Katy Ford, Insafe International (Safe Engineers) – Women in Locksmithing

Our latest interview as part of our women in locksmithing series is with Katy Ford, the Deputy Managing Director of Insafe, who are a specialist safe engineer company based in Kent.

Tell us a bit about you and your career.

I have been at Insafe for 23 years and have worked throughout the company starting on the helpdesk and worked my way through the business to the position I am in today.

I have always been very customer service focused and thrive on being busy and getting involved with projects.

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How did you become interested in locksmithing, and what led you to pursue it as a career?

I started on the helpdesk at Insafe then progressed through to account management and then managing the entire service department including the engineers. In my current role I am heavily involved in all areas of the business.

What was your biggest challenge starting out? And how did you overcome it?

I think the biggest challenge I have faced is knowledge of the products. Once you have the knowledge it is then ensuring your peers trust you do have the knowledge which can be difficult in some circumstances.

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What do you enjoy most about your job?

I really enjoy interacting with customers and finding solutions for their requirements. Working with my team on delivering a high quality service and ensuring the customer has full confidence and trust in Insafe in vital to building strong working relationships with them.

Have you faced any specific challenges as a female in the locksmithing trade, and how have you overcome them?

I think the biggest challenge I have faced in the industry is trust in my technical ability. I regularly have had to prove my technical ability to my colleagues.

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What advice do you have for other women who are considering a career in locksmithing?

Be confident and tenacious and you will thrive in a very interesting industry, there is more to locksmithing then meets the eye.

How has being an approved company of the Master Locksmith Association helped you and your business?

Insafe are very proud to be an approved company of the Master Locksmith Association. When advising customers of our membership this supports to instil confidence in Insafe’s ability to provide first class service and expertise.

Can you share a memorable success story where your locksmithing skills made a significant impact?

Unfortunately, I am unable to go into specifics due to customer confidentiality.

There are several occasions where my team and I have been able to deliver an excellent response to short notice nationwide emergencies which have resulted in customers being unable to trade at multiple sites. It’s when we pull together as a team is when we work best.

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To find out more about Insafe, visit Insafe International Company Profile

To take part as our next interviewee in our Interview with a Locksmith series
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