Built for locksmiths
Meet the AI hire for your locksmith shop
You handle the locks. Prentice handles the phone and the paperwork.
Answers lockout calls at any hour. Books rekeys and lock changes. Drafts quotes and invoices for your OK.
Talk to Prenticestart free
Prentice
Prentice
Your AI hire
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Demo: A break-in leaves a back door that won’t lock. See how I help secure it and book the job.
Working with Prentice is like working with a person.
Prentice can be reached by phone, text or email.
Prentice talks with everyone your business works with: customers, your team, even suppliers.
You’re Nate, and you run Pike Lock and Key.
It’s 11:20 PM, and you’re asleep.
Gina finds you online. Someone kicked in her back door, and the police just left.
Prentice has your safety steps and prices. You told Prentice to book night calls for first thing and let you sleep.
- Gina: Someone kicked in my back door. Police just left. It won’t lock!
- Prentice: Hi, I’m Prentice, the AI assistant at Pike Lock and Key. I’m so sorry. First, push something heavy against the door, like a dresser. Keep your phone close, and call 911 if you hear anything.
- Gina: Ok, dresser’s against it. Feels better.
- Prentice: Good. Nate can be there first thing tomorrow at 7:30 AM to make it lock again. The service call is $85. Want it?
- Gina: Yes, please.
- Prentice: Booked: Nate, tomorrow at 7:30 AM. Leave the dresser there until he arrives.
- Prentice: I booked Gina as your first call this morning at 7:30 AM. Someone kicked in her back door last night, and the police came. I had her block it with a dresser.
Prentice got Gina’s door blocked and booked the job while you slept.
Demo: This week’s jobs are done, and the bills are due. See how I get you paid without chasing.
You’re Nate, and you run Pike Lock and Key.
This week’s jobs need to be billed.
You told Prentice to remind anyone a week late. Your Zelle emails go to Prentice too.
- Prentice: This week’s bills are ready for your OK: 7 invoices, $1,050 in all.
- Prentice: This week’s jobs · 7 invoices
- (Sent)
- Prentice: Hi Yvonne, here’s the bill for this week’s rekeys at your buildings.
- Prentice: Invoice · Pike Lock and Key
- Yvonne: Got it, thanks.
- Prentice: Hi Yvonne, a friendly reminder that last week’s rekey bill is still open. You can pay by Zelle any time.
- Yvonne: Sorry, I missed it. Paying now.
- Prentice: Thank you, Yvonne!
- Prentice: Yvonne just paid by Zelle. That’s every bill paid.
Prentice got every job paid. You never chased one.
Demo: You just looked at a bakery after a worker quit and kept a key. See how I turn your notes into a booked job.
You’re Nate, and you run Pike Lock and Key.
A worker quit and kept a key, and you just looked at Sonia’s bakery.
You’ve given Prentice your lock prices.
- You: Sonia’s bakery. Worker kept a key. Rekey front and side, keypad on the back, 5 new keys.
- Prentice: Sonia’s quote is ready for your OK: $440.
- Prentice: Quote for Sonia · $440
- (Approved)
- Prentice: Hi Sonia, I’m Prentice, the AI assistant at Pike Lock and Key. Here’s the quote for the bakery locks Nate looked at: $440.
- Prentice: Quote 1042 · Pike Lock and Key · $440
- Sonia: Yes, please do it. Can you come after we close?
- Prentice: We can do Tuesday at 3:30 PM, after you close. It takes about two hours. Does that work?
- Sonia: Yes, that’s perfect.
- Prentice: You’re booked for Tuesday at 3:30 PM.
- Prentice: Sonia said yes to the $440 lock job. It’s Tuesday at 3:30 PM.
Prentice turned your notes into a booked $440 job.
Answering calls is the easy part
Prentice keeps working after the call.
See how I look after a new customer
- I answer a locked-out homeowner’s callSaturday, 2:04am
- Most answering services stop hereI keep going
- I book the job and text you the addressRight then
- I tell them when you’re on the wayA minute later
- I send the invoiceAfter the job
- I follow up on a late paymentA week after it’s due
- I book the rekey they ask aboutThe next week
- I send a reminderThe night before
- I send your quote for a new deadboltAfter the rekey
- I book the installWhen they say yes
I will draft quotes and invoices from your prices, and you approve each one.
Revenue you didn’t have to chase
A lockout booked, a quote approved, an invoice paid. Prentice keeps your schedule full.
- PrenticenowThe dental office said yes to your master key quote, $1,280. The install is booked for Friday.
- Prentice1h agoOscar’s rekey is booked for Monday at 9. Five locks, $165.
- Prentice2h agoA car lockout at the mall is booked right after your 3:30. I said it usually runs $95.
- Prentice3h agoGail’s $240 invoice was paid after my reminder.
Prentice will earn your trust
My word to you
- I’ll tell every customer I’m an AI.
- I’ll double-check my work.
- I’ll ask you when I’m not sure.
- I’ll work within the boundaries you set.
We know trusting an AI with your customers is a big ask.
So Prentice never works alone. Prentice asks you when unsure, and calls on us for backup.
The Prentice team
Meet the people behind Prentice
We’re small business owners ourselves. We know what it’s like to lose evenings to admin work, and to wish for someone dependable to hand it to. So we built Prentice on three principles.
- Honesty.
- A straight “I’m not sure” beats a confident guess.
- Integrity.
- Treat every customer the way you would.
- Reliability.
- Show up, every time. For 15 years our team has built software thousands of people count on every day.
And when Prentice needs backup, we answer.
Dan & Jonathan
Prentice goes in your contacts
Just save the number, and your whole shop can start talking to Prentice.
Call Text Email
- You
- Your office staff
- Your techs
- Your customers
Property managers can text or email Prentice too.
Prentice speaks
- English
- Español
- Français
- Português
Getting started
Your part is small. Prentice does the rest.
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Can you answer a few questions about your business?
Then Prentice can learn it. Prentice writes the job description and shows you a demo for no cost.
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Can you share your schedule, prices and after-hours rules?
Then Prentice can run your office. Lockouts and rekeys booked by your rules. Quotes and invoices go out only with your OK.
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When Prentice has earned your trust
Then Prentice can talk to your customers. Forward your calls, or ask Prentice to text or email your customers.
Then you get your evenings back.
Made for locksmiths
Prentice learns your services, your prices and your hours, then works in your words.
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Lockouts
The 2 AM lockout gets answered and booked by your after-hours rules, then texted to you.
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Rekeys
New homeowners booked before move-in day, with a reminder to have their keys ready.
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Car keys
Prentice gets the year, make and model, then gives your usual price.
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Business lock changes
Quotes drafted from your prices for your OK, then sent.
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Property managers
Rekeys between tenants booked by text, with the unit number on every job.
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Running late
A tech texts that the last job ran long. Prentice tells the next customer.
Get closer to your customers
With Prentice, your customers will be able to:
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Ask the small questions they’d hesitate to call you about
“Can you copy a key that says do not copy?”
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Get an answer at any hour, by call, text or email
“Sorry it’s late, I’m locked out…”
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Talk with you in their own language
“¿Pueden venir ahora? Perdí mis llaves.”
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Book a visit on the spot
“Friday at 1 works.”
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Move a visit without phone tag
“Can we do Monday instead?”
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Hear your prices up front
“How much to rekey three locks?”
When you’re easy to reach, you’re easy to do business with.
Costs less than a person
Prentice does the office work, so compare the cost with hiring office help, not with an answering service.
| Hiring a Person | Prentice Solo | Prentice Team | Prentice Crew | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works with | Anyone | Just you | 2-3 people | 4-6 people |
| Counts you and everyone on your team who works with Prentice. Customers never count. | ||||
| Monthly cost | $500 5 hours a week at $25 an hour | $99 | $199 | $399 |
50% off the first month while Prentice learns your business |
||||
| Messages included | As many as they can handle in 5 hours a week | 200 | 500 | 1,200 |
| A message is any text or email, sent or received. Each minute of a call counts as one. | ||||
| Communication methods | Phone, text, email, in person | Phone, text, email | ||
| Customers | As many as they can keep up with | No limit | ||
| Availability | 5 hours a week | Any hour, every day | ||
| Overtime | $25 an hour | $25 for every extra 50 messages | ||
| Offseason | You negotiate fewer hours with them | $39 a month when in Standby modePrentice stays active and will respond to customers. Max 50 messages per month. | ||
| Payroll and taxes | Your responsibility | None | ||
| Commitment | You hire them, and give notice to let them go | NoneCancel anytime. | ||
|
Talk to Prenticestart free
More than 6 people? Register, and Prentice will help you set up a plan. |
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Works with
Anyone
SoloJust you
Team2-3 people
Crew4-6 people
Counts you and everyone on your team who works with Prentice. Customers never count.
Monthly cost
$500 5 hours a week at $25 an hour
Solo$99
Team$199
Crew$399
50% off the first month while Prentice learns your business
Messages included
As many as they can handle in 5 hours a week
Solo200
Team500
Crew1,200
A message is any text or email, sent or received. Each minute of a call counts as one.
Communication methods
Phone, text, email, in person
Phone, text, email
Customers
As many as they can keep up with
No limit
Availability
5 hours a week
Any hour, every day
Overtime
$25 an hour
$25 for every extra 50 messages
Offseason
You negotiate fewer hours with them
$39 a month when in Standby modePrentice stays active and will respond to customers. Max 50 messages per month.
Payroll and taxes
Your responsibility
None
Commitment
You hire them, and give notice to let them go
NoneCancel anytime.
More than 6 people? Register, and Prentice will help you set up a plan.
Questions locksmiths ask
Will customers know they’re talking to an AI?
Yes. On the first call or text, every customer hears that Prentice is your AI assistant. Prentice never pretends to be you.
Will Prentice quote a price on a lockout call?
Only what you’ve told Prentice a job usually runs, like “a house lockout after midnight usually runs $175.” Prentice never promises a firm price on a call. Anything you haven’t priced comes to you.
Can Prentice book lockouts after hours?
Yes. Prentice answers at any hour and books lockouts by your rules, like which hours you take them. Then Prentice texts you the address right away, so you can head out or send whoever’s on call.
Does Prentice check that the caller lives there?
No. You check that at the door. If you want, Prentice tells every lockout caller you’ll ask to see an ID or a piece of mail with the address once they’re in.
Do I need a new phone number?
You get a new Prentice number, but you keep yours. Give the new number to customers, or forward your business line to Prentice when you can’t pick up.
Does Prentice quote commercial jobs?
Prentice drafts quotes from your prices and what you found on site. You approve each one before it goes out. The customer says yes by text, and Prentice books the job.
More answers on the FAQ.
Let Prentice show you
Chat or call. Prentice will ask about your services, your prices and your hours.
Talk to Prenticestart free