Ken Suitor of TruMax Security reveals what alarms and cameras can't protect — and what to do before it's too late.
GROWTH PILLAR: Cybersecurity & IT
WHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Corporate escapees / Leaders building systems
WHAT THEY'LL GAIN: Actionable insight on physical security gaps, hard-won lessons from the field, and real strategies to protect your business before a break-in forces your hand.
Most business owners think an alarm system is enough. Ken Suitor has seen what happens when it isn't.
Ken is the owner of TruMax Security, a locksmith and commercial security company serving the Ottawa area. He's spent years helping business owners, property managers, and homeowners fix security gaps they didn't know they had — until something went wrong.
In this episode of Knack 4 Business, Ken walks through the real vulnerabilities most SMBs overlook. He explains why a 15-minute police response window is the number that should be driving every security decision you make. He breaks down why electronic locks and cloud-based access systems are not as secure as they look. And he shares what a proper physical security audit actually covers — from the weight of your lock hardware to the sight lines around your front door.
Key topics covered:
Connect with Kenneth Suitor:
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Bernie (00:05)
Question for the audience. What happens to your business if you face a security emergency and you're not prepared? That's exactly what Ken will talk about. How most businesses don't realize how vulnerable they really are until it's too late.
He helps business owners avoid operational shutdowns, financial loss, and safety risks by putting smart, reliable security systems and locksmith support in place before disaster hits. Our guest today is Ken Suitor from TruMax Security. He's the owner of TruMax Security and a hands-on entrepreneur with a unique blend of creative, technical, and business experience. He grew up in Sherbrooke, Quebec, inspired by his grandfather and grounded by hard work on a market garden and a dairy farm.
Ken first pursued 2D and 3D animation and worked in Montreal until 2008 when the crash happened and that reshaped his path. He then studied business management at McGill, moved to Kingston to become a store manager with the source while launching his first company and later relocated to Ottawa to work in the trades that he'd been training for. Today, Ken brings together his creative problem solving and operational leadership and real world experience to build smart, reliable security solutions
protect businesses and the people behind them. Ken, it's an absolute pleasure having you here today. Welcome. Do you have a favorite quote or saying, sir?
Ken (01:26)
Well, there is one that we use, which is pick us before they pick you. As in picking locks.
Bernie (01:33)
So going from a market garden and dairy farm, right? Being in the agricultural industry and then swinging all the way over to doing artwork to the source, the retailer, then all the way over to lock, working locksmith. What kind of drove you still on that path? What made the career choice happen for you?
Ken (01:54)
Well, I was always interested in video games and art. So I did go that avenue with the 2D and 3D animation when I chose my path through school. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out. But that's what drove me to find something a little more stable in business management, which I had a background with, with my grandfather teaching me how to
operate a business, deal with customers and issues that arise through ordering and that type of ⁓ environment. After which I decided after the crash that really something more stable like business management or becoming a manager would be a better role for myself. And then after I took some education on the topic, I was quite interested in leading people and
growing.
growing employees. And then it just kind of went from there. I was lucky enough to kind of, I guess, decide that I wanted to take a trade on. I was always interested in working with my hands, probably from the agriculture background and being on the farm in the market garden with my father and grandfather. So
speaker-2 (03:00)
being.
Ken (03:05)
That's what kind of led me to wanting to grab one of the trades and plumbing or electric was always full. So I was interested in ⁓ locksmithing, guess really since the beginning, intricate work that has to go into building them and keeping them maintained. I mean, everyone really, you just put your hand in your pocket and everyone has a set of keys. So I always thought I'd be busy.
speaker-2 (03:16)
in
Bernie (03:33)
Ken, I'm not going to speak my piece until you speak yours. Where are you on e-lockable doors?
Ken (03:42)
So with electric locks or key fobs? So the issue that we have with them as locksmiths is from a security standpoint, the lock part itself is easy to break into or pick. You can easily buy a pick set from any well-known source.
Bernie (03:45)
Yes.
speaker-2 (03:46)
So
Ken (04:04)
with a little bit of training or a little bit of YouTube videos, you can figure out how to open one. Whereas if you had a high security lock in that electronic lock, then they are a huge deterrent. A high security lock just has more pins, more levels to it. It's a better product all around, but you have an electronic lock with a keypad, which is great.
speaker-2 (04:07)
Thank
you
Ken (04:30)
I mean, has, normally they're connected with your phone, so you have encryption through your phone or they need to get through your wifi password to get at you. So there's extra levels, but the physical component of that lock, you can drill, you can pick. It's not as secure as you.
speaker-2 (04:48)
think.
Bernie (04:48)
There was one software firmware failure of an e-lock company and you actually had to bring the door back to get it replaced. I don't know if that's true or apocryphal, but I always thought that was hilarious. They had to take the door off and send it to get a new door. And I'm not doing that.
Ken (05:05)
Yeah, yeah, there's issues to them for sure.
Bernie (05:09)
So when you migrated into this business and to love for scaling, ⁓ we need staff. And so how did you map that process out? you like, go, listen, I'm gonna have X number of clients and it's gonna have a certain workload attached to it. And then how do you find the right staff? know, A, they have to be trustworthy. You have to get past the police background check I'd imagine.
but also have a skill set. It's one thing that you're honest and good as an angel, but if you've got no sense of how mechanical engineering works, you're pooched.
Ken (05:44)
That's an interesting question. Really, I was lucky enough that before I purchased this business in 2019, I was an employee. My mentor at the time gave me a lot of guidance. He'd been in the trade for about 45 years. What he had said is really, and I guess it's the same with any industry, it comes down to mathematics.
speaker-2 (05:53)
and
How
Hey.
Ken (06:09)
Normally
we figure that a technician can produce about $300,000 a year. So that's kind of the guideline I've kept. I kind of, if our business starts to really increase, then I know I need the technician. And I've had about six years now, so I have a really good understanding of what our high and low seasons are, which has been pretty well true for the last
speaker-2 (06:16)
So
Ken (06:39)
three years, even during the COVID-19 era. We've stayed true to those numbers. Even if they've gone up a little bit, it's always been kind of the same trajectory and same graph.
speaker-2 (06:41)
See you.
So
⁓
Ken (06:57)
As to getting employees, my trade, which I guess is unfortunate, but a lot of trades are like this.
Most locksmiths are between the age of 55 to 70. So hiring is next to impossible and there isn't a whole lot of trade schools for the locksmith industry. It's not that it's, like it's not that it, I wouldn't say it's a dying trade, it's just,
speaker-2 (07:13)
So.
⁓
Ken (07:32)
Like being one of the first trades, right, other than blacksmith, it's just kind of being like a forgotten trade.
Which is kind of good for us being a younger shop. There's lots of work, but all of my employees, I have to train from green. As long as someone can push a power tool and understands what the numbers on the drill means, then we have to train you up from.
speaker-2 (07:52)
So.
out of town.
Bernie (08:04)
And the right drill, and the right drill, but sorry, my shop class is all coming back to me in flashbacks now. No, not that device.
Ken (08:12)
Yeah, so that's our challenge really is it's about a six month training period. We have a whole catalog and videos and things that we have to have our employees go through and then do it in front of us and testing and it's a process.
Bernie (08:31)
And I obviously watch far too many movies, but the one thing that interests me is the dark side. And I know there's both technical skills and morals, but which happens more? Great locksmiths who decide they need five Rolex watches or great criminals who decide to go straight?
Ken (08:51)
Well, unfortunately, we can't hire the criminals. Even though, mean, imagine a few of them are quite good at picking locks. most of the things in the industry, like most of the people, I should say, not things, most of the people in the industry are quite law-abiding citizens. Like they know they have these skills.
You know, it's more of a joke that especially when you get a bunch of locksmiths in the same room, you know, it's all if you go to a restaurant, we'll point out everything wrong with the doors. You know, or if we're in a bank like I've done work in lots of the major banks here in in Ottawa, the RBCs, CIBCs, TDs, and you just walk in, you're like, well, you know, there's a
There's a cash cabinet that sure I could break into, but there's cameras everywhere and I like my job. It's not like that, that you have a lot of people that learn these skills and do it. The other thing too, and I guess this is just with any trade, you don't use the skills you learned. So if you're not picking locks all day long, you can easily go from
speaker-2 (09:43)
it
If you
Lose it.
Ken (10:03)
being able to pick any lock in two minutes to last to it taking you five to 10 minutes. And in Ottawa, the statistic is about 15 minutes. So if you can keep someone from breaking into your home within 15 minutes, someone's gonna notice.
Bernie (10:20)
what are the mistakes that you could help them avoid easily? What jumps up for you as security mistakes in business?
Ken (10:29)
A lot
of the security mistakes that we see, we've had a slew of break-ins of just...
companies relying on their electronic security. A lot of companies will say, well, it's fine. You know, I have an alarm or yeah, I have motion detectors on the inside, but that's great except, you know, let's say you're a cannabis shop because they get hit the most. So, okay. Yeah, you know, it's great. You've got an alarm system.
speaker-2 (10:41)
So
Ken (11:03)
You even have a two-way door, right? Like they've got to go through like a checkpoint so you can approve them to get at your merchandise. That's great too, except they've got 15 minutes. So they've got a sledgehammer, they smash your front door or they pry bar your front door. Then you've got a second door that they pry bar. Let's say that takes five minutes. they can, alarms going and everything, run into your shop.
for another 10 minutes and just grab whatever they can and then run out.
speaker-2 (11:37)
So.
Ken (11:39)
like we try to promote, okay, well let's have a full length astrical, which is the full length guard plate on the edge of your door so they can't get a crowbar into the edge of the door. Let's give you high security locks so they can't just drill out your lock. Like there's lots of things you can do to physically deter people. And the biggest thing we promote too is just the sight of your door. If your door looks
rather secure, then they're not going to try. It's not worth their time to fight with your door for however long it's going to take when, you know, the next door of the jewelry shop is just all glass. We'll just hit them.
Bernie (12:21)
You find that you do an audit based on who the threat is. know, if it's like the smash and grab, typically is not, you know, they might have a plan, but you know, it's not sophisticated. It's not like they're going to Antwerp and breaking into a diamond ⁓ jewelry exchange where there's a little more planning involved, right? You know, one of the, one of the high-end security heists. Do you ever do an audit where you're mapping out the threat?
versus the location and then versus maybe is the constabulary located nearby because I know one place out here in the Kanata area talking to one of the staff he happened to walk into the premises to show up for work and next thing he's looking at a copper and he goes I was just here like three minutes he didn't even get 15 minutes of air time in the space before he was looking at a constable going you come here.
Do you ever do an audit and help build that out for them or is that part of your process?
Ken (13:19)
It really depends on the customer. The only customers we've done that for are mostly government agents. Most and some software companies that have requested extra security in and out of their building, but most businesses, mom and pop shop, convenience stores, that type of thing are not interested in.
speaker-2 (13:36)
convince
Ken (13:42)
Pursue.
speaker-2 (13:42)
going.
Ken (13:43)
until it happens right it's just that way like a funny story with a homeowner that we had just just included in here would be we had a homeowner and they bought this brand new tractor lawn tractor they did the lawn and it was great it's a beautiful machine and we'd rekeyed the homeowners locks
speaker-2 (14:03)
⁓
Ken (14:07)
and we pointed out that his garage was basically a cardboard box. Don't worry about it, you know, it's behind the house, no one's gonna care. So about a month goes by and he goes on vacation and he comes back in July, end of July, about two weeks later and there's no lawn tractor.
speaker-2 (14:12)
It's so hard.
Ken (14:30)
And he said, well, I don't understand. Like he called us up. He's like, I don't understand. How did they get in there? And they just destroyed his rolling garage door. They'd pried it enough so they could crawl under it, opened it from the inside and then left with his tractor. And of course you leave your keys in the lawn tractor. So he's like, I don't understand. Like, how did they know that I had this beautiful machine? And I'm like, like friend.
You're in your lawn mowing your lawn every single week. Like, they can see you. And then, you know, they just check back and they check back and drive around and oh, all of a sudden you're gone for one day, two days, three days. Oh, he's gone. Fourth day. All right, cool. Let's go get that tractor
Bernie (15:15)
there's all kinds of bogus press releases. Everyone has a new flavor, whether it's real or not. How do you stay current with tech when there's so much noise? I assume there is. In my industry, there is. How do you stay current?
Ken (15:30)
We don't. Really, as a locksmith, kind of decide what works. We know what works. And in like the mechanical and physical security is kind of at a standpoint because you can't really advance any more than where we are right now.
speaker-2 (15:53)
⁓
Ken (15:54)
In the last probably five years, definitely since I've owned my sh... All these companies have been coming out with cloud-based stuff and get it on your phone and face recognition and biometrics and all this crazy stuff. And yeah, it's easier to use, but it's also easier to break into.
speaker-2 (16:01)
show up.
So.
Ken (16:21)
There are some companies that just stick to the status quo. They build steel cased products, hardened steel that's harder for someone to drill into. And sure, they look more commercial grade, but they're a heck of a lot tougher than the new stuff that's made with
like soft white metals and aluminum and that's kind of the trade off in our industry is if it looks real nice, then it's really, even if it's expensive, it's made cheap. And if it's more of a beasty kind of square, some customers would say ugly looking product. Well, that's really, that's gonna do the job.
But your point, Wayne, no, there's, our industry really can't advance because companies have decided to give up on machining.
Bernie (17:05)
Definitely career is a mess.
speaker-2 (17:11)
Thanks
⁓
Ken (17:19)
And just like the car industry, they've given up on trying to make an engine, you know, better. And they've decided that going electronic or trying to make it cheaper is the way to go.
Bernie (17:34)
I've just always wondered, the key that says do not duplicate in your kit, whether it's an employer's key or whatever, what does a locksmith take on a do not duplicate key?
Ken (17:47)
we're able to cut it.
Bernie (17:48)
Of course, but so tell me more about the theory behind it.
speaker-2 (17:52)
So.
Ken (17:53)
Really, the reason we stamp our keys do not duplicate is so customers think that they're not duplicate and like they can't go to somewhere to get them duplicated. And they have to come back to the original lock shop. The real theory for me behind it is to prevent them from going to Canadian Tire, Home Depot.
speaker-2 (18:18)
⁓
Ken (18:19)
anywhere that's not a reputable lock shop because like I don't I wouldn't necessarily care if you go to a reputable lock shop to get your keys cut because our industry is so close-knit that we help each other out pretty well like I only have a certain amount of keys I can cut and another shop only has a certain amount of like locks that they service so we'll help each other out that way but
There's no way we want to help out any of the box stores.
Bernie (18:52)
I think part of the do not duplicate from a corporate side is, again, depends on the type of key, a higher security key is really hard to duplicate. You have to have the right cutting equipment or it has to be sent off, but also to stop it from getting duplicated. you don't, know, if you have a crew of a thousand people or greater, right? You can stop the surprises.
Ken (19:13)
So that's very true. true high security keys, like for us, like on my shirt, we do the Abloy brand. There's also Matico and Multilock. All of those brands, the keys are specifically milled for the lock shop. So only that lock shop can cut that exact key blank. So those security keys are the ones that are truly
speaker-2 (19:25)
the R.
Thanks
Ken (19:41)
not duplicated because you just can't. Like the only shop in the city has that key is that shop you got it from. But any of the ones like you said Wayne that are just stamped with do not then yeah. Or normally just a regular key that has that stamped on.
speaker-2 (19:55)
there.
Bernie (19:59)
Do you find in the automotive industry, like we just mentioned earlier, if it looks bulky, ugly and square, odds are it probably wards you off from trying to, if you're trying to break in, wards you off. Do you find in the automotive industry has lost, since it got more electronic, it's with a fob?
know, finger on button device and or proximity unlocking devices in the industry. It's also RFID. Do you find that they've gotten away from it or are there ways to secure cars? And I guess the emphasis here is on, hey, my car is gone. Where'd it go? It's halfway around the globe. You know, do you find that there's things that they should be addressing or is there things that you can do to help make the car harder to take away?
speaker-2 (20:48)
⁓
So.
Ken (20:50)
No, a car is not secure.
speaker-2 (20:52)
⁓
Ken (20:53)
There's lots of things that people can do to get at your fob.
The worst thing being somebody, and you see it all the time at hospitals or...
Grocery stores are really anywhere where there's a whole bunch of huge parking lot of cars and People are pushing the panic button or the chirp to try to find where their car is Well, the reason that's the worst thing is you're just broadcasting your signal anywhere and then someone can just just like a credit card grab that from the air and Save it onto a little black box that they can then program onto
another key fob that's similar for your vehicle.
speaker-2 (21:36)
⁓
Ken (21:37)
There's a whole bunch of things that, and the reason ⁓ we had a whole lot of thefts of vehicles was really just signal boosters. People would put their keys at their front door and then a thief would just have a signal booster that would push that keys boosting to the car door.
speaker-2 (21:45)
So.
to
Ken (21:57)
But the terrible thing, and this is again for convenience, is all cars after 2018 always want to be unlocked.
Bernie (22:09)
So they want to be unlocked.
Ken (22:10)
Yeah, they all cars after 2018 want to be unlocked. What this means is they have a receiver inside the door that's usually around the handle of the door. And it's always looking for the key fob because any of these key fobs where people don't even touch them, like with the push start, you just walk up to the door and it unlocks your car. While having those your car door.
always wants to be unlocked and your ignition always wants to be turned on because when you push that button it turns on but it needs that signal. So your car is just designed this way for ease and convenience to always want to be unlocked and always want to be turned on.
speaker-2 (22:50)
So.
Ken (22:59)
So when somebody has a booster, your car is already saying, yep, yep, you know, unlock, that's what I want. And when they boost the signal, your key fob is always saying, I want to unlock the car. And your car is always saying, I want to be unlocked. So once they're close enough together, that's what happens.
Bernie (23:20)
See, I'm so ahead, I'm so high security, I drive a car not worthy of stealing. That's my breakthrough.
Ken (23:26)
That's the best way to do it! That's really what any car before 2018.
Bernie (23:33)
Well, it's actually newer than that, but one thing I do want to know because of where we are at this moment, hopefully by the time this airs, it won't even be relevant. But I am guessing that locks are made in various places of the world and it may not always be in Ottawa or Kingston. Can you tell me about tariff issues for locks and locksmiths in a global economy?
Ken (23:58)
So we had a huge conference about this right when the tariffs started back in April, I think it was, and we knew that our industry would be hit and we were hit quite hard on the steel and aluminum. So that was pretty detrimental to a lot of locks that we would normally install. We used to have like a
speaker-2 (24:06)
⁓
to
So we.
Ken (24:25)
entry level in the locksmith industry, we have grade three, which is the lowest grade two and grade one. A lot of grade one products are coming out of well for schlage it's coming out of America out of their American plants. There's von Duprin, which is created in Germany mostly and a few other
Different companies have a grade one, but it's normally made at their head office so that they can keep tabs on.
speaker-2 (24:56)
out.
Ken (24:57)
quality of the product.
speaker-2 (24:59)
So.
Ken (25:01)
Funnily enough, we used to sell a lot of grade two products that would come out of the states. But as soon as we were hit with the tariffs, all of their prices were the same as the grade one products, which is a better product coming out of Germany or Switzerland or Finland.
speaker-2 (25:23)
So.
Ken (25:24)
Really what we just started doing was, okay, well, we can give you a better product for the same price as what's coming out of the States. So let's just not promote the SAIT stuff because all of the other like German products or Finnish product or any of that is honestly a better quality and it's going to last you 20 years. So it's a better product all around.
speaker-2 (25:39)
the
Ken (25:53)
for the same price as what we're getting hit with with the tariffs.
And the nice thing was that all of our suppliers had the same mindset.
speaker-2 (26:00)
So.
Ken (26:01)
It was nice that in our whole industry it was like, okay, well, if the Americans don't wanna play, then we're just not going to sell their products. Sure, they're available, but we're just going to pitch the stuff that is honestly better. And now, basically a comparable price, we'll just start pushing those. And then anything that we were using that was not...
grade one, it was more of a mid-tier grade two, we started getting from like Taiwan or China. And I mean, the quality sure wasn't the same as what we'd be getting from Germany or whatever, but the price was. We weren't really, it's just, it was a huge change to how we did business and the products we used.
speaker-2 (26:31)
⁓
So.
hurt?
Bernie (26:53)
we have two things that are fighting. Ease, well, three, ease, visibility and security. They all fight. I love walking by a store with 40 feet of glass and this amazing lock on the door. Have you guys ever heard of a rock? But one question I do have is do you have to wear a different hat when you're thinking corporate, commercial and residential?
Ken (27:16)
Definitely. We even have to wear a different hat for the type of customers we're dealing with.
Typically our bread and butter residential customer would be someone who is middle like
speaker-2 (27:24)
avatar or art.
is
Ken (27:34)
middle class. The reason for that is they seem to know what they have and they're willing to protect it. ⁓
speaker-2 (27:44)
So they.
Ken (27:45)
They're willing to invest in a high security lot because they know that that will protect their kids. If they lock it up at night, you know, nobody will be looking around their house. And if they decide to get a really nice lawn tractor or they decide to invest in like a big barbecue because they like to barbecue, then they know that those locks will protect their backyard. We're finding a lot of
speaker-2 (28:10)
⁓
Ken (28:12)
Well to do customers.
residential side don't seem to care about security of their house.
Bernie (28:18)
Really?
speaker-2 (28:20)
The more
Ken (28:21)
The more money that someone seems to make personally, they're not as worried about, I guess, replacing things that they're losing. It just seems to work out that way. ⁓
speaker-2 (28:32)
great. ⁓
Bernie (28:34)
That's why?
Ken (28:35)
It seems to be in an age gap. anyone... until about 55 we find, until they start to be a retiree, they don't care about security. It's, yeah, you know, it's fine if someone breaks into my house and steals a TV, I'll just replace it. Or somebody goes and steals my car, okay, well, insurance will take care of that. They push it, keep putting it to the back burner, but it seems like...
When somebody has something to protect, whether it be a grandchild, a child, even a dog, they think about things differently. And it's the same for a business too. Like I said, or alluded to earlier, most businesses wait until they're attacked to think about security.
They think of that mindset that, well, we have cameras, we have an alarm system, it's connected to the police. It's all fine and good, but you still should have that barrier. It's the first deterrent.
Bernie (29:40)
You know, we've talked about like keyways and locks and cars and so forth, know, commercial property, the entranceway. And that's perimeter security. There's also security within the structure. Are you also involved with safes and vaults?
Ken (29:58)
Yes.
Bernie (29:58)
And so who's, when's it a good idea to have in a residential vault? Is it asset protection from theft or is it from destruction like flooding and fire?
Ken (30:11)
Usually we would say both.
It's not so much theft, because most safes, especially if you get a good one, are about 200 to 300 pounds.
speaker-2 (30:23)
So.
Ken (30:25)
Like even a team of two, that's pretty hard to lug through a house. But it is definitely, and people don't like to think about it, but we're especially in Ottawa with the Rideau River, we're in a prime location to be flooded. putting your birth certificates or if you have an office in the basement, just all of your important files in that box is
your passports, that's really what you're trying to protect because your grandma's jewelry or whatever, you can definitely put that in there for sure, but it's more your paperwork. We find today that people are more inclined to keep in a safe.
speaker-2 (30:52)
Peace.
⁓
Ken (31:11)
Funnily enough, there's not really a whole lot of safety deposit boxes being bought in banks. I don't know if it's just like my generation is not inheriting all of the old jewelry or whatever that past generations were, but most of the time when we have to open up a safe for someone, it's filled to the gills with paperwork.
speaker-2 (31:13)
⁓
Bernie (31:37)
We live in a different time than I say our parents and our grandparents. I think a lot about who has the right to get in between landlords and tenants or mergers and acquisitions. How do you decide the person asking you to change the locks is actually the rightful owner that should be getting in?
Ken (31:57)
The only way we really can do that is at the discretion of the who's requested us to do the work. If it's a lockout situation and we go to someone's home, we always ask for ID, whether it be...
speaker-2 (32:01)
the ⁓
So.
Ken (32:13)
driver's license or some sort of government ID. We ask for
speaker-2 (32:16)
And then
Ken (32:19)
like we double check the address. I mean, it has happened more than once where we'll get called from a wife or a husband that is upset that we opened the place for their divorced wife or husband. And we're like, well, the ID is matched. The address says that they're supposed to be there. So there's really nothing we can do if the address matches. Opening cars.
speaker-2 (32:21)
⁓
Ken (32:48)
There's only really been one instance where somebody couldn't prove that it was their car.
We basically just threw the keys back in the car and locked the car and shut the door.
So there are times when that happens. mean, for businesses, we normally ask to reach out to their landlord and it does take a little bit longer, but we have to make sure that we're not just opening spaces for people that aren't actually tenants or business owners.
Bernie (33:19)
Do you find insurance companies play a role in decisions in house from a commercial point of view that will ensure you? So, know, the obvious one would be you're a jeweler. You carry small compact, a thievable things that can be sold easily. Do you find insurance companies come in and say, listen, we have a certain requisite of systems that have to be installed, whether it's
Shatter proof glass, certain type of keyway. Do you ever find that happening?
speaker-2 (33:48)
⁓ No
Ken (33:49)
Not normally with the keys. They usually leave the customer up to whatever type of... But there is a prerequisite, especially for jewelry stores like you said, where they have to have a certain, like a size of safe for the merchandise. So it's usually a value. So if they say they have so many million dollars worth of product, then they need to have a safe to accommodate.
speaker-2 (33:55)
key.
Ken (34:16)
the size of the product that they have on hand.
Normally, insurance will give people a discount if they do have some sort of protection in place, whether it be electronic or physical.
speaker-2 (34:30)
⁓
Ken (34:31)
But more likely than not, we're finding that insurance doesn't necessarily play a whole play for our industry.
I mean it probably should, but it doesn't really. They don't give more of a discount for having a better lock or particular keyway.
Bernie (34:49)
So you spoke rather eloquently about avoiding trends and avoiding buzz, but what's coming in business security in the next two to five years, if anything?
Ken (35:01)
Cloudbase.
Bernie (35:02)
You think that's the wrong move?
Ken (35:04)
I do. There's a really big push which has been happening more and more each year. It started really taking hold when all of the lockdowns happened and it's kind of a scary transition. But what you alluded to in the beginning there, Wayne, where locks becoming more electronic,
speaker-2 (35:05)
⁓
Ken (35:27)
What's coming down the pipe is either retinal scans on locks or someone being able to, instead of having like a badge or any of that, they just have their cell phone. They just have a proximity to the lock and it'll unlock.
speaker-2 (35:45)
⁓
Ken (35:45)
really it comes down to ease and a lot of companies are purchasing other companies and that's what's happening. So in our industry a lot of electronic companies that provide
speaker-2 (36:03)
⁓
Ken (36:04)
cameras, automatic door openers, card access systems. Through the lockdowns, they got incredibly profitable because everybody wanted that now on their buildings to have a key fob, not a whole bunch of employees have to touch a key, yada, yada, yada. It's safer, right? That's what they thought. These really profitable electronic companies
speaker-2 (36:22)
the
So.
Ken (36:31)
bought hardware companies because they thought that would be a great mix would be having the security and the electronic in one device.
speaker-2 (36:39)
Thanks.
Ken (36:42)
The problem we're getting is because the electronic company owns the physical law, they're trying to jam more and more opponents into it. Even to the fact where there's no longer a key way, which just means there's no key. It's all just card access and ⁓
The problem with that is when you go to call a locksmith, they'll show up at your door and will kind of look at you and say, the only way to get in is to destroy the door.
because all you have on your door is a little card reader that's attached to a really strong lock. And we're like, well, the only way to get at that really strong lock would have been if there was a lock that ran it, but you don't have a lock on your door. So we now have to drill through your door to get at the component of a standard lock would have functioned.
Bernie (37:39)
Manual over and now it comes in handy.
you are in the Greater Ottawa area. what is the level of consulting that is, hey, I'll give you a quote and what then breaks you into a, no, I actually want an audit. What are the costs involved in getting you in front of my door?
Ken (37:54)
We do offer ⁓ a free consultation. There has been talk in the past of offering a charge for that or something or a service fee, but I've just kind of never felt I wanted to do that. I mean, I put my price out there fairly and if the customer doesn't necessarily want to work with us, well then that's fine, but
speaker-2 (37:56)
you
and
Ken (38:23)
We have a very high conversion rate with our estimates. Normally when we go to a place, we do a survey, we let them know what they need and then we bill it accordingly. And if they decide to go somewhere else, which has happened in the past,
it normally comes back to us. Whether it's something that the other company has missed on their estimate or the quality that they've been putting is not what we would be putting. I mean, it's even come to the point where I'll show up to a job with hardware. That way they can hold the hardware in their hand. They can actually see what the weight
is of the metal that we're putting on the door. Just being honest with the customer is what I find.
really gets us the sale, knowing our stuff and being honest.
Bernie (39:17)
So last question, what's the strangest thing someone has asked you to either lock or unlock?
Ken (39:24)
pair of handcuffs.
Bernie (39:25)
in active service.
Ken (39:26)
Yes. Early on in my career, I decided to take on 24-7 service, which we now have implemented and do all the time. But one of my early calls or first calls was a gentleman who'd been strapped to a bed and his Tinder date had stolen his pants and his wallet.
speaker-2 (39:40)
Yeah.
Ken (39:52)
And funnily enough, he just somehow got his phone and dialed us using his nose from Google. So we show up and I said, well, all right, we'll just put the towel over here and then we'll get you out of there, sir. That was the strangest one I've ever had.
Bernie (40:15)
Were they pink and furry or are they just straight hand standard cuffs?
Ken (40:19)
I think they were just standard. I mean, I don't really remember if they were coloured. I was more worried about the naked guy in handcuffs at the time, I guess. But that was the funniest call I'd ever got.
Bernie (40:32)
And what's the best way to get a hold of you?
Ken (40:35)
So if you're looking for immediate service, it would be our phone number 613-591-0909. If you're looking for an estimate, my email ken at truMAXsecurity, T-R-U-M-A-X, security.ca is the best way to get one of those.
Bernie (40:54)
Ken, I want to say thank you so much for being a guest here today and ⁓ sharing that last antidote. You're changing my view on handcuffs. I kind of figured it was going down that path, but you know, hey, who knows? To my cohost, Wayne Pratt, who's not in cuffs and not in his bedroom. Thank you. And you, the Knack 4 Business listeners. So if you are in the Ottawa Valley, in the Ottawa area,
and you need to look at your security and or need some pricing on keeping your place safe, whether it's the kids or the jewels, the family jewels even perhaps based on what we just talked about. Reach out to Ken