Posted by cdoty_IL on 3/14/09 10:19am
Msg #280702

Cancellations and Turned Away appts.......

I have noticed quite a bit of cancellations lately......and unfortunately, I have had 2 this week and also turned down two jobs because of these appts...that eventually did not happen.

My question is, do any of you double book knowing this is a possiblity? If so, what do you do when you have two 4 PM appts? I always try to see if they could sign at another time to try to work the new request in, but if they are not flexible, do you take it anyway?

I have also thought about charging a cancellation fee but to be honest...I do not want to burn bridges with a company that sends me business regularly or to be honest...not sure they would get paid anyway.

Just curious what everyone else is doing in this situation. :-)

Reply by MW/VA on 3/14/09 10:34am
Msg #280705

I ran into the same thing this past week. Several last minute cancellations & one that turned into a no-sign. Drs. & professional offices can get away with charging for cancelled appts., but I don't see it in this business.

Reply by cdoty_IL on 3/14/09 10:40am
Msg #280708

I agree...

I am not really going to implement that as I stated before due to risk of loosing future business, however...I am more interested in knowing how many double book appts?

I am more concerned about turning appts down....and later finding out that I could have taken them.

Reply by Lee/AR on 3/14/09 11:18am
Msg #280711

More often than not, I find that the scheduled time is NOT the best time or that a B is very flexible on time, so during the confirmation call, I simply ask just how flexible they are (due to late docs, ya' know ). Having that info may give you room to juggle.

Reply by MistarellaFL on 3/14/09 11:45am
Msg #280715

Personally, I do not double-book.
Most of my work is direct, and many of the clients I have already have the appointment booked with the buyer/brw, and the time is set to their needs.
Back in the day, yes I could dbl book as at that time the signing agencies were setting the
appointments, and it was true that many B's were flexible with their appt. times.
Just my experience here in la-la land.

Reply by PAW on 3/14/09 12:10pm
Msg #280718

I don't double book. But I do ask if there is some leniency in the scheduled time. If not, then I won't accept it.

As for charging for cancellations, I certainly do. It is stated upfront in my fees and my acknowledgment of confirmation which must be acknowledged by the hiring agency.

Being upfront and business-like is not burning bridges. It's a matter of doing business as a professional. If you don't value your own time, then no one else will either.

Reply by Frank/NC on 3/14/09 1:36pm
Msg #280740

Double booking IMO is really not the way to go. I ask for flexibility in scheduling and if there is, then I accept the job. It also depends on traveling distance to the jobs. I have found that charging for cancellations is rather difficult with most customers, at least in this end of the state. Never the less, for whatever reason, within the last 2 weeks I have had 4-5 cancellations which is more than I have had within the last couple of months combined.

Reply by cdoty_IL on 3/16/09 8:37am
Msg #280857

Acknowledgement

I agree with charging the fee...I am curious if you have success collecting on this when the appt fails to go? and this acknowledgment you refer to, do you have them sign this?? or just sent as a reply in an email?

Reply by CopperheadVA on 3/14/09 12:46pm
Msg #280722

I don't double-book - too stressful for me. However, I did post a few days ago about late docs causing me to have to turn two appointments back to the hiring entity since I was not able to accommodate their signings 2 - 3 hours later due to other appointments.

It's extremely inconvenient for the notary to have to continually readjust their schedule, or miss out on other appointments they could have taken had they not already been booked for the appointment that turns out to cancel or have late docs. But what about the borrowers? They are getting jerked around, too. They may have come home early from work to sign their docs or made special arrangements to be there, only to be told docs aren't ready yet. I don't know what the answer is - very frustrating, though!

Reply by Underwood69 on 3/14/09 2:55pm
Msg #280752

Here's one for you. A couple Saturday night's ago, I received a call about 8:30 PM (while snoozing in my jammies) to see if I could go complete a signing in half an hour 9 PM. Said sure and they offered $150 since signing was to happened originally at 4 PM. The original assigned notary beg off which I think the signing kept getting pushed later. Got dressed and guess what? Borrower told them to shove it. Didn't blame them one bit.

Reply by LKT/CA on 3/14/09 3:06pm
Msg #280756

<<<The original assigned notary beg off...>>>

Huh?

<<< Borrower told them to shove it. >>>

Them who?

Reply by Underwood69 on 3/14/09 3:13pm
Msg #280757

Original notary begged (my prior spelling) off or in plain English said they weren't doing the signing!!

Them is the title company. Title company contacted me to say the signing was cancelled.

Reply by LKT/CA on 3/14/09 4:13pm
Msg #280761

Thanks.....I've heard of "reneged".........never heard of "begged off".....guess I learn something new every day ;-)

Reply by CopperheadVA on 3/14/09 4:19pm
Msg #280762

Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about! These lenders seem to think that borrowers (and notaries!) will be happy to bump their closing to 9 PM, 10 PM, 11 PM, or whatever, if docs are late. I know that some notaries are willing to work at those hours - I am not (except on rare occasion for a good client) and I certainly would not close my own loan at that hour.

Reply by MW/VA on 3/14/09 3:30pm
Msg #280758

I'm with you on that, Linda. If the tc or ss scheduled a time, and then kept up their end of it, but they don't. I love a few of my clients that work around my schedule, but that's rare.
I'm in total agreement that this industry doesn't respect the schedule of the borrower or notary. It's been discussed before that there is absolutely no good reason for docs to be prepared at the 11th hour.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 3/14/09 10:13pm
Msg #280795

I don't think you can put the blame on the tc or ss - at least not most of the time. Seems to me that if we have to point a finger, it's with LOs who are in a rush to close a deal and are trying to push the docs through the system. However, I just think that we are now seeing a situation where business is up, but all parties involved in the process have pared down staff and are trying to stay working lean. Sometimes they're just unrealistic in their expectations.

Like others, when I confirm I try to find out how flexible the borrowers are. Also, it depends on the client. Some we just know they will come through with the documents and you can be pretty sure it's going to be a go. Others may have a less than stellar track record. Sometimes turning down the appointment is just the right thing to do. Other times, you might have a good idea that you will be able to work it out.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 3/14/09 4:13pm
Msg #280760

I never double-book. Period. n/m

Reply by Yowheelz on 3/14/09 4:46pm
Msg #280766

I always double book but then...

I have a husband to pick up the slack if necessary. I have, in 14 years, lost one company because I delayed the signing by 30 minutes. If they are that strict I don't need them. I personally think we should be given a window of time and allowed to schedule our own appointments within that window.

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 3/14/09 9:36pm
Msg #280790

Re: I always double book but then...

I do not double book..The scheduled time by the bo is for their convenience not mine. I do not like be stressed out about my next appointment. I can give my undevided attention at the signing at hand without worrying about the next appointment. My area is rural and its not that easy to get from point a to b. I always allow a couple of hours in between, unless of course they are close by which mostly never happens.

Reply by ChristineHI on 3/14/09 11:27pm
Msg #280804

I never double book..no way. Too risky in my opinion. I have been tempted because I know in most cases borrowers are flexible and some signing companies say they need to find another notary if I won't agree to that time instead of letting me try with the borrowers. I try and get them to let me contact the borrowers to inquire about flexibility so this way I am upfront with them. Sometimes I lose a signing because they won't do this, but double booking, at least right now, feels to risky to me. I hate losing those too, but I am afraid of affecting my reputation of being upfront and honest with these companies.

I have been getting a lot of cancellations also. They get the borrower all set to go thinking docs are coming we set the appointment etc etc, then something goes wrong...docs not ready..borrower going back to mainland, borrower already on the mainland..:-)....borrower not happy with terms....this week has had an influx of these. :-(.
As a loan processor myself it is weird for me because by the time you draw docs the borrower knows the terms..or should. :-)

I hope this week is better. I would rather not get a call then have one, get excited to get an appointment and then...wham...money gone..well, I know I didn't have the money yet, but it feels like I just lost money. I am glad I am not alone in this. :-)
Let's hope for a better week this week!!

Also, I would love to charge a cancellation fee, but nobody would ever pay that. It would just annoy them and then we would both be annoyed. :-) Better to just move on and hope for better luck next time. Not a lot you can do about it in our position.
Trust me, my husband has to listen to me moan about the cancellations, so it does annoy me, but as he says, move on for gosh sakes..:-)

Reply by NCLisa on 3/15/09 2:04am
Msg #280810

I double book with certain companies because I know I will never get the docs in time to be on time to the closing. When I make my confirmation calls I let them know that they need to be flexible with their schedule because there is always a chance that docs will be late. I also ask if docs are late, what time will work for them, and make a note of it.

The great thing about my double booking is that if I actually do get all the docs on time (which rarely happens) my business partner can take the closing.

Reply by cdoty_IL on 3/16/09 8:35am
Msg #280856

Thanks..

to everyone who replied. I think for the time being I will not double book because, like someone said above, I am in a rural area also and drive time is a huge part of my day. I will continue to see if the time is flexible and try to work them around each other, but with appts that are 2 hours apart..most times that does not work out.

As far as the cancellation fee....PAW stated above that he does charge this and as long as it is known ahead is not "burning bridges". So I wll give this some thought.....but might wait it out for a while to see if this "cancellation trend" is going to continue.

Thanks again!

Reply by Jessc098 on 3/16/09 10:51am
Msg #280865

I charge cancellation fees for same day cancellations and I NEVER double-book. (I think knowing I couldn't serve one client if the appointments went as scheduled would be unethical).

Here's how I charge cancellation fees--(Also, I explain this up-front to my clients).

I itemize everything.
Printing expenses at .25/page
Travel expenses at mileage + time
1 hour of prep time

Usually this works out to be about $35-$40. I've only had one cancellation ever on a loan. The rest are usually mod applications. (I get LOTS of cancellations on these). One of my mod clients gives me so much regular work that I charge a flat fee for cancellations and offer to apply it to my invoice if they are able to reschedule the client (never happens, but it keeps up good relationships).

Jessica