We run a small shop. Two of us copy fobs, identify weird remotes, and handle every conversation that comes in the door — by text, by call, on WhatsApp, and occasionally by email. People sometimes ask how we keep up. This is the honest answer.
Most People Text First
Probably 70% of new customers reach us by text. They snap a photo of their fob, send it to (647) 956-4887, and ask one of three questions: Can you copy this?, How much?, or Are you open right now?
Text works well for us because the answer to all three is usually short. We can identify a fob from a clear photo in about ten seconds. We can quote a price the same way. And if we're mid-clone with another customer, we can still reply in under a minute without putting anyone on hold.
For people who'd rather not pull out their phone in a condo lobby, WhatsApp is the same conversation — just a different app. Both go to the same number.
When People Call, They're Usually In a Hurry
Calls are different. Someone who calls is almost always either (a) on their way over and needs to know we're open, (b) locked out of their building, or (c) trying to confirm a price before getting in a car. The common thread is urgency — they want to talk to a person, not type.
We try to pick up. If we genuinely can't — usually because we're heads-down on a tricky clone — we don't want the caller to hit a generic voicemail and lose ten minutes wondering whether we're still in business. So we set up our line to send a polite, immediate response that says who we are, what we charge, and how to text us a photo.
After-Hours Is Where It Gets Tricky
Our shop runs by appointment, but the phone doesn't. Calls come in at 9pm, midnight, 6am Sunday. Most are normal — someone planning their week and figuring out when to stop by. A few are urgent. A handful are sales pitches. Sorting one from the other in real time is the hard part.
We use VeraDial, a Toronto phone system built for small businesses. It screens after-hours calls, takes a short note about what the caller needs, and texts us a summary. Genuine fob questions get a same-day reply. The sales pitches do not. It's the single biggest reason we don't miss real customers overnight.
Why Caller ID Matters
One thing we learned early: if your business calls people back from a random cell number, half of them won't pick up. They assume it's spam. So our outgoing calls show the same number as our main line — the one on our site, on Google, and on every text we've ever sent. Same number, every time. Sounds basic; makes a big difference.
What This Means For You
Three practical things, if you're trying to get a fob copied:
- Text us a photo of the fob first. Faster for both of us, and we'll catch any compatibility issue before you make the trip.
- If you call after hours and we don't pick up, leave a one-line note. You'll get a reply the next morning, often earlier.
- If a call shows up from (647) 956-4887 a few minutes after you've texted us, that's us calling back. Pick up.
Ready to copy a fob? Send us a photo, or come by our North York shop.