Frank Manning has owned and operated Corpus Christi Safe and Lock since inheriting it from his brother in 1991. For the first time in 26 years, he is experiencing a decline in business that he believes is due to issues with his two AT&T landlines dropping calls.
If you’re having a problem reaching Corpus Christi Safe & Lock, call owner Frank Manning on his cell phone at (361) 438-5397. A prolonged issue with the company’s AT&T landlines is still being fixed and is costing Manning business and creating problems for his customers, he told Corpus Christi Business News. The problem has gone on for two months, he said.
At first, anyone calling from an AT&T mobile phone could not get through to the two landline numbers. That problem seemed to be fixed on a Friday in late July, but then another one popped up. Come Monday, a customer walked in the door saying they had tried calling but couldn’t get through. That customer was using a landline.
The same day, the phone started ringing once then stopping. That one ring was enough to leave the callers’ numbers, so staff were able to call them back.
“One was the school district,” Manning said. “They were calling from landlines. Before, only calls from customers with AT&T mobile services would not go through.”
Manning wants all his customers to know he is still in business and can be reached at either of the two cell numbers.
“You call with a problem, and we go out and fix it immediately,” Manning said. “I’ve got five guys sitting, waiting for work to do, and our landlines are having problems.”
To guarantee you will reach Manning and his team, call (361) 438-5397 or (361) 438-0781.
“We are set up for ready work, and we are ready to work,” he said.
Manning has been in the business of locks and safes since 1991 when he took over the company from his brother, who died that year.
“We’re a commercial, residential and automotive service company,” Manning said. “We service house locks, we work on storefront doors, including replacing steel doors for businesses.”
The company also offers restrictive keys that allow only the owner to buy duplicates.
“And we open safes that can’t be opened because you lost the combination or the key isn’t working right,” he said. “We service and move safes, so if you have a 3,500-pound safe and need to move it, we move it.”
As for cars and trucks, Manning’s team is always ready to the rescue when dogs, babies or keys get locked in. Calls to rescue dogs are the most common.
“Just a couple of days ago, someone locked their dog in the car without the motor running, so it was hot,” Manning said. “We got there and got that done.”
Once, he even had to unlock a prison van after a prisoner had kicked the door, jamming it shut.
“We are a full-service locksmith company,” Manning said. “And we rely on our phones 100 percent. That’s where my business comes from, people calling.”
Manning said he thinks the problem began when the company came out two months ago to upgrade his lines. He’s been having problems ever since.
“AT&T has been working continuously on my lines,” he said. “They’ve called me at 8 p.m. asking me questions. We had one landline working for awhile, but now, they are both out again.”
By Wednesday, the AT&T team was back at work on the issue, so the phones could be back in service by the time this story is published.
Corpus Christi Business News called AT&T asking for an update on the repairs but, as of press time July 27, had not heard back.
For now, customers needing Corpus Christi Safe & Lock should call the cell phone numbers listed in this article.
Corpus Christi Safe and Lock is located at 3535 S. Staples St. at Carroll Lane. Call (361) 438-5397 or (361) 438-0781 or email ccsafelock@sbcglobal.net. Visit ccsafeandlock.com for more information.
