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Master rekeying

If your business has recently undergone a security breach or a staff reshuffling, you may be wondering whether master rekeying is a wise next step. What is the benefit of rekeying versus changing out your locks? And, what differences can you expect between regular rekeying that you may have done in the past and master rekeying?

Here at Reliable Locksmith, we’ve worked with both small and large Minneapolis businesses to restore and upgrade their security. Here’s what we want business and property owners to know about commercial master rekeying!

Reliable LocksmithExcellentReliable Locksmith4.8 Based on 836 reviews fromAnnette CoffinAnnette Coffin ★★★★★ Very happy, thank you!John CrissingerJohn Crissinger ★★★★★ We had an old broken down lock on our commercial double door that Mike was able to find parts and fix good as new. Great work. Thank you.Paul MahonPaul Mahon ★★★★★ Wow..... called to get a rough estimate. 30 min later, I had a working 7-button working key fob. Excellent response, super professional service from the technician. The hidden internal key for the door was carved on site and opened door perfectly. A++Tess JacobsonTess Jacobson ★★★★★ Changed locks in our home to keypads. Incredibly thorough. Did not try to upsell and made sure product worked before leaving.Jim LesinskiJim Lesinski ★★★★★ Mike is truly a lock expert. Other locksmiths said they didn’t have the expertise. Mike got it done, was professional, and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend.Sharyn GroneSharyn Grone ★★★★★ Mike arrived promptly to change out my brother’s door lock. He made us as many keys as we needed. Nice guy and we will definitely use his company in the future!Love supporting small businesses!Andrew KlecknerAndrew Kleckner ★★★★★ Needed a new key to be cut and the technician arrived 25mins after I called. Would highly recommendTerri StammTerri Stamm ★★★★★ I had originally called another locksmith to help me but they never called me back or showed up. I called reliable the next morning and they responded right away and the technician was here when he said he would be. They were quick, professional, and extremely courteous. I recommend calling reliable first so you don't waste time with anyone else.Zain HunterZain Hunter ★★★★★ I can’t say enough good things about Eli! He’s hands down the best locksmith I’ve ever worked with. I’ve used his services twice now, and both times he went above and beyond. Most recently, my kids and I were stranded at a gas station with a problem that even the dealership couldn’t solve—but Eli figured it out quickly and got us back on the road. His professionalism, skill, and kindness made a stressful situation so much easier. I’m incredibly grateful for his help, and I’ll be recommending Eli to all of my friends and family. If you need a locksmith you can truly count on, Eli is the one!Thank you so much Eli!Erik SkutnickErik Skutnick ★★★★★ Mike did a great job replacing the locks on my house. The service was very quick and professional. Previously, the old deadbolt had trouble closing but now it’s smooth as silk. Would use Reliable Locksmith again forsureSteph WaltersSteph Walters ★★★★★ Mike was great from the SLP location, easy to talk to, helpful, gave ideas without pushing more than we needed. New front door lock and everything works better.Jeannette WyattJeannette Wyatt ★★★★★ Mike was at our new home today installing all new lock sets and re-keying (with our names on the keys! 🙂 He was awesome!Wes PedersenWes Pedersen ★★★★★ Mike with Reliable Locksmith was fantastic to work with! He listened to me, helped guide me through my choices, and got it all done in a very timely manner. He went above and beyond to ensure that all of my needs were taken care of. I would highly recommend Mike and Reliable Locksmith to everyone!Walter MiguelWalter Miguel ★★★★★ Ely was nothing short of amazing. Came and gave me a new key fob and cut me a new emergency key. Super fast and reliable.Sharon GarberSharon Garber ★★★★★ We couldn't open our door. I called Reliable Locksmith and Mike arrived the same day. He kept us informed about timing and when he arrived he quickly fixed the lock. The work was excellent, reasonably priced and Mike was very personable. I will definitely choose him again if I have any other locksmith needs.Steven StreitenbergerSteven Streitenberger ★★★★★ in my opinion it is really hard to find trustworthy reliable businesses today. I used chatgpt to ask who the highest rated locksmith in my area is and it stated Reliable Locksmith was the highest rated due to technicians Mike and Eli's excellent customer service. I called them and within a few hours Mike was at my door to change out my locks and door handles. The level of customer service Mike showed from start to finish was unmatched in any business I have walked into in recent memory. He went above and beyond several times when it was not necessary as he took great pride in his work and the level of detail to make it perfect. I HIGHLY recommend them for any locksmith needs one may have and will be returning and recommending them to all my friends and family. Thank you again Mike!Susan GottliebSusan Gottlieb ★★★★★ Mike did a great job installing new locks and rekeying another. He worked quickly and was very friendly and professional. Highly recommend!Rob BerrellRob Berrell ★★★★★ Great serviceRae Lee WebsterRae Lee Webster ★★★★★ Reliable Locksmith to the rescue again! Second door that we needed repairs. Timely response, very knowledgeable! Bonus Mike also helped me with our safe that needed attention. Highly recommend! Thank you!!Patrick HarriganPatrick Harrigan ★★★★★ Mike was very friendly and very knowledgeable. He showed me how to change the battery and the code. Highly recommend himCurt FlemingCurt Fleming ★★★★★ Good experience. He arrived to my house within 20 min of calling and was finished within the hour. Got a second auto key and two backup door keys that store inside the fob for a reasonable priceJeff ShottsJeff Shotts ★★★★★ We have a 2011 Toyota Sienna that somehow had tripped the anti-theft immobilization system, so the van would not start and locks and doors were immobilized. Reliable Locksmith was very helpful, I had a call back from a technician (Eli) within half an hour. After that initial call, Eli arrived within the hour, diagnosed the situation, and reprogrammed our keys and fobs within twenty minutes. The van starts, keys and fobs work, as do the locks and doors. The cost of service plus tip did feel high for what was involved ($300), but the speed and service were greatly appreciated. Thank you!Samdella SworrSamdella Sworr ★★★★★ Eli was pretty fast with the job and was very helpfulResponse from the ownerThank you Samdella! We appreciate your feedback. Solomon FarrSolomon Farr ★★★★★ Eli gave me a fair price and great service. I highly recommend.Response from the ownerThank you Solomon! We appreciate your feedback. Michelle RosasMichelle Rosas ★★★★★ When I needed my house locks changed quickly due to a security issue, Mike was at my house within a couple of hours. He replace my locks, rekeyed all the locks for one key, and expertly resolved issues with my doors. He was also charming and kind and a delight to work with. The price was very reasonable, and I now feel safe. What a great experience!Response from the ownerThank you Michelle, For your kind review! We're very glad to hear you're happy with the lock service Mike provided. Spencer KuboSpencer Kubo ★★★★★ MIke was simply fantastic! Prompt, courteous and confirmed appointments. He also was able to fix the lock on our 80 year old door using parts no longer available - a MASTER locksmith!Response from the ownerThank you Spencer, For a great review! We're happy to hear you were pleased with Mike's service. - especially with an older lock. Ashante HartAshante Hart ★★★★★ Fast and friendly. Will definitely recommend.Response from the ownerThank you Ashante! Mary BorowskiMary Borowski ★★★★★ I’m sorry I can’t get the photo to work on my phone but wanted to give Mike the excellent review he deserves. I had trouble with my back door deadbolt. I called and got an appointment right away. On the day of service, Mike called in advance to let me know he was on his way. He arrived right on time, quickly assessed my issue and replaced both the deadbolt and handle in about 1/2 an hour. He even paid attention to the style and color of the original hardware and made a nice match. In addition, he took the time to make sure I was able to use the new hardware. Quick, easy and attention to detail at an affordable price. ThanksResponse from the ownerThank you Mary, We're glad we could help with your locks! Marina OnchanuMarina Onchanu ★★★★★ Mike was very efficient, professional and quick. We called him out to fix our office lock and to duplicate a key.We were very impressed with the service and end result!We added Reliable Locksmith to our contact list if any other locksmith related issues come up in the future.Response from the ownerThank you Marina, for your kind review! We're glad Mike could help. Kim WestgaardKim Westgaard ★★★★★ Mike was knowagable and efficient. I would highly recommend him!Response from the ownerThank you Kim, We appreciate your feedback. Bella AvilaBella Avila ★★★★★ Arrived quickly and worked with me on pricing. Would definitely recommend.Response from the ownerThank you Bella! Lanae ArnesonLanae Arneson ★★★★★ Needed locks changed in a hurry, Alec showed up within the hour. Very professional, tried to keep costs as low as possible for us, and was just great to work with. Highly recommend.Response from the ownerThank you Lanae, Your feedback is greatly appreciated! Tory BrownTory Brown ★★★★★ Mike was excellent, fast and a nice guy. Will use again.Response from the ownerThank you Tory, We appreciate your feedback! AngelaAngela ★★★★★ Response from the ownerThank you B WaltB Walt ★★★★★ These guys are awesome. Locked myself out of my house on Easter Sunday evening and they picked up my call, had the tech call me very quickly and was out at my home in 30 mins. Once they arrived they had me in my house within a few minutes. Considering it was a holiday and a Sunday the pricing was very reasonable. Can’t thank them enough!Response from the ownerThank you B, Your feedback are greatly appreciated! Magda EddlemanMagda Eddleman ★★★★★ Mike with Reliable Locksmith was amazing, he fixed and replaced all the locks in our home. Customer service was excellent! Will be recommending to all my friends!Response from the ownerMagda, Thank you so much for the awesome review! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with Mike. Dustin ChristenDustin Christen ★★★★★ Mike was great, extremely knowledgeable and committed to his craft. "I don't make good keys, I make perfect keys" sums it up perfectly. Looking forward to utilizing them more in the future at our multifamily properties.Response from the ownerDustin, Thank you for sharing your great experience with Mike! We appreciate your time. ZachZach ★★★★★ Mike was fantastic! Solved multiple problems quickly and efficiently, educating me along the way. He is highly recommended, he even added a great personal touch!Response from the ownerThank you Zack! We're happy Mike could help out. And appreciate your honest feedback. Alan LAlan L ★★★★★ Mike found a way to repair a complicated lock that I was told probably had yo be replaced, which would have cost a lot more. Great service!Response from the ownerThank you Alan, We're thrilled you had such a positive experience! Gail SpeckmannGail Speckmann ★★★★★ Today I locked myself out of my house and contacted Reliable Locksmith. Mike arrived in a very timely manner, did a great job on getting me back in. He also took care of replacing a front door lock pad and did a beautiful job. He was very personable, fair in his pricing, and I highly recommend using him for these services. We even got engraved personalize keys. Now we can tell who has lost their key. :-).Response from the ownerGail, Thank you for the amazing review, We're happy Mike was able to assist. Kevin ChaseKevin Chase ★★★★★ Stupid car lockout situation, simple problem. It’s so simple that my inattentive adhd self didn’t realize my keys slipped out of my pocket.Unnecessarily humbled by a dopey moment, Mike was available, told him my situation. He arrived on his promised time fast, surprisingly fast. I think I may have slowed him down introducing myself and being appreciative of the help, but he got the door opened up in a blink of an eye.Thanks for making my end of day dumbass moment as stress free as you did. Very much appreciated.Response from the ownerThank you Kevin, We're happy we could quickly help you out. Cole FeriancekCole Feriancek ★★★★★ Mike was phenomenal. Professional, friendly and knowledgeable. Would recommend to anyone and will definitely use Reliable Locksmith again.Response from the ownerCole, Thank you for the amazing review! We're happy to hear that Mike was able to provide you, A great experience with Reliable locksmith js_loader

Rekeying can save you money

One of the major incentives for rekeying in the event of a security breach is cost. More specifically, the cost of having your system rekeyed is substantially cheaper than investing in new locks for every door on your property. This is especially true for large-scale security systems, such as in the case of hotels, hospitals, shared office buildings, and educational settings, which may consist of hundreds of different locks.

That being said, rekeying isn’t appropriate for every kind of system. And, there are special considerations when thinking about master keying. So, let’s talk about rekeying in more detail.

Rekeying for settings that have a master key

Let’s say that your master key has gone missing, which can be a major security breach. You may be thinking that you’ll need to provide all new keys to your staff or tenants, which could potentially be a long, complicated—not to mention costly—process.

But, actually, the problem may not be as dire as you think. In most master key systems, each level of hierarchy can be rekeyed independently of the others. In other words, we can rekey your locks to accept a new master key or submaster key while the existing keys that you’ve supplied to lower management, staff, or renters will continue to work. To be sure, there will still be a process of manually rekeying each lock to accept the new master key. But, you may not  have to cut new keys for the lower levels of security in the system.

Implementation of a master key system

A security breach in your business can be an opportunity to consider making upgrades that can make your operations safer and more convenient moving forward. One such change could be the implementation of a master key system while you rekey. Here are a few things that business owners should know about what this process entails:

  • Master key systems require consistent lock models. Unfortunately, if your entry door lock is a different brand from your storage room, employee bathrooms, or individual offices, you may not be able to create the master system you want. That’s because master keys need to be calibrated to the same pin configuration. Different lock models are often calibrated to pin configurations that don’t align with other brands. In this case, you would need to make sure that all of your locks are compatible.

 

  • Master systems also require excellent record keeping. If you haven’t noticed already, we locksmiths are pretty meticulous professionals. And that’s exactly what’s needed when implementing a master key system, either for a small or large business. Detailed record keeping about pin configurations and hierarchies is necessary to boost your security and make any changes in the future. So, when you are ready for a master system, be ready to sit down and talk to us about every single door lock on site, levels of access, and assignment of keys to individual staff members. 

 

  • A master system could make rekeying easier in the future. If you don’t currently have a hierarchical master key system, any time you have a security breach, you’ll need to rekey every lock on the property and replace all of the keys that are no longer functional. As we mentioned, with master rekeying, you’ll be able to rekey different levels of security separately, meaning fewer keys that need to be replaced.

What about interchangeable core locks?

Whenever we talk about lock rekeying, it’s useful to talk about interchangeable core locks, as well. This is a specific type of device that can be installed in commercial settings that makes rekeying even easier. That’s because the cylinder itself can be removed within seconds and replaced with a new one that is ready to go. In other words, there’s no need for us to go from lock to lock rekeying every individual device before moving onto the next one, which could leave your commercial space in a vulnerable position. Instead, you’ll be able to swap out the cylinders with a new one and restore your security much faster.

What is the cost of master rekeying?

While rekeying is the most budget-friendly option, exactly how much you will spend will depend on a variety of factors, including:

  • The size of your business. Small businesses with fewer staff will likely have a less complex master key system and fewer locks, so it makes sense that they would pay less for rekeying.
  • Which hierarchical level of your master key system has been compromised. Typically, a lost master key is a more involved rekeying job than one of the standard change keys. This is because all of the locks that the master key opened will need to be rekeyed, versus the more limited number of locks that could be opened by a key on a lower level of the hierarchy.
  • Whether your locks are high security. High security locks will increase the cost of rekeying as they require a more complex key cutting process.
  • The technology level of the lock. If your locks are integrated with a smart technology system, rekeying may require a few extra steps that will increase the price and complexity of the process.  
  • How quickly you need rekeying. Rekeying is often requested after a security breach, which might mean that your business needs to restore your security as quickly as possible. In order for the job to be prioritized, your locksmith may have a surcharge policy.

When is master rekeying not advisable?

In certain circumstances, master rekeying may not be the best choice for your business. Here are a few scenarios in which we would recommend going in a different direction for your security:

 

  • Your existing locks are showing signs of wear and tear. Sure, rekeying will save you some money in the short-term, but this is only a practical option if your locks are in good condition. If not, you’ll end up paying for the rekeying now and lock replacement in the near future. For this reason, our locksmiths may recommend that you opt for the more expensive lock replacement option now to save you money overall.
  • There are issues with your current master key system. When we hear that our clients are unhappy with their current master key system, we want to know why before doing a rekeying service. After all, this could be an opportunity to make the master key system more convenient for your business, perhaps by replacing certain locks within the system or reconsidering the hierarchy schematic to make more sense for your staff.

 

  • Your business will soon go through a major change. Whether your business is going to expand significantly in the next few months or you’ll be drastically changing your operations, a master rekeying may not be the best choice at the moment. Instead, this may be a good opportunity to go beyond a standard rekeying service in order to implement a new master key system that will prepare your business for the changes to come.

Call Reliable Locksmith for master rekeying in Minneapolis

Our team of trained locksmiths can help you restore your security with master rekeying. No matter the size of the business or the complexity of your master key system, we can have your locks rekeyed to keep your operations running smoothly. And, if rekeying isn’t quite what you need, we’ll share our professional opinion about possible next steps to make sure that your business is safe from future security threats. 

We service businesses in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding cities including Wayzata, Medina, White Bear Lake, and more. Call us to learn more about our master rekeying services!

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