New Year, New Business

I wanted to know how many of you read my February 2016 message about learning a new part of your trade.

“No, don’t run. No, don’t hide. Embrace this new technology and learn how to grow your business with it. Access control and CCTV are new areas for us, and we must learn them to grow our shrinking business.”

The cutting of keys is not going away, but today’s technology is making it easier for consumers to get a key made just by taking a picture of it, sending the picture off and receiving a cut key that’s guaranteed to work — or it will be replaced with one that does. New unmanned kiosks are popping up all over, and some of the companies are coming to ALOA to find a way to work with our locksmiths. The main reason is that they are limited as to what keys they can cut. They want to be assured that when they recommend a locksmith to their customers, they are not recommending a scammer. They have also offered to place the kiosk in or just outside of the locksmith’s shop, and then the locksmith will get a percentage of each key cut. This frees the locksmith up to do business that he gets paid more for.

If you think this isn’t important for your business, look around at all of the new keyless cars and new home locks with button combinations. Even video intercom systems for residents are becoming a big business. Times are changing fast, and if we don’t embrace it and learn how to grow with it, we will be left behind.

Perhaps you aren’t sure of that next step to acquire financing to grow your business from two or three trucks to five or 10 trucks. How many in-house people does it take in relation to the number of trucks on the road? Want to know more about managing staff, AR, AP, dispatching, getting rid of paper and moving out of 1990 and into 2017? Your next step should be to attend the Security Leaders Business Conference directly following SAFETECH at the same venue. That is where you will get these answers and learn all about how to grow your business.

It’s a new year! Get up, get out and go get it.

A special Valentine’s Day wish to all the women in locksmithing: Please be ALOA’s valentine and get more involved in this wonderful organization!

Best regards,
Tom Foxwell, RL, CAI, CFDI
President
ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc.
president@aloa.org

Enhance Your ALOA Connections

As a member-driven organization, growing our membership is always a focus. With every added new member, it doesn’t just increase our numbers but it also increases our overall strength. With greater representation, ALOA has a stronger voice in the industry and within our national and local governments, and we gain traction with consumer name recognition as well. Strong membership has a great impact on us as an association and as individual professionals.

But increasing membership isn’t just for the association leadership; it’s a job for us all. So often, successfully onboarding new members is the direct result of strong relationships: relationships among fellow professionals locally, among coworkers and among friends. Having personal connections with potential new members helps the process so much, as they can see the benefits of ALOA from a personal point of view.

At your next local association, social or work meeting, take the time to talk to your colleagues about ALOA and its activities and benefits. Explain how ALOA has impacted your career, providing you with industry-leading education and networking opportunities. Especially seek out those new to the security industry whose horizons may be especially broadened and knowledge strengthened through ties to ALOA.

The following are just a few of the ALOA benefits you can share with new recruits:

Professional Development

• Year-round classes offered at the ALOA Training Center and online education
• Industry certification: The Proficiency Registration Program (PRP) now available at testing centers nationwide
• ALOA SPAI Convention and Security Expo, Security Leaders Business Conference and SAFETECH

Business Management & Marketing

• $15,000 free industry bond
• Listing in FindALocksmith.com
• Locksmith search and referral
• Job Center
• Keynotes magazine and Electronic Weekly Update

Federal Government Advocacy & Public Relations

• Legislative representation, benefiting you and the entire industry
• Participation in state and federal licensing issues
• Legal guidance and advice regarding locksmith scammer practices

Industry Partners & Affinity Programs

• WorldWide Insurance Services Inc.
• Available health benefits program that provides medical, dental, pharmacy, vision, life and accident benefits
• ClearStar Security Network
• Sale Items (Member Discounts Apply)
• Textbooks, manuals and CDs on locksmithing, safes and vaults, business and more
• ALOA logo pins, patches and decals to promote your membership status

For a fuller description of ALOA benefits that you can share with prospective members, see my column on page 6 of the November 2016 issue of Keynotes. We also have membership brochures and flyers that you can distribute; please contact membership@aloa.org to request copies or a PDF to print.

While you’re thinking about relationships, perhaps consider if you can forge a stronger connection with ALOA yourself. Think about volunteering for specific committees or tasks, or perhaps even run for a board position. Nominations for the board of directors are open through March 31, so you still have time to get your materials in. A copy of the nomination petition was published in the December 2016 issue of Keynotes, and it can also be downloaded from the Members Only section on ALOA.org. Open regional director positions for this year include Southeast, North Central, Southwest and Associate. If you have any questions about what being a board member entails, please feel free to contact us at membership@aloa.org.

Mary A. May
Executive Director
mary@aloa.org

ＡＬＯＡ　国際地域の皆様へ

私は現在ＡＬＯＡ国際地域部長です。そして2期（4年間）活動してまいりました。その前はNon-Boarding Dirctorとして2年間働いています。その間、私はアメリカ本土と各地で開催される役員会議に1年に3回以上出席していました。私は多くのロックスミスと交流ができて大変うれしく思いました。現在私ができることは、ＡＬＯＡのアジア地域のメンバーを中心に交流ができるチャンスを広げたいと思いました。2012年に中国上海市で「第１回ＡＬＯＡアジア会議」を開催して多くのメンバーが集まりました。また、2013年は、韓国支部の協力を得て、韓国ソウル市で２回目の会議を開催しました。９カ国のメンバーが集まりました。本部からはエグゼブティブディレクターのＭａｒｙ女史も参加して頂いています。本来ならば、ＡＬＯＡメンバーの皆様はアメリカで開催する展示会、総会に参加するべきだと思います。しかしながら、旅費や時間を考えると実行できないと思います。その為に、ＡＬＯＡの情報やメンバーの交流を図りたい目的で私は「ＡＬＯＡアジア会議」を実施しています。言語の問題は非常に大きいです。

さて、それらの情報を新たに「ＡＬＯＡ　ＡＳＩＡ」のホームページ、ブログを立ち上げて少しでも言語を変換できるようにして見ていただきたいと思います。この内容は、韓国の李さんのサポートがあり大変感謝しています。また私の周りには多くのサポートをしてくれる人達がいます。これからもＡＬＯＡメンバーの為に役立つことを進めていきたいと思います。

ご理解ご協力をお願い致します。