Uber for locksmiths guarantees fixed rate on-demand service

LockedOut offers customers vetted, fixed price, on-demand locksmith services via a smartphone app.

The last thing a person wants to be doing after being locked out is browsing yelp reviews, which is why most customers tend to book the first locksmith that Google suggests. But this can lead to customers being conned by unlicensed locksmiths or falling prey to bait-and-switch tactics, which see them being overcharged for services despite low price promises. Startup LockedOut wants to change all this by offering customers a safe, fix priced, on-demand locksmith services via their smartphone.

To begin, customers request a locksmith via the app, which is currently live in Beta in New York City. The startup will then send a nearby, qualified professional to the required location, selected from their pool of vetted and rated independent locksmiths. Once the job is complete, customers will be charged a fixed rate fee of USD 75 for a residential lockout or USD 100 for a car lockout. If the lock cannot be picked, it will cost an extra USD 50 for the locksmith to drill and replace it. Payments are processed via the app, which pays the worker minus the startup’s cut.

Are there other emergency services which could be handled in this way?