Why Perth locksmiths lose money to voicemail
Every locksmith in Perth knows the feeling. You're halfway through installing a deadbolt or extracting a broken key, hands full, and your phone starts buzzing. By the time you wrap up and check your messages, the caller's already found someone else.
The numbers hurt. Industry data suggests tradies lose around $42,000 a year to missed calls. For locksmiths, that's even worse because so many jobs are urgent. Someone locked out of their house in Cottesloe at 11pm isn't leaving a voicemail and waiting until morning. They're ringing down the list until someone picks up.
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Perth's a big city geographically, but the locksmith market runs tight on word-of-mouth. Miss a call from someone in Mount Lawley and you've not only lost that job, you've lost the referral they would've given their neighbour next week. The after-hours emergencies are the worst. Broken keys stuck in front doors, car lockouts at the airport, commercial panic bar failures. These jobs pay well because they're urgent, but urgency means the customer won't wait.
Your voicemail message says you'll call back, but by then they've already hired someone who answered. One missed lockout call can easily cost you $150 to $300. That adds up fast across a summer.
How BusyBack works for locksmiths
Here's what happens when you've got BusyBack running. You're at a job in Joondalup, cutting keys for a commercial master system. Your phone rings but you've set up conditional call forwarding, so when you don't pick up after a few rings, the call routes to BusyBack's AI instead of voicemail.
On the other end, Sarah from Victoria Park is locked out. She left her keys inside and her housemate's away. The AI picks up, introduces itself as your answering service, and asks what she needs. Sarah explains the lockout situation. The AI asks for her address, confirms she needs urgent entry, checks if it's residential, and asks when she needs you there.
Two minutes later, you feel your phone buzz. It's a text: "Sarah, 0412 xxx xxx. Locked out, 24 George St Victoria Park. Residential, needs entry ASAP, home now." You finish the cut you're working on, send Sarah a quick text saying you'll be there in 20 minutes, and you've just booked a $180 job that would've gone to someone else.
Common questions
What if someone needs me for an emergency lockout right now?
The AI gathers all the urgent details (location, type of lockout, timing) and texts you immediately. You get the full picture in one message, so you can call them straight back or text an ETA. Most locksmiths find they can respond faster than listening to a voicemail, and customers appreciate knowing their message got through.
Does it sound like a robot?
It's clearly AI, and it introduces itself as your answering service. Most callers don't mind because they're relieved someone actually picked up. The AI keeps it brief, gets the job details, and lets them know you'll follow up. It's a lot better than voicemail, especially for someone locked out at midnight.
How much does it actually cost if I get a lot of calls?
It's $5 a month for the number, then 95¢ per call the AI answers. If you get 20 calls a month that you would've missed, that's $24. One lockout job pays for months of the service. There's no contract, so if it doesn't work for you, just cancel.
What about calls for rekeying or commercial work, not just lockouts?
The AI handles any locksmith job. It asks the right questions whether it's a rekey, deadbolt install, master key system, or broken key extraction. You get a text with the job type, location, and any details the caller mentioned, so you know if it's urgent or can wait.
How long does setup take?
About two minutes. You set up conditional call forwarding on your phone so calls go to BusyBack when you don't answer. There's no app to install, no hardware. You can do it between jobs. If you get stuck, the setup instructions are written for tradies, not tech people.