Posted by Claudia_NJ on 10/23/07 8:16am
Msg #217783

Notaries that we sub-contract

Anyone out there that sub-contracts notaries - how do you deal with sub-contractors that minutes before the appointment cancel on you and leave you hanging? Is there a website for closing services/TC's to discuss individuals and rate their performance?

Reply by Negrete on 10/23/07 8:26am
Msg #217785

I get really upset and throw a temper tantrum, NOT. I just deal with it as it happens Claudia. It is not normally our ( SS ) fault. I am sure that you know, most of the time we do not control when we get the documents. This has been a problem for a long time.

AS far as there being a site to rate notaries, no there is no place for SS or TCs to rate notaries. For the most part we just use those NSA that we have had good luck with in the past. In my system that I utilize, I do have a way of rating notaries. ( I WILL NOT MENTION IT HERE ) If you have any questions please feel free to call me.

Anthony J Negrete

Reply by Brigitte/CA on 10/23/07 11:59am
Msg #217828

Re: As a NSA

I for one would be interested as to what we are rated on and would welcome the feedback of my job performance. Error free, professionalism, personalization and always on time I know are some of the biggies. I, like most NSA's, feel they are doing an excellent job, however, if there are other criteria or improvements needed in my performance I would like to hear from you. My feeling is how do you improve on something you have no idea needs improvement. I am curious as to why some companies call day after day yet others never call you again. This information would be helpful so we could all make the experience a good one especially for our customers.

Brigitte

Reply by Allison OHara- ALO Notary Services LLC on 10/23/07 8:30am
Msg #217787

LOL - welcome to the business! I don't mean to laugh, but as in every business, there are winners and there are losers. It is essential to interview and pre-screen all the agents you use and feel 100% confident in their work before sending them out on an assignment. Check their references! (Although who would put a company down as a reference that they bailed on?)

I do not believe there is a website where companies discuss notaries. Keep your own database and your own records. I have a whole list of no-no agents... a whole list of excellent agents!

Reply by ME/NJ on 10/23/07 8:36am
Msg #217789

Only sub out work to people we trust,and have not done it in over a year. If you're the Claudia I think you are we have helped each other before.

Reply by Sandy/CT on 10/23/07 10:04am
Msg #217802

I agree that if there is not one....there should be.
That is just another thing that we do not have control on.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 10/23/07 10:31am
Msg #217809

I have a banned vendors list that I keep updated and check regularly. I also use notaries I have gotten to know. As far as rating performance on a public forum, for you to do that as a hiring entity would expose you to liability that would be nothing less than irresponsible to retain.

Reply by CJ on 10/23/07 11:43am
Msg #217823

As a notary . . .

I know that I am #1 with most of my SS, and I know that things have gone badly with some jobs, and the SS have blacklisted me. Some SS call me after their favorite, and I still do a good job, but would they rate me less becuase I am not their favorite?

(One time I sat with the borrower and the Loan Agent for two hours, and I HAD to leave becuase I had other jobs. I had six jobs that day. I notarized all necessary docs before I left. I arranged with the LO that she would take the docs to her house, and I would come by after all my jobs and come and pick them up. I got to her house at 10:00 pm (she was outside of my territory) and together we double checked every signature. (None were missed). She said she was with the borrowers for a total of 4 hours, and they even insisted that she go out and by them some sodas (they were signing at the escrow office). It turned out later that they complained about me because I "complained that it was my day off, and I left early". (I never complain when working on my day off, and Tuesday with six jobs is not a day off for me, so they obvioulsy flat-out lied.) I got paid half price for the job, and they never called me back. (Believe me, I argued about it with the SS, but they said that's what the Title company said. But I did not get my the check for a month, and that was when I found out they were unhappy.)

One time a borrower stood up and yelled at me becuase I was telling everyone where to sit, which pen to use, how to write their name, how to pass the papers in a circle, etc. He said because I was so bossy and unprofessinal, he was not going to sign the papers. I apologized and he said I didn't sound sincere. I hung my head and shut my mouth, and he signed. He might say I was a terrible notary. Usally borrowers rave about how effiecnt I was and how quick the siging went (because I tell them where to sit, pass the papers, etc.) Others say I was "so much better than the last notary", becuase I explained the figures.

So if there was a list that I was rated on, it would not be really fair. Maybe I did goof up on some jobs, but I usually do well. And then there are stupid situations that are hard to reconcile.

Reply by CaliNotary on 10/23/07 11:50am
Msg #217826

Re: As a notary . . .

"Others say I was "so much better than the last notary", becuase I explained the figures. "

You might want to clarify this before you get your head bitten off. What do you explain about the figures? That's the one thing most of us are deliberately vague about, I just give them the settlement statement and say "this is a breakdown of all the figures" and leave it at that.

Reply by CJ on 10/23/07 4:15pm
Msg #217872

Figures

I KNOW better than to not give any opinions or advice. I show them the loan amount, the interest rate, PPP, and the impounds. After 5 minutes, we all sign. Gee wiz, now I am on the hot seat. My point was: some people do it my way, some people do it differenlty, and I am going to be rated on if I do it just like you.

Reply by kathy/ca on 10/23/07 11:58am
Msg #217827

CJ, sometimes we really need to look at ourselves & see

how we might be coming across to others, even though we dont mean to be "bossy & unprofessional". We dont always see ourselves as others see us. Just a little "food for thought", which we all need to sometimes be reminded of.

Reply by Brigitte/CA on 10/23/07 12:09pm
Msg #217829

Re: Rate a Notary

There is a place to rate the NSA's on NotRot. Search in "find a notary" and then you can select the rate button and rate us individually.

Reply by CJ on 10/23/07 4:18pm
Msg #217873

Re: CJ, sometimes we really need to look at ourselves & see

Yes, the yelling really shook me up. I decided to slow down a bit after that, and be more careful. Now, with only one job a day, there is pleanty of time to take a breath and make sure I am not coming accross the wrong way. Like almost having an accident, so you drive a little more slowly. I was rushing that day, and that was wrong. I could have gotten the signing done faster if I had slowed down.

You are right.

Reply by Claudia_NJ on 10/23/07 12:27pm
Msg #217832

This is someone that I have worked with in the past - that I did not have a problem with in the past and then yesterday the floor feel out. Closing at 7:30pm - paperwork to the notary before 12pm and I get a call at 7:20 that "sorry not going to make it to the closing - I've had a crazy day and won't be back home until 11pm if I go out to do this"

Maybe it's just me but that is not how I work and I take issue with someone working like this - it was no fault of my own that she had a bad day and she took on a responsability when she accepted the job. I've been tired, and just didn't feel like going out but if I accept an assignment I accept the assignment - there are no if's and or but's about it.

Reply by Phillip/TX on 10/23/07 12:34pm
Msg #217836

I have to agree Claudia

I have had that happen, and I was the notary that was called to be sent out... so I had to have the documents sent to me, printed, checked then drive to the closing, and then gotten home much later than the original notary would have, had to do the package up and go to bed only to get up and be in the office the next day.

I would NEVER accept an assignment that I didn't know I could fulfil.... and have the documents for 7 hours before the closing and still not be there on time???? Well I hope this one was blacklisted on your list!!!

Reply by slc on 10/23/07 12:38pm
Msg #217837

Wow. I actually know a notary that sounds like she'd do that to you.
I have been in professional sales most of my career and have been trained, both corporately and through personal experience, how to follow through. This would be a huge red flag to tag by her/his name. I thought that you could rate a notary through their personal profile page. Is that not correct? Try going on that notaries profile through NR and see if you can do this. I might be wrong, because I know I haven't received any ratings, so let us know.

Reply by CJ on 10/23/07 4:23pm
Msg #217874

I love to take every job,

But I have said, "I have seven jobs before that, and the last one is at 10:30. I don't know if I will be on time at that moment, so I am afraid that if I take that job, I will drop the ball. So I will have to turn it down." On a busy day, I stock the car full of fruit and cheese sticks so that I can keep going non-stop. I know they end of the day will come eventually, and so I just keep pushing. But, of course, I have not had any of those problems since things slowed down.