Posted by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/15/05 10:14am
Msg #70675

Perspective of a Signing Agency - Part 2

Hello everyone. THIS IS A LONG ONE AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. Some of you may remember my post a few months back. I truly realize and sympathize with the frustrations that many of you have with SS's. I do my best to set myself apart from the other SS's by paying promptly and recognizing that the service that the SA provides is an intricate and probably the most inportant part of a loan closing. I understand that there are many situations that occur in this industry that are a lot of the time out of our control (i.e. late docs, late HUDS, miscommunication, etc.etc...). In a perfect world, these things would not occur. In saying that, I would like to share an experience that I had last night so that you can see how frustrating it can be on my end as well. I had a SA scheduled to close a loan at 5pm. At 6pm, I receive a call from my client stating that the SA was just now printing the docs and was extremely rude to him on th phone ( she was also really turse with my scheduler). SOOOOO...I call the SA and ask her how things were going and let her know what my clients said. All the while, I was being extremely polite and basically telling her I was not taking sides and that I just needed to know that the closing was going to happen ASAP. I also told her that this occurence would not tarnish my future business dealing with her...UNTIL I Got off the phone and a few moments later, my client calls and asks me to give the SA his cell number so she can let him know when the loan closes. I call the SA back and she proceeds to tell me that she cannot believe that they are placing the blame on her...she said she was chasing docs all day (mind you per the TC and my scheduler who this SA was in contact with said she had docs at 4:15 and decided NOT to print them until the HUD was sent at 4:45 - I agree it should have been sooner but in this industry this sometimes does happen) and this was "BULLS**T". So she takes it upon herself to tell me that she would be contacting my client now and give him a piece of her mind...I practically begged her not to and just follow through with the job and sever ties afterwards but after using various should I say "unprofessional" words (profanity), she hung up on me. SORRY THIS IS SO LONG>>>>>>About 10 minutes later, I receive a VM from the SA saying that I needed to find another notary and to take her out of our database. She dropped the closing that she was already 2 hours late to. I emailed her later on and stated that I thought it was truly unprofessional to not follow through with her obligation (now mind you, I was not at all mean..just merely explaining that the borrowers needs need to come first and she should have put her feelings aside for the time being and closed te loan and dealt with the issues at hand afterwards. AND this is what I got back.

"Dear Ms. Sherry,
The only thing I was guilty of was annoying the Title Company by following up on the arrival of the edocs.
In this profession, promptness is paramount! I find it most annoying that fly-by-night companies such as yours and (CLIENT- I removed name) have the audacity to point fingers at the last but most important link the effectuating of a closed loan. I waited for those docs for 5 hours and have the emails to back that up. I kept getting the response "I'm waiting on HUD approval, all the way up to 5:17. And then, both you and XXXX want to throw me under the bus by sending me to a borrower that had already lost her patience with the two of you? Talk about unprofessional!
I served the taxpayers of Pasco County and Citrus County Property Appraiser in a supervisory position for 12 years. Additionally, I'm a Multi-Million Dollar producing Realtor. I do loan signings for the future real estate connections. I have top-notch title companies that have the same expectations I do. We
work hard TOGETHER to attain a successful close.
But know this! I will be contacting the owner of Hometown Title to file a complaint. Additionally, in my sphere of influence amongst Realtor, I will readily steer potential clients from (CLIENT - removed name).

It's not about whether you would have utilized my services again. My services will not be offered!
Neither will the 8 notaries that work for me! I think you should be questioning the integrity of the companies you represent."



Moral of the story------THE GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Needless to say...the loan did not close and I wont' be using this SA again.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 10/15/05 10:42am
Msg #70685

Many of the late doc problems that we encounter could be solved if the Lenders would STOP setting appointment times with the borrowers UNTIL the documents are ready. One company that I sign for leaves the date and time open and suggests that I DO NOT contact borrower until I have the docs. Now if all of you could do that, we would put an end to the late doc issue. As for the rest of the post, I would say there was probably unprofessionalism on both sides of the grass.

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/15/05 10:47am
Msg #70690

I agree with the first part of your response. However I am not a part of the "you". I own a Signing Agency and I too have no control over what the lenders or brokers do. It is just as frustrating to me. In this case, the appointment was set by the closer and borrower though. What it all boils down to is that we all need to put the borrowers first. Situations arise constantly in this industry that can drive us all insane BUT it is all in how you handle yourself under the pressure.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 10/15/05 11:04am
Msg #70699

Granted, most SS's do not have much control over docs.

Reply by Bonnie_FL on 10/15/05 10:49am
Msg #70692

I have to agree with Lawrence. I too would prefer that appointments NOT be set until we receive ALL the docs, including the HUD. I had one yesterday I was told to set the time since they set the date and that worked out great!

Reply by LawrenceOK on 10/15/05 10:59am
Msg #70698

Yes Bonnie, that works too. I find that if I can set the time then I can always squeeze the borrower in.

Reply by TitleGalCA on 10/15/05 11:07am
Msg #70700

Sherry, appreciate your posts here, but here's my first thought when I read your story - a busy SA who was "deficient" because she was 30 minutes late in printing the docs as she wanted to wait for the HUD.

Sherry, 30 minutes is NOT a long time. At best, she had a whopping 45 minutes before the scheduled close (not her schedule, your clients and scheduler). As to why the signing didn't take place until 6, I have no idea, or the reported "rudeness". This isn't making sense to me.

***SOOOOO...I call the SA and ask her how things were going and let her know what my clients said.***

So, you called her and told her (with the 45 minute window between loan doc printing and the close) what your client said, eg. the complaint....and she flamed, correct? With the late receipt of the HUD...that gave her 15 minutes to get to the signing? This seems to be a pretty tight schedule for a busy SA to work around, at best, then to get a call from you with a complaint before the signing even took place? (That call would eat up more time and energy) Are you sure she didn't wait for 5 hours as her letter said? If her statement were true, I'd flame too, and her letter would make sense in that scenario.

It just sounds like something is missing from this story - your SA here sounds pretty angry for someone who doesn't have a real gripe.

Your option could be to just let her go, but if I were you, I'd be asking more questions to find out if the SA wasn't the one that was the victim here.

Reply by Anonymous on 10/15/05 11:23am
Msg #70706

Always is fun to get to a borrowers home and have them go off on you because "your" company did this or that to them. Another favorite is when either the SS or TC tells the borrower the reason the signing is going to be late is because the notary is late printing doc's, even though the notary received them 15 minutes after scheduled closing time.

Reply by corona71 on 10/15/05 11:28am
Msg #70708

Sorry to hear that happened on both ends, but we SA's talk about how much integrity we have and are trying to prove ourselves, incidents like this don't help. Even if the signing service was at fault,which I don'ty think so, this signing agent had a responsibility to serve the customer. Granted, she had a right to be upset, but then she let her professionalism get in the way, and the customer was not served. All she had to do was call the customer and explain the situation and ask if she could come a little bit later. The signing agent handled herself poorly, and let her anger overtake her job.

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/16/05 9:27pm
Msg #70865

Amen Corona!

Reply by SoCal Signing Co. on 10/15/05 11:37am
Msg #70709

SA's who run their business, and do not let the business run them, call the borrowers let them know that they would like to set a tentative appointment due to how often docs come late. Borrowers are usually pretty happy with this communication. Even if you did not set the original appointment, take control of your business. Just communicate this with everyone concerned.

"Flaming" very unprofessional, letting others control you in this way, shows a lack of control in any circumstance.

But I agree, you most likely should not of told her there was any complaint. You could have asked if there was anything you could do to help her, (call the borrowers)

When docs are late, and more often than not they will be late, you call the borrowers, and communicate this with them. Email your SS or TC, Or Broker and let them know that the borrowers are aware the appointment MIGHT be later than first expected.
This takes the pressure off others, and they know you have full control of your job.

There is always the BLAME GAME; its how the SS and the SA handle it. When I have someone trying to place blame, I ALWAYS say, "let’s fix this problem first we can discuss better procedures once this is completed".

Your SA leaving a job unfinished was unprofessional, but what can you learn from this as a SS? Being supportive to the people who make you look good, discuss complaints later.

Reply by TitleGalCA on 10/15/05 11:58am
Msg #70718

Several good points here, and it's a given the notary was unprofessional. I just can't help but wonder that for someone with **8 notaries** working under her, it would take alot to elicit that over-the-top response if she wanted to stay in business.

There's more to this story, and it highlights the problem of late docs...and how it affects all involved. Handling it with more professionalism from both sides is the key.

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/15/05 12:05pm
Msg #70719

Just to clear things up, I wasnt really complaining when I contacted her, I was merely checking in to see how things were going and I wan never once accusatory towards her. My first instict when I received the call from my client was that they were passing the buck to the closer and saying she dropped the ball...BUT the more I talked with her, I tend to believe it was the other way around....I told her multiple times that she was OK in my book until she went off the deep end. I agree that the situation wasnt handled well in some areas but we all know that in this industry, you DONT ALWAYS GET DOCS ON TIME. That is a given....it shouldnt happen but it does. The point of all this is how she handled herself. I never cursed at her, called her names or made threats and she did every last one of those things. She also contacted my client to "give him a piece of her mind". Come on now....that is very unprofessional. For those of you who have worked with my company, you know, we dont take sides and play the blame game.

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/15/05 12:24pm
Msg #70721

I've just pulled an all-nighter getting a brief out for my SEC attorney/client who waited until the last minute to get anything to me, so I'm not in the best of moods and should probably keep my hands off the keyboard.

There are always two sides to the story, so I don't know if there is more or not. The SA should have called Borrower(s) to advise docs were late and therefore, she would be late and give an approximate time. In my initial call I always say appointment is at such and such time *depending* on when I get docs.

I had a signing scheduled for Thursday morning that was supposed to be between 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. TC calls Wednesday night to tell me they just sent docs. There were four e-mails with attachments -- EVERY e-mail had exactly the same 15 page attachment. I sent a high-priority e-mail so when they arrived the next morning, they would immediately see it and send me the remainder of the docs I needed. I called Borrower at 9:00 to tell him I hadn't received all the docs and asked his availability the remainder of the day. He works at home and told me to just call him when I get the docs. 10:00 comes, 10:30 comes -- no docs, try to call TC and no response from contact person I need to talk with. More e-mails. 11:00, and still no e-mails, no docs and no phone calls. I send SS e-mail explaining the situation and ask if they can do something on their end. About 15 minutes later TC calls and tells me they sent docs last night -- "yes, but all attachments were the same 15 pages." Oh, my computer has a mind of its own. Give me 15 minutes and I'll resend them. 45 minutes later I begin getting the rest of my loan package. Borrower calls at noon and I tell him that I'm just printing them. Borrower wants to meet at 2:00. As I'm putting the packages together, I discover I have three different HUDS. Again, the phone and e-mail game as to which HUD is the most current. After 1-1/2 hours I still have no response from anyone. I arrived at Borrowers with all three HUDS in original package and his copy with copies of all my e-mails that were never responded to so he wouldn't think I was a complete dip S@@it.

Reply by Cris_AR on 10/15/05 3:00pm
Msg #70753

"I arrived at Borrowers with all three HUDS in original package and his copy with copies of all my e-mails that were never responded to so he wouldn't think I was a complete dip S@@it."

When a signing goes wrong for whatever reason and the borrower is aware of a mistake, I may make a joke or something but I would never try and prove it was not my fault, I really do not think they care who makes the mistake and I am not about to play the blame game.

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/15/05 3:19pm
Msg #70762

Well, let's see -- I have 3 HUDS. No one is responding to me from the SS or TC. Signing is already 5-1/2 hours late because of TC mixup with docs. I suppose I could have just told the Borrower that the signing can't be done until *someone* decides to clarify the correct HUD -- but no, instead I decided to use my own judgment, take all 3 HUDS to signing, give Borrower copies of all 3 HUDS, along with copies of e-mails as explanation as to why there were 3 HUDS. I'm sorry you see it as a blame game, I don't -- and neither did the SS after the fact when I finally got a live person -- instead they were quite pleased that everything was documented for all parties involved.

Reply by SoCal Signing Co. on 10/15/05 12:36pm
Msg #70725

Friday Night

It could of been simple, it was a friday night.

I was getting docs as late as 7pm last night and forwarding them to the notary, with a nice note....saying looks like tomorrow will be a work day huh? SoCal Signing always gets docs first
so we know when the docs come. If you do this, you can take sides, and the side you take is
your signing agents.
Late docs is not the fault of any one person, its several people. The appointment time is the fault of one person, and as a SS or a SA we can fix that most of the time.

She may of just had a really wild friday and this was the last straw

maybe it was simple...
maybe

I think you handled it pretty well, except I would of left off any comments you heard about her.

Reply by PA_Notary_II on 10/15/05 1:11pm
Msg #70732

Re: Friday Night

I agree that there was a severe degree of unprofessionalism. Having said that, lenders and TC's always think that their loan is the only one in the universe that day. If I have 3 or 4 or 5 closings on the same day AND I have docs for those.....how the H can I baby sit their e-docs? There is little or no regard for OUR schedules on their side of the fence. Why oh why can't we ever get docs TODAY for a closing TOMORROW ??? E-mail is the culprit ! In the days of FAXed docs, they always waited till the last minute.....with e-mail, they wait till the last second ! And I don't blame anybody for waiting to print docs when the HUD hasn't been approved yet....how many SA's have complained about printing docs that need later to be reprinted?

I certainly would have made it my business to get the loan closed regardless, but I totally empathize with the degree of frustration this SA exhibited, but not the response to the companies that entrusted their reputation to him/her.

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/15/05 1:28pm
Msg #70733

Re: Friday Night

Well stated PA...The brokers and TC's think that when you accept a closing, that is the only one that you are doing ALL day. I was a SA at one time too and I know the feeling. Regarding printing docs prior to HUD approval, my company compensates closers $25 for docs if they printed them regardless if the closing got cancelled or they had to re-print. It is only fair that you are compensated in situations like that. I am not sure if the closer in question was aware of the fact that she would be compensated...When I was an SA, I had this situation arise quite a few times (docs late) and I chose to handle it much differently. I knew I had done nothing wrong and I had no reason to be defensive so I just sucked it up and finished my job. Its all in how you choose to handle a situation!

Reply by Paul_IL on 10/15/05 2:01pm
Msg #70740

Sounds to me like you were the one that got terminated. NM

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/15/05 2:11pm
Msg #70742

Re: Sounds to me like you were the one that got terminated. NM

It sounds to me like you didnt read the entire story...

Reply by CaliNotary on 10/15/05 2:34pm
Msg #70747

Re: Sounds to me like you were the one that got terminated.

I read the entire story. She called you back and told you to find another notary to do the job. She definitely canned you!

Reply by NY_TaxLady on 10/15/05 2:45pm
Msg #70749

Re: Sounds to me like you were the one that got terminated.

When did she get terminated? After the signing was agreed to? Did I miss something?

Reply by CaliNotary on 10/15/05 2:51pm
Msg #70752

Re: Sounds to me like you were the one that got terminated.

"About 10 minutes later, I receive a VM from the SA saying that I needed to find another notary and to take her out of our database. She dropped the closing that she was already 2 hours late to"

Seems perfectly clear to me who fired who

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/15/05 3:32pm
Msg #70763

Re: Sounds to me like you were the one that got terminated.

There are so many terrific aspects to this board (informative, a place to share ways to improve the industry, a place to see other points of view. meet wonderful people (and there are many))...And than there are the few who choose to come on and pick apart peoples comments, point fingers and ridicule people..And that is what I dislike. I have never once come on here and responded to someones post with rude negatives. If you cant be constructive than why talk?

Reply by CaliNotary on 10/15/05 9:22pm
Msg #70789

Re: Sounds to me like you were the one that got terminated.

What's rude or negative about stating the facts as YOU told the story?

You wanna make it seem like it was your decision to not use her anymore, but that's kind of pointless after somebody tells you to take her out of your database. Not a big deal, but you're the one who said "you obviously didn't read the whole story". Not exactly sure what your angle there is, if any

Reply by Anonymous on 10/16/05 11:00am
Msg #70810

oh come on....

"And than there are the few who choose to come on and pick apart peoples comments, point fingers and ridicule people..And that is what I dislike. I have never once come on here and responded to someones post with rude negatives. If you cant be constructive than why talk?"

Oh Sherry............I could'nt agree with you more. I have resorted to posting Anonymous becuse of the abuse on this board. I have been a member for years, and am embarrassed by what its becoming.

Reply by CaliNotary on 10/16/05 12:25pm
Msg #70818

Re: oh come on....

I don't understand the logic. How is posting anonymously supposed to reduce the amount of "abuse" on the board? The vast majority of us are responding to what is said, not who is saying it.

I guess that since there are a number of people on the board who refuse to respond to anonymous posters, that reduces the potential for being "abused".

If you want to be embarassed about something, you should be embarrassed that the board is now filled with threads of anonymous responding to anonymous responding to anonymous. THAT'S what is turning the board into a joke and you're directly contributing to it. A bunch of wimps who don't have the balls to stand behind their words. Which is stupid because I"m as anonymous as you to 99.9% of this board, yet my comments can be clearly identified on the board. All it takes is choosing a screenname other than your acutal name and not linking to your profile. It ain't rocket science.

Ultimately, we all have the option of just leaving if we don't like what's being said here or how it's being said.

Reply by TitleGalCA on 10/16/05 12:49pm
Msg #70821

Re: oh come on....RIGHT ON Cali

soon, this board will be filled with only one poster - anonymous.

I'm rethinking the idea of posting here...with something more anonymous, myself more in the fashion of how you do it. You and others like you achieve anonymity (hate spelling that word) but are indentifiable. I'm sick of being the target of sly, sarcastic hits from one anon who also stalk others on this board who have an opinion. So childish.

Reply by Paul_IL on 10/16/05 4:57pm
Msg #70830

The sound of the worlds smallest violin playing...........

Maybe it was the content of your posts that brought out the comments?

No that could not be cause you would then have to take some responsibility.

Reply by CaliNotary on 10/15/05 2:50pm
Msg #70751

While I don't condone how the signing agent handled the situation, I think it's pretty f***ed that the title company had the nerve to call you and complain about her printing the docs at 6:00 when they had just finished sending them at 5:17. With very few exceptions, I won't print edocs until 1. I've confirmed the appointment with the borower and 2. they've sent me everything that needs to be printed.

Like everybody else in here, I'm pretty tired of these TC's assuming I have nothing else to do with my day than sit around and wait for them to get their shit together. If they can't have docs to me within a reasonable timeframe before the appointment, then the ball moves to my court and things will get done on MY schedule.

And while I would never call them to give them a piece of my mind, if I happened to have them on the phone and they were complaining about when I was printing their late docs, I would tell them (politely) in no uncertain terms that if they can't get the docs to me on time, they just have to accept that the appointment will be rescheduled to my convenience. And if they still had the nerve to give me a hard time about that, I wouldn't think twice about tellling them to find another notary. And I wouldn't think twice about what it would do to the borrower because there are always other notaries available for the signing (at least in L.A.), it'll just take some effort on the part of the title company and/or SS to find one at the very last minute. Not my problem.

I have no problem being as flexible as I can be, but I'm sure not going to let people bitch me out over their screwups.

Reply by Anonymous on 10/15/05 5:05pm
Msg #70767

Bravo Cali

Reply by Anonymous on 10/15/05 5:21pm
Msg #70769

Oh my! If I could only count the times I've gotten late e-docs! That is par for the industry. A good title co & lender understands and is willing to work with the SA when things get behind. I no longer push the "panic button" when docs don't arrive. For those companies that get miffed when I am not at a closing due to late docs, they can get miffed.
I go with the flow, and sometimes that flow isn't so smooth. "tis the nature of the beast.
For the SA who called and was nasty.. SHAME on her!! Let her stay at her multi-million dollar real estate job and leave the "Chicken feed" to us poor SA's who love our jobs.
She can go complain to whomever she chooses... business will go on without her.
If you can't be professional and polite... don't do this business!

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/15/05 7:00pm
Msg #70776

My sentiments exactly Anon 2..

Reply by Margaret_FL on 10/15/05 6:05pm
Msg #70775

I am always professional even when the signing turns into the signing from *ell. Had a closing at 4:30 and was told the documents would arrive by 1:30pm, started waiting on docs that did not arrive until 4:45pm.
Did not get to the borrower until 6:00pm. I kept the borrower updated on status of the documents. Everything was wrong, was on the phone with LO about everything, finally got the borrower finished signing at 11:00pm. I had not even taken the time myself to eat, I got home at 1:30PM. This loan took me 12 hours. This was a 1st and 2nd mortgage and was the largest package I have done to date. Borrower called me early next morning to say she was going to cancel. That she was up all night crying.
I told her to call her LO and she did and he talked her out of cancelling. Title company assured me that I would be paid even if she cancelled.

Reply by Tammy Mazak on 10/15/05 7:37pm
Msg #70782

Well hello all - I have worked with SLB for a few years now and I just want to make a comment regarding the integrity of SLB signings and Sherry - she has been wonderful to work for, always pays on time and is very easy to work with.

I now have a very successful nationwide signing service of my own and have learned a great deal from SLB over the years.. Customer Service is where its at... don't ever play the blame game.. I too still go out there and close loans every day just like all of you. I feel your pain and I see what happens.. BUT GET OVER IT... if you signed up for this business, then just get use to it... DOCS COME LATE .. if you happen to be lucky enough to get them early... well lady luck was on your side....

In closing: GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS if you can't handle the pressure... and I do agree with the fact the you must take control - if docs are late - its no ones fault - just do the best you can and deal with it....

Reply by Nd_WA on 10/15/05 8:49pm
Msg #70786

Why is it that this notary has to wait 5 hrs for the docs? This has got to be a dark tale!

I have had on many occasions where I told LO/TC to back off because they don't own my business. They asked SS to find someone for the job. SS know I will get the job done right so I told them to just back and relax. You just gotta know when and how to chill in this business.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 10/15/05 10:06pm
Msg #70791

Well hello to you too. Now lets see, "GET OVER IT" "DOCS COME LATE" You call me at !:00pm for a 6:00pm closing. (my drop dead time would be 4:00pm) I already have a busy schedule but I can work your 6 O'Clock appointment in. I get back to the office to print the docs and guess what? "DOCS COME LATE"! Now I have to call the borrower and RESCHEDULE his 6 O'Clock, call you to let you know that I had to reschedule borrower because "DOCS COME LATE". Now the borrower is last for tonight and it may mean I don't get to him until 10:00, Am I supposed to tell him he can "GET OVER IT". How about if we start charging an extra fee everytime DOCS COME LATE.

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/16/05 8:10am
Msg #70797

I dont think you would get it.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 10/16/05 9:24am
Msg #70802

I did once, charged $10. The TC sent them to the SS and the gal at the SS accidentally deleted them, thinking she had sent them to me. That was a real fun night.

Reply by Anonymous on 10/16/05 11:13am
Msg #70811

I am on the east coast....most of my edocs come from the west coast...of course there will be a wait for docs. When the SS calls me and books me to close the loan, its usually early in the day/mid afternoon. With the time zone difference, I do not expect documents to arrive to me until 6pm/7pm...When I confirm with the clients, I am sure to inform the client of this... There is never a problem.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 10/16/05 11:41am
Msg #70813

I can tell you a few instances were some west cost companies forget that the US has 4 time zones. Like I said before, the problem with late e-docs would end if we were allowed to set the Time/date/both. If they insist on setting the Date, at least let us setup the time with the borrower(s). And until this is done they will continue to inconvenience their client's with late e-docs.

Reply by Paul_IL on 10/16/05 5:14pm
Msg #70832

Docs are late is the excuse used by disorganized companies both title and lender. They will continue to be late as long as they are allowed to get away with it!

I set a cutoff time on edoc delivery at the time I accept a closing. If the docs do not arrive at the specific time I call the title company and let them know that if I get the docs in the next 30 min. and an additional $25 fee I will still be able to complete the closing. Ususally they say ok and I do the closing. If not then I say sorry but I needed the docs by x time and you will have to either reschedule it to the next day or find someone else.

If they do not reschedule then usually within 30 minutes I get a couple of calls from SS's looking for someone to do a signing for them. What a surprise! I quote them my fee with the $25 added and they say " we are not even getting that much for this one".........

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 10/16/05 5:51pm
Msg #70834

I certainly don't condone the unprofessional way the notary handled the situation. However I find it interesting that you (Sherry) chose to say that she dropped the closing that "she" was already 2 hours late to. She was not late. The appointment was held up by late docs. Were you just rapping at the keyboard and just didn't realize what you said?

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/16/05 7:06pm
Msg #70847

Sarahbeth.....as i stated in my original post - (mind you per the TC and my scheduler who this SA was in contact with said she had docs at 4:15 and decided NOT to print them until the HUD was sent at 4:45 - I agree it should have been sooner but in this industry this sometimes does happen)....

She received the ENTIRE loan package at 4:15 (for a closing that was scheduled for 5pm - which I do agree should have been sent sooner) and by the time she cancelled it was 7pm (mind you still in the midst of printing). She got the HUD at 4:45..I totally realize that she would have never made the 5pm appt and I am fine with that but had she printed the loan package when she received it, and printed the HUD when she received that, I am confident that she would have already been with the borrowers at 7pm versus cursing my client out and leaving us and the borrower high and dry on a voicemail.

I think a lot of you have totally missed the point. If any of you have EVER read my prior posts, I was an SA prior to owning a SS. I know how it is and I totally sympathize with your aggravations and frustrations. What I have come to realize is that what sets a "fly by night" Signing Agent apart from a mainstay SA is its all in how the handle the pressure...

I have also come to learn that someone in here will find some way to twist and turn every last thing I just said so twist away and pick apart!!

Reply by CaliNotary on 10/16/05 8:27pm
Msg #70853

"I am fine with that but had she printed the loan package when she received it, and printed the HUD when she received that, I am confident that she would have already been with the borrowers at 7pm"

And if the TC had gotten the docs to her in a reasonable timeframe there never would have been a problem to start with.

There is nothing wrong with the notary waiting until she had received ALL of the docs before printing them. You keep saying stuff like "in the industry this sometimes does happen". Well stuff happens in the signing agent industry as well, and some of us have had to eat the cost of printing edocs because of situations exactly like this. You and the title companies have to realize that we are in business as well, and we each operate in the way that is most cost efficient to US, and if that means waiting an extra 30 minutes to print out docs because they haven't all arrived yet, then that's something you and the TC's have to deal with.

If the TC sends the final part of the docs 15 minutes before the appointment time, they forfeit any right to decide what time the signing gets done. As do you. Just because YOU feel she should have been able to be at the appointment at 7:00 doesn't mean that it is so.

You obviously feel that she should have been sitting in front of her computer waiting for the docs so she could print them out the second they arrived, as you seem to be making such a big deal out of them being printed at 4:45 vs. 4:15. You can say all you want that you sympathize with our aggrivations and frustrations, but honestly, you're coming across with the typical signing service/title company mentality in your posts; expecting us to have just been waiting and waiting and waiting and then immediately fly into action at the first possible second. And you should know, that's not always possible.

Ultimately, the blame for this mess falls on the shoulders of the TC. Professionalism runs both ways and getting edocs to signing agents 15 minutes before the appointment time is totally unprofessional, no matter how often it happens in the industry (a defense that you really need to stop repeating BTW).

Reply by SLB SIGNING SERVICES, INC. - Sherry on 10/16/05 9:00pm
Msg #70859

Cali..The reason I have to keep repeating myself is because of people like you....The whole purpose of my original post was not to knock the SA for getting to the closing late (because YES it was partially the TC's fault(mostly the lender though) and neither the SA or myself had any control over that......and I frankly dont give a damn about what time the docs were printed...the reason I keep bringing that up is because some people choose to focus in and scrutinize that particular part of the big picture. My company closes 600+ loans per month and I deal with situations like this all of the time (docs late, borrowers upset)...YES IT SUCKS and THINGS SHOULD BE DIFFERENT BUT...................................................................................

MY POINT HAS ALWAYS BEEN.......IT IS ALL IN HOW YOU HANDLE THE SITUATION UNDER THE PRESSURE(and most GOOD SA's wouldnt have done what she did)...I didnt call the SA and curse her out or yell at her...and no, I certainly did not think that she should be waiting around the computer all day for docs...I realize the SA's have other obligations and usual have multiple jobs going at once...Had this SA contacted me when she did not receive the docs and said, hey listen,,I have another obligation and I cant wait on these docs any longer...I would have had no problem with that...That is professional. Dropping the ball on a closing and contacting clients to curse them out...now that is not professional. Oh and by the way...had she printed the docs and the closing didnt happen - we pay a $25 print fee..

And as stated in a prior post...I strive to set my company apart from "the others" and I venture to say that anyone who has worked with me would say the same. I am not on this board to get in fights or belittle people but even though I am not looking for a fight.. alot of people sure like starting them....

NUFF SAID.

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 10/16/05 9:51pm
Msg #70870

Yes sometimes I bring focus to parts of a post that aren't the purpose of the post. The purpose of that for me is to have a better understanding of what happened on all sides. Now I fall into the group of debators yet this time I asked a simple question. I believe your answer was yes after reading your past couple of posts. Yes the subject of the thread is professionalism. Screaming, cursing and argueing aren't marks of professionalism.