Posted by JandB on 7/8/11 11:14am
Msg #389046
Don't shoot the messenger
I spoke to a Service Link scheduler last night and really felt sorry for her. I think we need to remember the schedulers are not at fault here. They are employees doing the bidding of their employer. We should absolutely refuse the reduction in our fees but we should take it up with Vendor Management...not the powerless clerk.
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Reply by NJDiva on 7/8/11 11:15am
Msg #389047
AMEN! n/m
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Reply by NJDiva on 7/8/11 11:28am
Msg #389051
How many times have we been "shot"...
as the messenger. Ugh. That's why when they called me I politely just said, "Thank you for calling, but does Service Link know how incredibly wrong that is that they're doing that to us; it is so wrong what they're doing to us and this industry."
I said it in a very calm, nice voice and the woman was sympathetic, she absolutely understood, especially when I started naming off our expenses: "price of gas, toner, paper, office supplies (rubber bands, clips, paper clips, pens staplers, staples etc.), marketing (which for me is hundreds of $'s!), insurance, TAXES, etc. etc." (35% right off the top-I don't remember, is that for Federal only? Because if so, there would be the State tax as well),
She felt really bad. It was obvious I was "Preaching to the choir."
When I hung up with her, not only did I hang up feeling good that I was able to get it off my chest...lol...but was happy I didn't negatively affect her as I get affected when bo's, among others, use me as their punching bag.
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Reply by MW/VA on 7/8/11 11:24am
Msg #389050
Excellent post! Taking the complaints to vendor
management is the only way to handle it. They might eventually get the message.
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Reply by Frank/NC on 7/8/11 11:47am
Msg #389059
Re: Excellent post! Taking the complaints to vendor
Service Link is taking advantage of all the notaries, ( and there a lot of them) who work for nothing. We have a lot of people where I am who work for minimum wage. When they decide to become a notary and then do the loan signings, its like they never had it so good in their life. Service Link and the other low ball companies just take advantage of the situation. Has anyone here taken notice that when we get an assignment from SS or TC that they now are almost spelling out which docs get signed, those that don't and a bunch of other information that we didn't get before. As far a I'm concerned, the people who want to work for nothing or almost nothing can keep taking their $40 and 50 dollar assignments.
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Reply by BrendaTx on 7/8/11 11:31am
Msg #389052
Right!!! What a terrible position to fill...
a hard place to be in.
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Reply by John Elliott, CPa on 7/8/11 11:39am
Msg #389056
Re: Right!!! What a terrible position to fill...
I would not want to be in the scheduler's seat when she makes these calls. In fact, shame on mgt for making the scheduler the sacrificial lamb. How many of those calls will she make before she tells her boss, "I quit". We absolutely should let the scheduler know that we are insulted by the call and ask them to pass it on to mgt. If enough schedulers balk at asking us to accept these rediculous fees, maybe mgt will reconsider.
IT'S UP TO US TO SAY NO TO THE SCHEDULER IN NO "UNCERTAIN" TERM. STICK TOGETHER PEOPLE OR WE'RE FINISHED.
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Reply by garland/CA on 7/8/11 11:40am
Msg #389057
No shooting, just explaining
There is no reason for shooting no matter who it is. As independent contractors, we know what we will offer our service for. If there is no agreement, then we no longer have a business relationship.
Surely the people being asked to make these calls have very little understanding or experience in this business. Most of what they hear regarding our expenses has never even entered their mind. And they have very little authority to work with us on fees. Still, it is helpful to explain why you cannot accept that fee. At some point the messages will get back to the parties making the decisions in the first place.
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Reply by John Elliott, CPa on 7/8/11 11:41am
Msg #389058
Re: No shooting, just explaining
I agree. Well put
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Reply by jnew on 7/8/11 12:22pm
Msg #389064
Re: No shooting, just explaining
My take on this is that there is pressure to lower fees at every level. This pressure has to be hurting the signing companies as well. One of the factors is in a down market you have over production, there are too many producers of services for the market to absorb. The active producers of signing services are going to have to lower their prices for the lender and/or title company to compete. I think that if you work for a signing company you will be lucky to get half of the fee you received before the downturn. The best place to be in this business now is to work directly for a title company without going through a signing service. The excess number of notaries will result in the signing service being done for those who will accept any fee in order to get the work. If most of the orders go through signing services, it will be extremely difficult for a notary to do this full time and make a profit.
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Reply by JandB on 7/8/11 12:28pm
Msg #389067
Re: No shooting, just explaining
Service Link describes itself as a "Lender Platform." Are they a signing service? I don't think they are a title company. Does anybody know?
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Reply by Patricia/VT on 7/8/11 12:56pm
Msg #389074
Re: No shooting, just explaining
ServiceLink is a title company that performs various functions, including, for some lenders, acting as a signing service.
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Reply by JandB on 7/8/11 12:27pm
Msg #389066
Re: No shooting, just explaining
What I am hearing from all of your replys is that it is OK to politely express your concerns to the scheduler thinking it will eventually filter up to management. I'm saying it is not only a waste of your time and hers, it is putting your well spoken thoughts in the wrong ears. Take your message to Vendor Management. When the scheduler calls, say no thanks but I will be happy to go for $XXX and leave it that. Call Vendor Management.
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Reply by pan/nd on 7/8/11 12:39pm
Msg #389069
Re: No shooting, just explaining
Make you a bet...Vendor Management will be conveniently unavailable
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Reply by NJDiva on 7/8/11 12:40pm
Msg #389070
"Take your message to Vendor Management."
I picked up your message. It is great advice! Something that wouldn't occur to me. I was just saying what my experience was when I had received their call saying they were looking to widen their data base.
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Reply by AngelTX on 7/8/11 12:53pm
Msg #389073
Re: "Take your message to Vendor Management."
this is what they told me when i asked them why the lowered the price so much : We have many notaries doing closings for this fee so they have set the bar for everyone. and This fee is for witness only closing for refi’s. We are not paying anything more for these types of closings. this is what the lowballers have done to us, and in doing so have cut all our throats!
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Reply by AngelTX on 7/8/11 12:58pm
Msg #389075
Re: "Take your message to Vendor Management."
well i have too much knowledge to bust my ass for that and the expenses and wear and tear on my car, and then they want me to speak spanish too for that fee, i will supplment my income some other way, service link is a title company and believe me they charge more than that. I can admit before i found this forum for one month i worked for nations at the 30 a pop midifications, but i learned fast it was not worth it, i was able to buy a car for 850 on craigs list that i used from february through august or september of that year so i got to get another better car which i just paid off and has 190k miles on it now but it is mine. I feel they are going to be their own self destruction the lowballers and title companies because no one wants jacked up paperwork, on something that is as important as these are someones home and their biggest investment of their life for some.
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Reply by BrendaTx on 7/8/11 3:56pm
Msg #389106
Angel - I really, really like you. n/m
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Reply by Moneyman/TX on 7/8/11 6:54pm
Msg #389126
I'll second that! :-) n/m
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Reply by AngelTX on 7/8/11 11:01pm
Msg #389136
Re: I'll second that! :-)
thanks Brenda and moneyman, at least i can take refuge in my work
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Reply by JandB on 7/8/11 1:01pm
Msg #389076
Re: "Take your message to Vendor Management."
Thanks, Diva
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Reply by NJDiva on 7/8/11 1:18pm
Msg #389082
:)
 I got you! 
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Reply by garland/CA on 7/8/11 1:25pm
Msg #389085
I understand your point also
Let us know how it works out.
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Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/8/11 11:10pm
Msg #389138
Re: No shooting, just explaining
I think you are right on point. Anyone ever play "telephone" when you were a kid?
I've often heard it said that you can't connect with someone through someone else. Something will always get lost in the translation. Plus, you're depending on someone who probably hates having to make these calls, but wants to keep their job, to go and confront their boss! Ain't gonna happen - so take it to them yourselves. Besides, it's not really fair to put the callers in that position, since they aren't the ones who made the decision and have no authority to do anything about it.
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Reply by CF on 7/9/11 7:53am
Msg #389144
I still think they get a commission off the low ball offers. n/m
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Reply by Roxtar/CA on 7/12/11 3:08pm
Msg #389492
I agree. I just got the call and new what it was before she spoke. I told her that I know it is not her fault and I am not upset with her but if she could relay to her bosses that they are already on the low end of the pay scale and ask for a lot more like fax backs. With what they are offering they will get notaries that will make a lot of errors etc. because no self respecting NSA will take near that fee. I have calculated my print costs and with my newer printer etc I spend a little less than 10 to print but that means they do not value our time that is needed to print two sets. We are supposed to donate the print time and the fax back time for no extra pay on top of the ridiculous new base fee. They asked me what counties I would cover for the new fees and I said "none". I told them if they are in a pinch and can pay a fair fee I would love to help them but after expenses, what they are offering is burger flipping money.
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