implement with respect to electronic access control in the next year?

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* 18. How are your 2025 revenues trending compared with 2024?

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* 19. How are your 2025 profits trending compared with 2024?

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* 20. How has your pricing changed in the past year?

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* 21. What is your average service rate call during business hours?

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* 22. How does your weekly schedule of customer projects in 2025 compare with the same time as last year?

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* 23. Do you expect that to increase or decrease in the next year?

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* 24. How do you advertise/market your business? (select all that apply)

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* 25. What change did you make to your advertising/marketing program in 2025?

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* 26. How do you prefer to receive continuing education/training?

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* 27. Additional comments:

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* 28. To receive the exclusive results of this survey, please register with your Name, Title, Business Name and Email.