Posted by CarolynCO on 2/3/05 9:05pm
Msg #19372

Borrower's failure to follow simple instructions

Last Friday I got a call for a signing tonight. SS told me that in actuality it wasn't a loan signing, but was a a 3-page contract that needed notarized. No problem. Contract would be shipped to borroer. I called and left a voice message on Monday giving my name, and cell phone number. I explained that I was the notary and was told the contract was being sent to her directly for a 6:00 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 3 signing/notarization. I explained that I needed her to call and advise when the contract arrived, or if it didn't arrive, and I would not show up without her first calling. I repeated my name and my cell number again. Today was no different than any other day -- my cell phone grows out of my hip.

I was downtown all day today and waited for her call. Never got it. I did not have her phone number with me, but only the address. Not getting a call, I assumed (and we know what assumptons are) that the contract did not arrive, so when I still didn't have her call by 6:30, some friends and I ate at a downtown restaurant -- my phone still on my hip.

I just got home about 15 minutes ago and noticed that the message light on *family phone* was flashing. The call came in a little after 3:00 p.m. which was blocked as "private." Lo and behold, it is the borrower for tonight. She begins by saying "this message is for Loren and this is so and so and I have the documents." There are several things interesting about her phone call -- first of all, I NEVER gave her my home number, but gave her my cell number twice and my name "Carolyn" twice. It's obvious that she blew my message away and pulled the number and name off of her Caller I.D. I hate people that do that, but, in turn, have their identity and number blocked from appearing. Second of all, the only people who know or refer to my husband as Loren, instead of Butch, are telemarketers or bill collectors. Even our voice message states "Butch and Carolyn ..."

The moral of this story is -- If you call a borrower from your home number, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR TO RETURN THE CALL TO OUR CELL NUMBER, you had better block your home number from appearing on their Caller I.D.

Reply by CarolynCO on 2/3/05 9:06pm
Msg #19373

Re: Sorry about the typos -- I'm still steamed n/m

Reply by Terri - CA on 2/3/05 9:41pm
Msg #19376

Carolyn

This would burn me too and it has happened to me. What I've started to do is, on my second line (which is my fax line); I've got it blocked and I'll use it when I want to block the number. Another thing, (bummer that we learn the hard way) is that while it may make the message longer, perhaps we should start stating, do not call back the number on your caller ID, it's an outgoing number only? Hmm never know, maybe worth a try? Sorry about the problem.

Terri
Lancaster, CA

Reply by CarolynCO on 2/3/05 10:19pm
Msg #19377

Thanks, Terri.

I called the lady and she claims that my cell number I gave her is a fax number, and she even had to imitate the fax screech in my ear. Brenda, where's your patience when I need it! If, indeed, she did get a fax number, it is simply because she misdialed!--or she wrote down the number incorrectly. That still doesn't explain how she can pluck my home number off her Caller I.D. and not even address the message to me, but instead to my husband's formal name, which he doesn't use and most people don't even know!

Reply by CarolynCO on 2/3/05 10:23pm
Msg #19378

Re: P.S.

It just now dawned on me that my cell number is listed on our home phone voice message, too!

Reply by BrendaTX on 2/4/05 12:54am
Msg #19393

Liars don't make much for patience with me either, Carolyn.

Why'd you lie to the woman and give her your fax number?

No - I joke you!!!

The woman just did not want to admit to being wrong. I would have been steamed a bit, too. Probably a lot.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 2/3/05 11:02pm
Msg #19384

>>> The moral of this story is -- If you call a borrower from your home number, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR TO RETURN THE CALL TO OUR CELL NUMBER, you had better block your home number from appearing on their Caller I.D. <<<

I completely disagree with this approach. You are running a business from your home and use your home phone to make and validate appointments, expect to receive calls on your home phone. If you don't want people to *69 or use caller ID, then either block your outgoing call (*67 for most) or call from your cell phone. I have four different numbers that could appear on someone's caller ID. I only use two of those numbers to make calls to customers, clients and vendors. Even though I may give them my cell number to call, a lot simply return the number on the caller ID because they forgot to write down the number from the message.

The moral of the story, to me, is if you want to run your business from your home phone, expect your home phone to be used for business.

Reply by CaliNotary on 2/5/05 10:53am
Msg #19507

I think you're more wrong than the borrower in this situation. You had an appointment scheduled, she left you a message stating that she did have the paperwork, and you still didn't show up for the appointment, nor did you even bother to call her again to see if the appointment was still on.

Maybe she didn't follow your exact instructions, but since when is the borrower REQUIRED to do exactly what we tell them to do before we'll agree to grace them with our presence?

How do you know that your phone wasn't cutting out while you were leaving your message? Maybe the phone number you left sounded so garbled to her that the only way she could reach you was to use the number on her caller ID? You said in your followup post that she said she got a fax machine when she called you. So maybe she jotted your number down wrong, deleted the message, then had no other option to call your home phone. That's a simple, innocent mistake, could happen to any of us. But she did do as you requested, and you still didn't show up for the appointment.

If we accept assignments, it's our responsibility to show up for them unless we're sure it's cancelled. And I don't think the reason you missed this appointment is a remotely valid one.

Reply by Margaret/Florida on 2/5/05 3:28pm
Msg #19516

I always carry by briefcase in my car with the signing appointment information. I even print 2 confirmations. One for my briefcase and one for my home office desk. My briefcase stays in my car. So if I get a call or need to make a call to the borrower, I have the signing information real handy. I also forward all my cell calls to the home phone when I am at home and forward my home phone calls to my cell phone. Just incase someone calls the house and not my cell phone.

Reply by CarolynCO on 2/6/05 10:17am
Msg #19554

Re: Thanks for everyone's view and opinions

I was aware from the confirmation that docs were not date-sensitive, refi or even real estate related. Notarization occurred on Saturday -- done, finished and everyone is happy.