Posted by Joseph Miller on 8/15/12 10:40am
Msg #430504

is it slow elsewhere out there?

I seem to be in a funk, it has been so slow this month I may need to go out and find a job, if there was one out there.

I have been getting companies to give me a closing then five minutes later to call and cancel with the excuse this has been rescheduled or postponed,

I I got last night after 9 and was told where I geave them a fee and they excepted. five minutes later they tell me its postponed due to some paperwork (which was not true).

this morning the borrower called to see where I was, I asked tehm didnt anyone call to tell you this is postponed, he tells me no its not that he had a call from a notary that was on their way to his home but of course it was not the home hes at which I knew because I asked where the closing was being done at, he is refinancing an investment property in another town, where that other notary was going.

I called the title company this morning confused, they tell me oh the other notary was originally scheduled to do this and they called back rightr after I was called, so they called me to lie and say its being rescheduled. it tuens out she was probalby charging less.

but no one ever called the borrower to inform them that someone else was coming and was not rescheduled.


I am getting tired of these companies that schedule and then cancel or cant get thir axcts together. I had a few others last week that call and cancel before I even get to call borrower,

what is going on? I need to take these signings but im not getting the loyalty I once did, they seem t ofind whooever is cheapest, any notary can stamp paper but are they really signing AGENTS?

i HAVE BEEN A CERTIFIED SIGNING AGENT 8 YEARS this is the slowest I have ever seen, this business seem to be disapearing.

what do others think am I the only one that believes this?

Joe/NC

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 8/15/12 10:43am
Msg #430505

August is tipically slow. People on vacation before back to school.

Reply by ME/NJ on 8/15/12 10:59am
Msg #430512

It's slower then July, as mentioned vacation time and getting kids ready for college (most start this weekend)

I've had one or two days no work this month. Today my daughter is sick and glad I had nothing on the books today.

This business is a roller coaster for the last couple of years.

Reply by bfnotary on 8/15/12 11:06am
Msg #430514

Last week was slamming for me, and this week just the opposite. I have signings this week, but monday and tuesday, I had absolutely nothing. Which I didn't mind so much. My 4 yr old starts preschool right after labor day. So i was enjoying spending those couple days with her, for the whole day. But I do hope I get more signings scheduled for this week , At least 4 more would be good.

Reply by supersigner on 8/15/12 12:04pm
Msg #430519

I have more work than I can handle. Maybe you are charging too much. I am getting a fair fee and
busier than ever.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 8/15/12 1:53pm
Msg #430539

So Supersigner what are you charging? $60.00 with edocs :>}

Reply by notary/OR on 8/15/12 2:01pm
Msg #430541

Not slow in Oregon :-) n/m

Reply by Kauaigirl on 8/15/12 2:13pm
Msg #430545

Re: Not slow in Oregon :-)

I'm slammed! But I live in Hawaii on the island of Kauai and most of my borrowers are vacationers.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 8/15/12 2:06pm
Msg #430543

Been slow in my area as well and even more frustrating is that many of the few calls I have gotten have been for times when I am already booked. Also had several lowballers call, which I declined.

Reply by Lynne on 8/15/12 2:58pm
Msg #430552

Busiest month I've had in 2 years. Turning jobs away left and right, so my husband just sent off for his commission so he can help. I hope it keeps up.

Reply by Frank/NC on 8/15/12 3:55pm
Msg #430568

Have you been drinking?

Reply by Joseph Miller on 8/15/12 4:06pm
Msg #430569

no frank I have been waiting for business to pick up and it eems there are many out there low balling, so its cutting down on business. I cant afford to take signings at $60-75, Im in the Charlotte area and there must either be many doing this for less or there are no closings in htis part of NC

Joe/NC

Reply by jba/fl on 8/15/12 4:22pm
Msg #430572

I know you didn't ask me, but I'm going to suggest something

anyway: Marketing opportunity.

Start with your profile here - get it spiffed up with proper punctuation, capitalizations, etc. Then check your web page for any problems, tweaking where you think improvement can be made.....look at it like your customers would be looking at it. Check your business cards - do you have enough? Still like them? All info up-to-date?

Now, go to Signing Central and start applying. If you have already done business with a company on a somewhat regular basis, call them to say hi - remember me? (not those exact words). Go down the list - from A to Z. Search here for those companies that others say are so wonderful - contact them too. After about 2-3 weeks, you should be seeing results. And you should be done with the initial thrust of this mission. This will keep you off the streets, out of trouble and away from the fact that your phone has been silent since you will be using it a lot.

This is your big opportunity to make friends and influence people. Use it.

Reply by Joseph Miller on 8/15/12 4:29pm
Msg #430573

Re: I know you didn't ask me, but I'm going to suggest something

thanks for the advice, I have called all I have done work for recently and im ususally told that there is nothing in my area and we will call when we have something. I have been in business over 8 years and have changed my profile from time to time. I dont think there is anything I could add to it.

I hope calls start happening maybe its slow due to being some are on vacation. I will start again with calls to let them know im alive.

Thanks

Joe/NC

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 8/15/12 5:07pm
Msg #430582

Joe, what you do need to do is proofread it..

Grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spacing, paragraph structure, etc etc

Same with your website - it could use a good cleanup - two pages are identical, one is empty and you have one link for bankruptcy processing that didn't work for me. And the colors do make it difficult to read.

Your website and your profile are your "best foot forward" - they should be your best.

Just some friendly suggestions...a little more attention in these areas might get you more calls.

Reply by Frank/NC on 8/15/12 8:21pm
Msg #430616

Re: I know you didn't ask me, but I'm going to suggest something

After supposedly 8 years in business and supposedly 4000 closings, you don't have steady customers as well as know how to get additional business and solicit additional business and know most everything there is about this business, there are other issues. If clients call to schedule closings and then many of them are cancelled, there are other issues. It is somewhat slower during the summer months but after the amount of time you claim to be in business as well as the number of closings you claim to have done, the low ballers should not even be calling anymore and you should be pretty well entrenched with certain customers.

Reply by sandi_CA on 8/15/12 4:48pm
Msg #430578

Re: I know you didn't ask me, but I'm going to suggest something

My phone has been silent for last few days, as well. I sure hope this is just a temporary thing. Have been having a wonderfully busy year!

Reply by Joseph Miller on 8/15/12 9:27pm
Msg #430626

Re: I know you didn't ask me, but I'm going to suggest something

I accept all the suggetions given.

I dont believe this is a place where we should bash each other or question our abilities as one previous "notary" on htis forum did.

I assure you I have 8 years in this business and know my stuff, I Have closed over 4000 closings and DO have companies that contact me on a consistent basis.

I was stating this month is slow and that I had a call to do a closing that was cancelled five minutes later due to no fault of mine, they told me that the original closer that was hired got back to them.

I just feel loyalty is not there anymore and that the company should have told them sorry we found someone else. I think my fee was higher and they decided to go with a lower offer.

I do not accept low offers and do have some standards I attest to. I am consistent with following up and making sure the borrower is given the correct information even when the company is the one making mistakes. I always look out for the borrower.

thank you for the ear and some advice.. hoper the rest of this month gets better.

Joe/NC

Reply by JanetK_CA on 8/15/12 11:07pm
Msg #430632

Re: I know you didn't ask me, but I'm going to suggest something

Joe, I agree with you about the lack of loyalty out there (although I can think of several notable exceptions, for whom I'm most grateful!) However, everyone of your posts in this thread has been full of typos or spelling, grammar and/or punctuation errors. I didn't look at your profile, but others apparently have and have noted the same problems there. This is an indicator of attention to detail - critically important in our business.

I'm not saying this to pick on you or to criticize, but to offer some hopefully constructive advice. These things matter - a lot to some - and can sometimes make the difference between them deciding to call one person vs. another. It could be that things are just slow in your area at the moment, or it could be that there is someone new in your area who is going after it and convincing some of your formerly-loyal customers to call them instead, or perhaps some combination of both.

In this, and any other business, I think it's important to never be complacent and to constantly be looking for ways to improve and grow. I, too, hope the rest of your month gets better!

Reply by Karla/OR on 8/16/12 2:46am
Msg #430641

Las week slow, this week steadily busy. n/m