Notice Board
An Award-Winning Locksmith with Pride for Ethics : Indy Locks
We captured the career of Ben Murray , from Indy Locks South Wales , in an interview that tells the tale of the ups and downs of his journey and passion for locksmithing . An award-winning locksmith proud to serve his community he naturally operates with integrity and has the utmost compassion for people .
From Franchises to Independent Trading
In 2007 , after being made redundant , I decided a career change was in order , so I did a locksmithing course through the British Locksmith Association . However , it wasn ’ t until 2014 that I began considering trading in this field . Before that , I spent four years running an independent cleaning franchise , with WashForce , working with well-known clients in retail like Marks & Spencer .
My brother-in-law was involved as a silent partner in the Lockforce franchise and offered me the opportunity to manage the South Wales territory . To take on this role , I had to buy a van , get insurance , training and equipment , and the franchise would sort out my website , branding and SEO .
To further my skills , I attended the Hickley ’ s Automotive Academy in Taunton for a two-week course in auto locksmithing . This was followed by two weeks in Leeds with the Lockforce team , where I focused on property locksmithing and gaining entry to properties .
After spending eight months with Lockforce , I felt the need to pursue something truly my own . A significant turning point came when I landed a £ 15,000 pressure washing job and completed it in just two weeks . This experience motivated me to break away from the franchise model and create my own brand , as I noticed a general dislike for national franchises .
With the help of two marketers from Carmarthen , who believed in my vision , I created ‘ Indy Locks ’ meaning ‘ Independent Locksmith ’. They sorted my branding and website development , with a primary goal of achieving strong website rankings to eliminate the need for paid advertising . Now , after ten years of trading , I ’ ve established myself independently in the locksmith industry .
Marketing My Business : Showing My Passion in Action
As the owner of Indy Locks , I ’ ve always been hands-on with my business , keeping my community updated on how things are going through Instagram , Facebook , and WhatsApp . I enjoy creating videos where I share insights into my work , often featuring my loyal bull terrier , who has become a bit of a local celebrity .
I like to show off the nice jobs I do and the challenges I tackle , especially when it comes to unlocking cars — a skill I ’ ve been passionate about since my first experience at Hickley ’ s Automotive Academy .
Award-Winning Locksmith
Over the years , my dedication has paid off . I ’ ve been honoured as the “ Locksmith of the Year ” for Wales for four years in a row ( 2021-2024 ) and received the Prestige Awards for 2022 and 2023 . I ’ ve also been a multi-award winner from 2021 to 2023 and entered the Hall of Fame as a multi-award winner from 2022-2024 . Recently , I was selected as the best locksmith in Carmarthen for 2024 with the Quality Business Awards , achieving an overall quality score of 95 % or higher . I ’ m genuinely humbled by these recognitions , especially since I don ’ t know who nominates me .
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SEPTEMBER 2024
locksmithjournal . co . uk Issue Takeover