Posted by BrendaTx on 9/7/06 3:40pm
Msg #144224

Who thinks up this stuff?

And why, oh my, why does it even need to be said? Here's the bulletin...read it closely.

To our notary network:

If you are unable to make the scheduled appointment time, you need to contact the customers IMMEDIATELY. It is not acceptable to be late for an appointment excluding emergency situations. Please allow enough time for travel and possible delays to arrive to the appointment on time.

In addition to contacting the customers, you MUST contact [SNIP] and the client (e.g. customer care) to inform you are running behind. Please provide an expected arrival time and reason for late arrival.

[SNIP]

Reply by ColleenCA on 9/7/06 3:43pm
Msg #144227

It sounds like they must have had this problem over and over again and felt the need to post it. It is a shame that anyone would do that on either side of the table.

Reply by BrendaTx on 9/7/06 3:47pm
Msg #144228

**It sounds like they must have had this problem over and over again and felt the need to post it. It is a shame that anyone would do that on either side of the table. **

I know, Colleen. It must be happening. But I wish they'd deal with their $50 trouble makers by hiring notaries who actually work this like a business.

I talked to a notary I respect(ed) the other day who told me she stretches the time to say 4:30 pm...she gets off at 5 pm and then calls and tells them she is running a little late.

I have that dumb mentality of telling people when I will be there and doing all I can to see that I get there ON TIME.

Reply by ColleenCA on 9/7/06 3:59pm
Msg #144235

I agree. I have the same dumb mentality as you do. If I say I'm gonna be there, I'm gonna be there unless it's an emergency and even then I would call or have someone call for me if I was unable.

Reply by Signing_Doc on 9/7/06 4:49pm
Msg #144255

I have that dumb mentality of telling people when I will be

I do too (darn it)...I think it's called HONESTY...INTEGRITY...ETHICS...Being a Mensch...Oh....I'm sorry if I OFFENDED anyone....(yeah sure!)

"Doc"

Reply by NCLisa on 9/7/06 6:42pm
Msg #144279

Now I'd love it if being late was my fault. I wish that just once a company would get me a loan package on time. It is now 7:39 and I still don't have all the docs for my 7:30 closing that is 28 miles away.

Reply by ME/NJ on 9/7/06 4:04pm
Msg #144239

The only time I run late is if the edocs are not in my hands 2 hours prior to an appointment. Most of my clients are very good about it, but as you know things happen.

Reply by DellaCa on 9/7/06 4:10pm
Msg #144242

I am one of those that are always early, I have a fear of being late just my phobia. baring the unexpected I would not like it if someone was late to an appointment with me either.

Reply by Dorothy_MI on 9/7/06 5:02pm
Msg #144259

Della, always keep in mind that some people will be even more upset if you show up early. If you arrive and they are still at the table eating dinner, they are ususally not happy campers. Now I'm not talking about 5 minutes either way. If I'm going to be earlier than the 5 minutes, I'll call from a few blocks away to make sure that everyone who has to be there has arrived home from work and it's OK for me to come earlier than the appointment time. I will also call if I'm going to be more than 10 minutes late and give them an estimated time. Sometimes, if I'm not sure how late I will be, I'll tell them where I am and they will usually tell me, Oh that will take you another 10 minutes or whatever the time is as they drive those much more than you do.

Reply by DellaCa on 9/7/06 5:38pm
Msg #144263

Dorothy I don't go into the home early I stop by the park or a nice place near by and wait for the apointment time to go to the home.

Reply by Robin_IN on 9/7/06 5:13pm
Msg #144262

I agree, Brenda...it blows my mind that this should even have to be said!

Reply by BrendaTx on 9/7/06 5:40pm
Msg #144266

This stuff...and the "winner's curse."

I started thinking about it. If I treated this business as a spare change operation, I doubt that I'd hustle around for it too much. If those are the ones who are being hired, then, I guess you have to send out info to tell people, "Okay, you have to go on time."

People who are running a profitable business don't fool around with $50 fees under MOST circumstances I have encountered.

I am reading a book on strategic/tactics of pricing. I love this quote:

"The Winner's Curse:
Competitive bidding is notorious for causing the winning bidders to lose money. "

And...

"You are much more likely to win jobs for which you have underestimated your costs and are unlikely to win those for which you have overestimated your cost."

It goes on to say...

The only solution to this is, in effect, to formalize the principle of "selective participation."

In other words, you need to know your costs, your clientele, and don't fool around with notary auctioning. I'm going to put it into notary terms if I can get around to it, and hook it into my little free book somehow.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 9/7/06 6:13pm
Msg #144277

The "winner's curse."

Having at one time owned a business which bid on military contracts I fully understand what the winners curse is. I used to fret that others would underbid me but I always made sure that there was enough money to fund the project. Other bidders would bid low, so low that even the materials wern't covered and then try to make it up on change orders. I saw a lot of my competition bite the dust when the change orders didn't materialize and I even completed some of their contracts. I finally realized that being the low bidder does not make for a successful business and started to negotiate for the work others couldn't do.

Reply by BrendaTx on 9/7/06 8:18pm
Msg #144299

Re: The "winner's curse."

**I finally realized that being the low bidder does not make for a successful business and started to negotiate for the work others couldn't do. **

Right, Charles.

This is not a hobby done for pleasure...if you are hoping to MAKE A PROFIT.

You have to know what your costs are, what is involved, and when your clientele will come across with the payment. There are ways around the problem, but underbidding is not one of them! I am putting a good bit of studying in to understand how to address it in notary terms.

If you underbid one job and make yourself in the red by $5 on it, that's $5 lost.

If you continue to underbid jobs by $5 at the end of 100 signings you have lost $500 and you are deeper in debt than you were when you decided to take on this little part time gig for the "extra" money. Not to mention the wear and tear on your head, family, etc.