Posted by KG/NY on 9/18/04 9:58pm
Msg #8330

eDocs vs. FedEx/UPS

Yes, the newest newbie has yet another question:

I've been reading some challenging situations regarding last minute edocs. I am ready to purchase an HP 3015 (after much research) to accept edocs. It appears that some ss procrastinate and figure since they are emailing the docs they can send them up to the last minute. Do the SA's that accept edocs find it beneficial in making you more marketable to the ss companies? Do the ss tend to use the edoc signers over the non-edocs signers?

The overnight shipment of documents to the signer or client seems to be less stressful and more timely. I'm sure some have had horror stories with that also. I'm just looking for some insight on the benfits of edocs vs. overnights. Hey Hugh, I'm drawing a "blank" on this one...can someone please help! Thanks a bunch : ) kg

Reply by HisHughness on 9/18/04 10:47pm
Msg #8331

Yes, your marketability is substantially enhanced if you can accept e-docs. That is only going to become more true. I hate e-docs and for a year and a half refused to accept them. Two months ago I sprung for a high-speed printer (which is now in the shop) so I could handle e-docs.

The secret to the relatively stress-free acceptance of e-docs was passed on to me by Paul Williamson. Simply set a drop-dead deadline -- mine is four hours in advance of signing -- after which you will not accept e-docs.

Reply by Brenda J Khan on 9/18/04 11:22pm
Msg #8337

Hugh when you state to the SS or lender that you will refuse to accept e-docs less than 4 hours prior to the set signing appointment, Do they accept that term? Or do you lose a lot of assignments that way? I ask because I have a lot of last minute edocs and would like to set a cut off time as well, but at the same time do not want to cut off my steady calls for signings. Your advise would be greatly appreciated. BK-FL

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/18/04 11:34pm
Msg #8340

And to piggyback on Brenda's question, how often do they violate the terms if they do accept them?

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/19/04 12:02am
Msg #8343

Cali - As you likely suspect, my experience is that they do as they darn well please and agree to everything.

However, what I get from making a "firm" deadline is that the good ones get them to me in a reasonable time frame.

The bad ones know that they probably ought to get a back up notary, or two--or perhaps I am the back up notary anyhow. They will not tell me about this, of course, but I know for certain that's the game.

When I call to press them for the docs ahead of the deadline I have set, they usually tell me the appointment is delayed and they'll call me next week when the paperwork is ready (yeah right) which suits me just fine. Otherwise they'll delay everything in my schedule. After I've got their "number", I give them the same priority on my assignment schedule as they do me.

I'll take them if I have nothing else for them to interfere with because they always come the morning of. If I have anything else on my schedule that day, I will not accept the assignment.

Reply by CarolynCO on 9/20/04 8:52am
Msg #8422

BrendaTX said "As you likely suspect, my experience is that they do as they darn well please and agree to everything."

You hit the nail right on the head. My minimum deadline is 3 hours. However, I'm thinking of revamping that somewhat - if it goes to 2 hours, then I'm adding a $25 surcharge and will accept nothing less than the 2 hours -- and like you, they had better have a backup or backups in place.

Reply by CarolynCO on 9/20/04 3:32pm
Msg #8454

I decided to make my surcharge $20 instead of $25.

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/20/04 3:48pm
Msg #8455

Re: eDocs vs. FedEx/UPS...Back ups

I did an Ameriquest signing for a signing service that was supposed to happen early in the morning. It did not happen until after 6:00 pm.

When I got there, I was told that the "other notary" had called to set the appointment up for the next morning. That's when I knew for sure about the "other notary." Now, this is a service I do not put high on my priority list of signing services.

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/20/04 6:16pm
Msg #8461

Re: eDocs vs. FedEx/UPS...Back ups

I got a call today around noon from a SS to see if I was available for a 4:30 signing, email docs from Ameriquest. I accepted it, he said that the docs should be ready to email already. Of course, by the time I got home at 3:15 there were no docs. Called Ameriquest, couldn't get a hold of the guy. Called again at 3:30, got him on the phone. He said that they still didn't have the payoff statement and that he would check into it and call me back. I told him that I had several appointments tonight and had zero flexibility. I then called the signing service to tell them that I couldn't do the appointment, they understood and were shocked that I didn't already have the docs.

He called back about 15 minutes later and said he could have them to me in about 30 minutes (4:15 for my 4:30 appointment). I told him that I was not going to be late for all of my other appointments because of them and that they would have to find another notary to do the signing if they wanted it done tonight. And now I have a bit of a break before my 6:00 appointment which is nice.

I think this is the first time I've actually gotten to do that and it felt GOOD. I am notary, hear me roar!

Reply by HisHughness on 9/19/04 12:22am
Msg #8348

Nobody yet has turned me down. Nobody has violated the deadline. However, we're talking about a grand total of four packages, I think.

Reply by HisHughness on 9/19/04 12:19am
Msg #8347

I don't get many e-docs. For a year and half, with every signing service and title company I signed up with, I was quite explicit that I wouldn't accept them. Consequently, since I haven't gone back and updated most of those database applications, most companies that would want me for e-docs are filtered out before they get to me.

If you think you can handle a two-hour deadline, that's what it should be. I cover a really big area, though, and if I have to come back to pick up e-docs, sometimes two hours is not enough for the drive plus making a second copy. Not to mention if there is some sort of problem, such as a paper jam that prevented the whole packet from printing. Four hours is reasonable; no title company should be putting together the title package that close to closing, with transmittal of the documents still to be accomplished.

Reply by CarolynCO on 9/20/04 8:46am
Msg #8420

HisHughness said "Two months ago I sprung for a high-speed printer (which is now in the shop)"

All that speed just wore it out, huh?

Reply by lynnboop on 9/18/04 11:01pm
Msg #8334

Hey newbie, I too am a newbie and have been trying to stay away from edocs for many reasons. First i am also researching the printers so that I can make a good choice and find that the HP 3015 is one of my choices. Secondly I am not looking forward to recieving the docs with little or no time to review. However from what I have read this is an asset for a SA to take edocs and I am sure once we do a few we will feel more comfortable with it. I am curious as to what the experts have ot say about this topic.
Where in NY are you in I too am in NY Hudson Valley.

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/18/04 11:18pm
Msg #8336

I wouldn't worry about not having time to review the docs. After a you have a few signings under your belt you should be able to go out and do the signing with ease, even if that's the first time you're seeing the docs. I never review the docs before I go out to a signing, it's the title companies job to get the package correct, not mine.

I get paid to do a specific job and I do it well, but I'm not going to burden myself with the responsibilities of somebody else's job. And the few times something like this did happen, they had no problem paying me for a second trip, nobody ever has implied that it's something that I should have fixed before the signing.

If they don't give you enough time to do anything but print the docs and run out the door, let them pay you to go out a second time if they screw up and forget to include something in the docs.

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/18/04 11:38pm
Msg #8342

Lynn Booped: "Hey newbie, I too am a newbie and have been trying to stay away from edocs for many reasons. First i am also researching the printers so that I can make a good choice and find that the HP 3015 is one of my choices. Secondly I am not looking forward to recieving the docs with little or no time to review. However from what I have read this is an asset for a SA to take edocs and I am sure once we do a few we will feel more comfortable with it. I am curious as to what the experts have ot say about this topic.
Where in NY are you in I too am in NY Hudson Valley."

KG & Lynn -
You are wise to avoid eDocs for the short-term, if you can. Until you get a little more comfortable with the docs, it's good to avoid the stress of last minute edocs. But, I assure you that it won't be long before it won't concern you to get them without a whole lot of time to look them over.

But, I, like Hugh and Paul, set a firm deadline on how soon before the appointment that I require them to be to me. My deadline is 2 hours before I have to leave for the appointment.

I hate all those "blanks" you know, so I need a little time to get that information together for the docs before I go to the signing.

I have the HP 3015 and it is a good printer. No complaints. I have purchased a case of toner refills from www.tonerkits.com (thanks to Sylvia_FL) and a couple of extra HP toner cartridges, one of which I have been refilling to keep on the shelf, and one I keep in the box/new so I will not be SOL if a cartridge goes bad on me during an eDoc printing. When one of the ones I am refilling dies, I'll get another new one and put the extra one I have now into the rotation.

You can refill the toner cartridge for about $8 which beats the heck out of purchasing one new or recycled at $50+.

I do not love eDocs, but do not mind them either. They are not the problem. It's the handful of lenders who drag their feet after allowing a signing appointment to be set on a timetable they cannot meet.

If you plan to be in it for the long-term you are going to need to market yourself with eDoc capability.

Reply by KG/NY on 9/19/04 8:23am
Msg #8352

Good Morning everyone,

Hugh & CaliNotary, I totally agree with the deadline suggestions. I will implement a 2-4 hour deadline!! I'm starting all of my "first" ss sign ups this week! I'll let everyone know how it goes. My goal is to do this full time, but I am starting off with weeknight and weekend availability....

Also, I agree with CaliNotary that the docs should only take a few minutes to organize, place a "sign here" sticky and Check the HUD and a few other docs. After 16 years in the banking biz I'm very comfortable and familiar with the docs. It should be up to the lender to do the Quality control on the docs not us! : )

Brenda, thanks for the printer supply info. I'm purchasing my HP 3015 today!!!! I am located in the Rochester NY area. You know the place that gets Ice Storms and the weather stays at 20 degrees most of the winter. When it hits 35 it feel like spring!! : ) KG (Kimberley)

Reply by Maria_NJ on 9/19/04 8:54am
Msg #8353

Thanks for the suggestions. I too am a newbie. My first call I received was in the middle of the afternoon to do a signing a few hours later. Although, the documents were 3 pages, it seemed like a long time before the docs were E-mailed. Plus, to make matters worse, there was a mix-up with who was to actually sign the documents ie. the husband or wife. Needless to say, I did not proceed with the signing due to lack of communication between the SA and the title company.

I just got a Dell 1700L printer. So far so good : )

Reply by CarolynCO on 9/20/04 9:01am
Msg #8423

KG/NY said "should only take a few minutes to organize, place a "sign here" sticky"

From my own experience, make certain that you remove the sticky BEFORE having them sign -- people will sign part of their signature directly on top of them.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 9/19/04 11:18am
Msg #8366

Re: eDocs vs. FedEx/UPS Brenda

Brenda
The extra HP cartridges you bought - did you buy them filled or empty??
www.tonerrefillkits.com has the empty cartridges for your printer for $39.95
Their prices on the refills are a lot higher than www.tonerkits.com, so I don't buy my toner from them, but do buy empty cartridges from them.

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/19/04 6:07pm
Msg #8385

Re: eDocs vs. FedEx/UPS Brenda

Hi Sylvia, thanks for the tip! Let me clarify--

I have never bought a cartridge for this printer empty or recharged.

I have purchased two cartridges both new HP's so I'd *know* they were new.

The printer came with a cartridge - I refill it, plus one of the ones above.

I keep a new HP toner cartridge on the shelf unopened, so I know it will be there, just in case.

I keep one refilled that I have filled myself.

My volume is not to a point where I need to refill in bulk, but one can only hope!

Reply by sue on 9/19/04 7:14pm
Msg #8391

the majority of my work is e-docs. if I gave my companies a deadline I'd be out of business. some won't send them until the HUD is approved. some don't have them from the lender until the last minute. other times, they just don't get around to sending them asap. if you're new and uncomfortable with the actual documents and want to review them ahead of time, I'd go with the others suggestions and only do overnight for a while.

the keys to e-doc success are flexibility in your schedule and high speed - download & printing. I see the HP 1300 mentioned all the time. I just bought one on Thursday because my cat jammed my 4100 and broke off a sensor that had to be ordered. the 1300 is considerably slower than the 4100 and drove me nuts. with my regular printer, I can download and print ~100 page packages in less than 10 minutes - and I don't copy the borrower package, I print that it too. all that said, if a package is really late, I move that appt. time with the borrowers so I don't keep others, whose lenders have everything ready, waiting

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 9/20/04 12:16am
Msg #8414

Yesterday when I was teaching a class for students to pass the Calif. Notary Exam I told the class members ,who came back from lunch early, that the change to an edocs. loan signings industry has been so fast and complete in the last year that it is hard to remember what the Industry was 3 years ago.

Here is what the industry was 3 years ago. 1. Door bell rang; 2. dogs barked: 3. went to frontdoor; 4. picked up loan doc package from FEDEX etc: 5. opened package and put Lenders copy and borrower's copy in my briefcase; 6. placed the addressed return envelope on my desk to ship back the completed "loan signing docs." 7. Get to borrower's home & complete signing. 8. fax back tracking number. 9. return docs. to title etc. via FEDEX. etc.

10. Make sure I get paid!! NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN 3 YEARS ON THIS POINT.

Let's move to Sept. 2004 1. Haven't seen FEDEX etc. in approx. 3 weeks 2. dogs still bark but losing interest and are starting to watch/ or listen to too much T.V. 3. THE REST OF THIS EVERYONE GETS: EDOCS ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART AND THEY DO COME LATE!!

I might be "clueless" on my next comment: I think the industry IS getting better sending edocs to the notary on a more timely basis than 2 years ago.

I would appreciate all comments as I might just be working for companies that are doing a better job of timely emailed docs and/ or I could be "clueless??