Posted by Anonymous on 6/28/05 2:02pm
Msg #48514

God! When you call a Signing Co to ask if they are taking...

applications for new signing agents, and as soon as they know you re not asking for a new signing
they act so rude and they just hang up on you. I have realize that this profession is not very
reputable, or may be that we are so many already?

Thanks, I needed to vent.

Reply by Lee/AR on 6/28/05 2:20pm
Msg #48517

Might have been your timing... eom & beginning of month (funding) are BEARS for these people.

Reply by Joan-OH on 6/28/05 2:22pm
Msg #48518

Keep in mind it is the end of the month and they are running around crazy like the rest of us. I always make my calls starting around the 6th or 7th of the month. I'm sure they have people looking for work all the time...they just don't have time to deal with it at the end of the month and if they come off rude....oh well. I know when I am frazzled, I sometimes come off as rude too.

Joan-OH

Reply by Lee/AR on 6/28/05 2:30pm
Msg #48525

We're being a tag team.... (nm)

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 6/28/05 2:50pm
Msg #48532

Re: God! When you call a Signing Co to ask if they are takin

EOM my eyeball. As a customer service representative you do not hang up on or act rudely to callers just because it's busy. You are to act professional. Write down the callers e-mail on a sticky and let them know that due to EOM the caller may not get the info until later in the day. Tell them thank you for calling and have a great day. This can be done quickly without rudeness to the caller. I'm sorry but I did customer service for a long time in a very busy office and it is just plain wrong to be rude.

This is not directed at anybody, just a general statement.

Reply by Dorothy/MI on 6/28/05 3:03pm
Msg #48536

Re: God! When you call a Signing Co to ask if they are takin

Lest you forget, the NNA has flooded the market with new signing agents and they are probably being deluged with these kinds of phone calls. Then you mix in EOM and that's when things can get dicey.

Reply by CarolynCO on 6/28/05 3:31pm
Msg #48541

Re: God! When you call a Signing Co to ask if they are takin

All people interpret things differently -- the words we type, the words we speak, the tone in our voice, punctuation we use -- when we write or speak on the phone, we can't see facial expressions -- some people are way too sensitive and take everything said or written too personal. Some people are naturally gruff, but once you get back the exterior, they would never admit it, but some are quite gentle. We are all individuals and from different parts of the country and we react differently.

I don't put too much stock in a person's reaction when it comes to politeness or rudeness because of sensitivity issues. However, I do agree that you *don't* call/sign up with SSs and/or TC during the last 1-1/2 weeks of the month -- the same as I know which of my attorney clients close accounts the end of the month and which close the first of the month and don't contact them during those times.

Reply by Liz CA on 6/28/05 4:04pm
Msg #48555

Re: God! When you call a Signing Co to ask if they are takin

Just a point of view from a signing service

When I get these calls at the end of the month.... I am not rude, but I am hesitant to sign up someone who would call me at that time. We certainly don't mind using new notaries, and even helping them thru a few to get the hang of it... but I also want to work with people who are sensitive to our issues. You know? I help you... you help me type of thing. I also get calls from people trying to clear their books at the end of the month, and it is frustrating because I cant help them the way I would want to... I did a signing two weeks ago and I want to make sure I am going to be paid on time.... ay yi yi~!

Reply by Joan-OH on 6/28/05 4:38pm
Msg #48568

My Point Exactly!

It can hardly be a good marketing technique to call a potential customer asking for work or checking on payments during what any signing agent should know is the busiest time of the month for them.

I no longer work for FASS and I'll tell everyone why. In March they got some kind of new computer system in place. They called me on the last signing day of the month @ 6:15 pm to "tell me about their new system". If they didn't block their call from showing up, I wouldn't have answered it, but thought "unavailable" might have been the title company I was working for @ that very minute. This from a company I have worked for 5 or 6 times in the last 12 months and for $50 bucks too. Was I rude? Did I sound rude? Probably. Am I glad they no longer call me? I surely don't miss them. For the life of me, I can't understand why they would be making these calls at that time and expect our attention to the matter.

Do your "housekeeping", bill collecting and marketing to when your potential client is able to pay attention to you and not be irritated by the interuption.

Joan-OH

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 6/28/05 5:03pm
Msg #48574

Re: My Point Exactly!

I completely agree that we shouldn't market at EOM.

My point is simply this: In any professional office it is improper, and unprofessional for csr staff to be rude to and or hang up on callers because the office is busy.

Reply by CarolynCO on 6/28/05 6:09pm
Msg #48596

Re: And again, everyone interprets phone conversations

and board messages differently because we can't see facial expressions or body language.

Reply by AngelinaAZ on 6/28/05 7:52pm
Msg #48614

Re:Body Language and Facial Expressions of the Board

Can you read me??? Lets see...

For the signing services out there...

... if you AREN'T going to PAY us for 4-6 weeks after funding then DON'T use funding as an excuse!!!! Don't expect others to care that you are busy trying to collect your money when it takes you FOREVER to disburse it to those that spent time/energy/money to do a GREAT job for YOU!

... if you are going to pull the 'be considerate of me' then 'I'll be considerate of you' approach then HOW DARE you pay a TRIP FEE for a no sign due due to Lender Error.

... I am in business for myself. I spend money on advertising/marketing to further myself. I take jobs from companies that have not proven themselves to me knowing that some might leave me high and dry when it comes time for payment. If you are going to be a signing service... then you need to be aware that sometimes you are going to have to 'eat' a fee every once in a while in the interest of 'what is right'. I eat things when I have to and TRIP fees SS's, should be on YOUR DINNER PLATE NOT MINE!!!!

Yes I am mad. I did three jobs last month which due to SLOPPY and extremely incorrect paperwork... the borrowers didn't sign... and even went to a different lender. I was told that they pay trip fees for this even though I spent time and energy on the friggin phone for at least an hour for each one trying to save the friggin things with the lenders.

BTW... if these had been from TC's... the Trip fee would be acceptable because it would cover (barely) my time and money. But an SS trip fee DOES NOT!

Can you feel me??? Do you hear what I'm saying?

And frankly... I don't really care if this makes me look 'bad'. I do an absolutely FANTASTIC job for all my clients and if you get offended at what I am saying... then maybe you should PAY ON TIME and NOT PAY TRIP FEES!

Reply by Calnotary on 6/28/05 9:28pm
Msg #48655

Re: Re:Body Language and Facial Expressions of the Board

Angelilna, you hit the nail just right in the head! Congratulations!

Reply by The Notary Biz The Notary Biz on 6/29/05 2:25pm
Msg #48822

Re: Re:Body Language and Facial Expressions of the Board

Angelina,

Wow... it sounds like you have a lot of frustration. I hope you get it all worked out. If you were replying to my message with that... I think you added a lot of your issues into my message. I was trying to help people get what they need from a signing service, and calling at the end of the month is not the way to do it. By the way... I pay within 30 days SHARP!

Reply by AngelinaAZ on 6/30/05 2:23am
Msg #48949

Re: Frustration???

I like you Liz and if none of this applies to you... then I sincerely apologize. When you posted your message... it seemed to me that you were posting an opinion of SS's in general and my post was in a like manner... to SS's in general.

You know I've been doing this for a while but I only recently went full time and started dealing with SS's. I went at this a little backwards and got into it with a local Title company and expanded from there. A few months ago I went full time and I was SHOCKED at the 'yucky stuff' that goes on between the signing services and the notary. The lack of respect that seems to be attached to our end of the job is pitiful. I am very aware that there is a whole lot of time and money put into each and every loan package by the TC and Lender but I wish that there were more SS's out there that valued the quality time a quality notary puts in. And yes... I feel that if an SS does not have the financial backing to pay within 30 days... my personal opinion is 2 weeks max... then maybe they shouldn't be an SS. And yes... I feel that trip fees are a plain and simple 'rip off' to the notary... and that if you (any SS) expect integrity from this position... then maybe you shouldn't base the fee on whether or not the borrowers signed. We do our job not only for the Lender and the TC but for the borrowers as well... and if they didn't WANT to sign... and so THEY DIDN'T sign or feel pressure to sign... then whether the lenders and TC's like it or not... we did our job... and a great one at that and we deserve to be paid for it. If they don't want to have to pay us for the job... then they should have an in-house signing and ask the borrowers to come to them.

Now maybe you don't pay trip fees... and maybe you treat all your notaries great... you seem like a very nice woman who is concerned about the integrity of your business. My comments were addressed to SS's in general who might have your same opinion about 'be considerate to me and I'll be considerate to you'...yet they pay trip fees.. if so, then their consideration of me and the job I do is in the toilet from the get go.

I really do strongly feel this way... I had a few assignments last month that were just riddled with huge errors and the audacity of the trip fee sets me on fire. AND... they all just happened to be in the busy time of the month when I would have greatly appreciated my time not being wasted by working for free.

I am not trying to load all of this onto you. I really do see that your comments were intended to help the newbie know the ropes but my goodness... if a newbie applies during the busy time of the month... or right after it... he is thought of as inconsiderate or rude???? Seems to be a little... I don't know... out of balance.

As to my problems all being worked out... time will tell. I won't stop my fight until trip fees are completely abolished... and the minimum fee for a remote closer is $100 for regular and $125 for E-Doc. I don't even want to know what a $40 signing looks like and I shudder to think that somewhere out there... a notary is working for $3/hour to close a transaction worth hundreds of thousands of dollars with MONUMENTAL repercussions for errors. (It's not like forgetting to put the pickles on the BIG MAC). It is becoming a sad state of affairs. Maybe it always was and I just never saw it.