Posted by enotary/va on 1/19/11 8:05am
Msg #369166

text not a phone call?????

In the last 6 months or so in my area I've had a signing service send me a text. They state in the text that they have a signing in my area, it pays xx , it is xx pages, needs to be done on xxxxxx. First person to text back gets the signing.. I have not texted back because the fee is to low.... But, Every time this has happened within 1 min. I get a text saying gone try again next time... As long as we have every body that has a notary doing signings it will never change. I saw someone at fedex sending a package back and asked them if they do signings. The answer was that they do, but, they only do 1 or 2 a month just for fun. Her company pays for her to be a notary so she does a few each month for extra money.
As long as signing is a part time job thats done for the fun and extra money nothing will change. Signing for me is full time... Its all I do.......

Reply by F2F/FL on 1/19/11 8:49am
Msg #369169

So what I am getting from your listing is that this text is coming from someone who is going to our threads and looking up our profiles and getting our phone numbers. This is a little upsetting to me. Granted I could use the work but I am not paying for advertisement to get a text. If these are lagit business people they should just call.
Does anyone else feel this is an abuse of our profiles?

Reply by wisconsin on 1/19/11 8:56am
Msg #369170

Are you kidding me!!! You post your profile how is that an

abuse of your profile?? They are offering you work is that not what you are advertising for?? Granted I find the text and email jobs annoying but I have gotten a couple of good assignments from them that paid well and on time. Now if it was spam that I was getting then I would be upset and annoyed.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 1/19/11 9:07am
Msg #369172

I agree...no abuse here at all...

And if they weren't getting it here they'd be getting the info via google...IF, that is, you market your business to bring in business...I don't see how you can successfully advertise your business without a phone number, and if the one you choose to publish happens to be a cell phone, then you're going to get text messages..

I don't like them either and, since I don't subscribe to text service on my cell phone I ignore any that come in. I prefer phone calls - that way we can discuss the assignment - I don't want to be in a "lottery pool" for signings - "available"...2 minutes later "sorry, taken, better luck next time"...psh...

MHO

Reply by wisconsin on 1/19/11 9:15am
Msg #369177

Absolutly Linda, I don't like the "lottery pool" either

but I do have a Blackberry and a couple of TC's that I work for email me jobs. I prefer that over answering a call during another signing.

Reply by F2F/FL on 1/19/11 9:15am
Msg #369176

Re: Are you kidding me!!! You post your profile how is that an

Sorry, to upset you, but if you read my post again I did not say that I advertise my profile I said these people are going to our (yours and mine) and getting our phone #'s from them. I just don't agree with using a text as a very professional way of doing business.

Reply by wisconsin on 1/19/11 9:20am
Msg #369180

How can they get your info if you don't allow your profile

to be seen? And why would you not want your profile to be seen? If you don't link your post to your profile then no one can get your phone number from your post.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 1/19/11 9:23am
Msg #369181

Re: How can they get your info if you don't allow your profile

You said "someone who is going to our threads and looking up our profiles and getting our phone numbers. This is a little upsetting to me. Granted I could use the work but I am not paying for advertisement to get a text. If these are lagit business people they should just call.
Does anyone else feel this is an abuse of our profiles?"

If you don't like texts, put that in your profile - "No Text Messages Please".... but no - unless it's spam texts or telemarketing, and is strictly job-related, this is not an abuse of our profiles...it's why we list here - so hiring parties can find us, contact us and hopefully, hire us.

Reply by F2F/FL on 1/19/11 9:39am
Msg #369184

Re: How can they get your info if you don't allow your profile

Thanks for everyone's advise on this issue.

Reply by Cari on 1/19/11 2:41pm
Msg #369242

Re: Are you kidding me!!! You post your profile how is that an

totally agree...work is work and with technology comes changes to how business is conducted nowadays..

Reply by James Dawson on 1/19/11 9:03am
Msg #369171

In my area, an few notaries are over booking assignments and then pawning off the one they don't want to do. They can pass off the info to you without you even knowing and making $10 - $20 in the process. I discovered this by accident by having a borrower tell me "the other notary said they would find somebody". I now DO NOT respond to texts for notary jobs from anybody.

Reply by F2F/FL on 1/19/11 9:09am
Msg #369173

WOW that sounds like very good advice. It's too bad we have to resort to going backwords in order to move forward. I like the distortion idea.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 1/19/11 9:10am
Msg #369175

James, wonder if the companies are aware of this

little deal going on - I'm sure they'd frown on it unless previously authorized...

That explains why, lately, I'm getting generic instructions saying "Do NOT subcontract this assignment out to anyone else"...smh

Reply by James Dawson on 1/19/11 9:20am
Msg #369179

Re: James, wonder if the companies are aware of this

Morning Linda and yes, they are finding out when errors occur, absolutely. Low-ball + stupid = no signs

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 1/19/11 9:25am
Msg #369182

"Low-ball + stupid = no signs" - ROFL.. n/m

Reply by ReneeK_MI on 1/19/11 10:12am
Msg #369194

I have had clients who called me specifically because

my profiles state "*NOTE - If you select me, you GET me, I do NOT assign work to others..."

These clients told me that this was a HUGE problem - they hand-select someone based on their criteria, and someone ELSE they know nothing about ends up doing the job.

This is another reason why I post a photograph in my profiles.

Reply by DBFL on 1/19/11 1:48pm
Msg #369233

I have received texts like this a couple of times, responded once and job was taken. Second time I did not bother to respond. I have also had a couple of emails that followed the same format. Responded twice and never heard anything back. By not responding to the texts I may miss some assignments, but I do not want my business model to be based on how low I can go to get work.

As for texting, I correspond with a couple of my clients in this manner often and it works out really well for me. Easy to read quickly, answer back quickly, and continue on with what you are doing. Beats missing a call, and if it occurs during a signing, you can quickly respond while the BO is reading over a document and they do not even notice. After the signing, you can call back and work out the details.

I also do not mind someone seeing my profile and contacting me, regardless of the way they do it, for work. I have a data plan that gives me unlimited texting, so that also helps