Skip to content
GetInto AI

Card payments for locksmiths: get paid before you drive off

Take card or contactless payment on your phone at the door, with the invoice raised from the same job, plus card fees. From about $33£25€30A$48C$47 a month.

At a glance

  • What it costs$33–114£25–86€30–102A$48–165C$47–162 a month

  • Worth, in extra profit or time saved in the worked example$193£145€173A$278C$273 a month

  • Pays for itselfIn about two weeks

  • Sign up and configure; no technical skills neededEasy to set up

Figures come from the worked example below, using its stated assumptions. Tool prices checked . How we check prices

The problem

After a late-night lockout, the customer often has no cash and promises a bank transfer in the morning. If 4 jobs a month are paid 'later', each takes about 15 minutes to chase, and 1 a month is never paid at $146£110€131A$211C$207 that's $146£110€131A$211C$207 lost plus an hour of chasing: about $193£145€173A$278C$273 a month if your time is worth $47£35€42A$67C$66 an hour.

What the AI does

ServiceM8 lets you take payment on site in the app, or send the customer a link to pay online, and its Tap to Pay accepts credit and debit cards with nothing but your iPhone or Android phone. Card payments are on every plan, and the invoice is raised from the same job. Payments made during a day are paid into your bank the next business day, minus fees.

A worked example

A locksmith in Sunderland does about 40 jobs a month, many of them evening lockouts at around $146£110€131A$211C$207. They move jobs and invoices into ServiceM8 Starter ($33£25€30A$48C$47 a month excluding VAT, 50 jobs) and take payment by Tap to Pay before leaving every domestic job.

Before

4 jobs a month paid 'later' by transfer, 1 of them never paid

After

About 30 domestic jobs a month paid at the door; only letting agents and other account customers are invoiced

What it's worth

About $193£145€173A$278C$273 a month saved, from no longer losing 1 unpaid $146£110€131A$211C$207 job a month and an hour of chasing at $47£35€42A$67C$66 an hour. That is against $33£25€30A$48C$47 for ServiceM8 Starter plus card fees: about $81£61€73A$117C$115 if 30 jobs a month at $146£110€131A$211C$207 are paid by card (1.65% + 20p is about $2.69£2.02€2.40A$3.88C$3.80 each), $114£86€102A$165C$162 in all.

How to set it up

  1. Choose ServiceM8 Starter if you do up to 50 jobs a month; each job uses one of the plan's credits.
  2. Set up ServiceM8's card payments and test Tap to Pay on your own phone before your first job.
  3. Tell customers on the phone that you take card payment when the job's done, so there's no surprise at the door.
  4. Raise the invoice from the job and take payment before you pack up.
  5. Keep invoices and bank transfer for letting agents and other account customers.

What goes wrong

  • The vendor's fee page gives UK fees as current from September 2024: 1.65% + 20p for standard cards, 2.10% + 20p for business cards and 3.45% + 20p for international and American Express cards, which are off by default. Check it before signing up.
  • Tap to Pay needs a supported phone and an up-to-date operating system. Carry a backup way to take payment in case your phone fails.
  • Starter covers 50 jobs a month. A busier locksmith needs Growing at $78£59€70A$113C$111.
  • Price arguments at the door are worse at midnight. Give the likely price on the phone before you set off.

More ideas for Locksmiths

AI receptionist for locksmiths: answer every lockout call

A UK AI receptionist answers the calls you miss while you're on a door, takes the details and texts them to you, 24/7. From about $76£57€68A$109C$107 a month.

  • Costs $76–89£57–67€68–80A$109–129C$107–126/mo
  • Worth $544£409€487A$785C$769/mo
  • Pays for itself in about a week
  • Easy to set up

Security survey reports for locksmiths: sent the same day

Turn notes from a security survey or post-burglary visit into a clear report the customer can act on. Free, or up to about $27£20€24A$38C$38 a month for a paid plan.

  • Costs Free–$27Free–£20Free–€24Free–A$38Free–C$38/mo
  • Worth $233£175€208A$336C$329/mo
  • Pays for itself in a few days
  • Easy to set up

Review requests for locksmiths: win trust on Google Maps

A feedback request goes to every customer once the job is marked done, so genuine reviews build up on your Google profile. From about $33£25€30A$48C$47 a month.

  • Costs $33£25€30A$48C$47/mo
  • Worth $126£95€113A$182C$179/mo
  • Pays for itself in about a week
  • Easy to set up

Locksmith customer portal: agents find their own paperwork

Letting agents and landlords log in to see their quotes, invoices, appointments and documents, so fewer resend requests. From about $53£40€48A$77C$75 a month per user.

  • Costs $53£40€48A$77C$75/mo
  • Worth $117£88€105A$169C$165/mo
  • Pays for itself in about two weeks
  • Easy to set up

Proof-of-residence records for locksmiths: before entry

A short form on each lockout records how you checked the customer's right to enter, filled in on your phone and saved to the job. From about $78£59€70A$113C$111 a month.

  • Costs $78£59€70A$113C$111/mo
  • Not measured in money
  • Not a money saving
  • Some setup needed

Last updated October 17, 2026.