Posted by NVLSlady/VA on 5/5/13 8:04pm
Msg #468849

Are 4-Star Companies contributing to lowball acceptance?

Viewed 4-star in SC but out of 7 comments posted for this year, 5 were negative - and mostly about Slow/60-day pay.

Could it be possible that this unacceptable "accounting" behavior be accounting at least in part for the proliferation of notaries accepting much too low (and disrespectful of their true worth) signing fees? What self-employed person can wait 60 days to be paid?!! Realistically, if such were the state of my outstanding funds, how could I refuse a $60 order (if that made the difference in getting slapped with a $40 bank charge, late fee, addtl interest on credit, etc.) that paid within less than half the time some of the so-called 4-star companies are taking to pay?

Please don't rate a company with high marks if they pay longer than 30 days! If that's "their policy" it needs to be overhauled with a more respectable one.

Reply by loancloser46 on 5/5/13 11:41pm
Msg #468862

Amen..... n/m

Reply by ToniK on 5/6/13 7:57am
Msg #468871

simple...too many notaries are operating on an employee mentality.

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 5/6/13 8:37am
Msg #468872

Employee vs. IC

The thing is people know what they Know; I had LOs essentially call me 'stupid' for working so many years for Corporate with the sales skills I possessed. But I learned that I was happier (I wasn't rollin' in the dough like some of them were) because I had a regular paycheck and Benefits!

When I bought my 1st piece of R.E. I was 25 making about the same $$ a year!! Back then, all that was necessary was a steady job (Stability), capacity and credit.

In the sales/IC world, you learn to price your goods based upon whatever the market will bear (what people are willing to pay) - not necessarily on their true worth. Of course, then there's learning to build Relationships (another topic).

The reputation/credibility of banking/mtg industry has been severely challenged. To get that Reputation back in good form, customers need to know they can Trust their agents or vendors.

That bears the question: Can an nsa working routinely at a loss -with the overhead we have for gas, supplies, and incidentals - be Trusted to work honestly, efficiently and knowledgeably?

And another: Are WE operating like true business owners in analyzing our costs and operations method sufficiently so we can be profitable, yet competitive? It make take some creativity, but we are going to have to find ways to LOWER our overhead.

No 40-50 mi service areas for me.

Reply by 101livescan on 5/6/13 8:47am
Msg #468874

Can't work for Chump Change

I think there are a lot of NSAs out there who are just so happy the phone is ringing, they don't take the time to figure out:

1) if the caller is solid with proven reputation of integrity
2) if the scope of work matches the cost of doing the work
3) if the job is like a "one night stand" and there will be no further contact, payment from the scheduler
4) if they are even going to make a profit on the assignment.

I had a call last week for a seller's package for a surgeon, short sale. Co offered $40, had to be in FEDEX same day for funding next morning. The surgeon changed the place of signing, taking me way out of my way to meet him. Then he was late, I narrowly made FEDEX drop.

I countered with $100. I got it.

That simple. DO NOT WORK FOR CHUMP CHANGE. Don't be a chump!

Reply by ananotary on 5/6/13 8:59am
Msg #468875

Re: Can't work for Chump Change

Could not agree more.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 5/6/13 1:01pm
Msg #468916

Re: Can't work for Chump Change

You had me going for a second... I couldn't imagine you having accepted that scope of work for $40!

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 5/6/13 5:39pm
Msg #468962

Can't work for Chump Change or 30-day+ payers n/m

Reply by sonja Holloway on 5/6/13 9:08am
Msg #468876

Amen, I agree. The reason they get away with lowballing and Slow paying is because too many of us notarys accept the behavior. Remember the boycott in July, 2013 of these companies that are treating us like slaves.

Reply by SharonMN on 5/6/13 3:44pm
Msg #468946

I don't believe that payment considerations should contribute to the Signing Central ratings, as long as the company PAYS AS AGREED (amount and timeliness). As an independent contractor, I negotiate my own terms. Others are free to negotiate theirs. I just want to know if the company is organized and can be trusted to do what they say.

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 5/6/13 5:54pm
Msg #468964

People treat you the way you Let them.

The beauty of being CEO - not to mention COE (Chief of Everything) - is WE get to write our own company policy manual and decide what practices we will follow.

I refuse ANY doc printing for xx.00

I tested my "overhead" theory with a closing with no printing, docs dropped to bo. Couple of notarizations. SLIGHTLY lower fee.