When a friend of family member has been arrested, it might be up to you to help them get out of jail. They only get one phone call and if you’re the person they call, it’s up to you to get them home. This often means going to the Internet or the phone book to find a bail bondsman who can work with you to secure the release of your loved one.
But how do you know that you can trust a bail bondsman to do the right thing for you and the person who is in jail? Choosing the right bondsman can be tricky, especially since you are sure to have frayed nerves and will likely be very stressed out. No one expects to need to bail someone out of jail, so there’s a good chance that you haven’t done research already or have a bail bondsman that you’ve worked with before.
It’s natural that many people choose to work with a large, franchised bail bond service when they need emergency help. After all, these are major companies that are able to advertise on TV, radio, billboards and buses. People see their ads regularly and remember their names when they need to hire a bondsman out of the blue.
However, this doesn’t mean that a larger bail bondsman is always the better bail bondsman. In fact, in many cases it’s better for someone to work with a smaller, local bail bond agency rather than a large company. Working with a local bondsman gives clients several advantages that can help them in a time of need such as:
Local Knowledge: Local bail bondsmen have an intimate knowledge of the justice systems in their communities. Bondsmen with decades of experience in an area understand the quirks that can help to get a case handled more smoothly. From knowing who to contact to understand how to best navigate the sometimes confusing process, local bail bondsmen can use their expertise to make things go as quickly as possible.
Caring and Compassionate Treatment: When working with a large franchised bail bond agency, it’s easy for a person to be treated like just another faceless client. These companies deal with hundreds of cases every day and they rarely have the time — or interest — in doing more than what is necessary. This isn’t the case with local, smaller bail bondsmen. Their business is largely based on referrals so it’s important that their clients feel like they were treated well. They’ll take the time to listen and will always treat clients with respect.
Solutions That Work for Individuals: Large companies typically are “one size fits all” models that apply the same solutions to every customer. Smaller bail bondsmen understand that no bond case is the same. It’s important for them to talk to clients and get the finer points of the case before they start to work. This allows them to come up with plans that work for their clients. Whether a client needs a bond for a DUI or immigration bail bonds services, smaller bail bonds agencies are there to help.