Posted by BrendaTX on 9/6/05 4:54pm
Msg #63888

I have LCT. (vent)

I have Low Crap Tolerance today. My internet connection is being bad...I have work to get out...I am out of Bluebell...what a pity party I am throwing! I know it's petty given the situations around us in La and Ms, nonetheless, I have a bad attitude and I might just go eat some worms. Here's the deal:

I have an 877 number which I have had for years. It's all kinds of good things...it does more than just take incoming calls--it has a "find me" function which is great.

It's meant for business, of course, but it is routinely used because for some reason the people who want information about getting into the business don't realize that that an 877# does cost someone...usually the one you call...so they use it ...and, as you might imagine I am not very willing to talk or answer questions when I am paying for the minutes and I am not going to get a job out of it. Some is okay, but it is once or twice each weekday the last three weeks.

I just have to wonder what are they thinking...most of the callers want assistance and a long chat, but not a clue that I would not be willing to visit on the phone while I pay for it. My local numbers are also on my website where they get my contact information.

Now, I know that it's my fault-- if I have it, people use it - but it's really beganing to be frequent. God bless the lady who used my other line earlier this week...if she's reading this it's certainly not about her.

Based on phone calls I get, the new notaries are gearing up to get into the biz in Texas. I get a call at least once a day, sometimes twice on my 877 #. I never know what the caller will say, and me answering like a business probably makes it more confusing for them. Here are a few of the most recent calls:

-Please send me a notary application as soon as you can. If you gotta a pen here is my address - mail it to PO Box ___... My girlfriend needs one and she will get mad if I don't find one for her without a Harris County bonding company on it. Oh? You don't? Who will?? I already tried there. Hmmm...well...couldn't you send it and bill me for mailing it? It won't cost that much will it?

-Hey...I want to know where my notary is, d*mnit! This is taking forever! Three to six weeks is way too long for me to wait on my notary. Can't you expedite my application? What's it gonna take??

-Please help me get my notary commission renewed as soon as you can. I am in trouble. My commision expired in July.

-Yes...Hello, I am calling because I want to be added to the list on your Texas NSA Network website as soon as possible - when can you get that done?

-I am a signing agent. I want to apply for work with you.

-Hellooooo...You do field inspectionssssss? Ooookay....wellllllll, I need for you to telllllll me how I get into doing inspectionssssss...you CAN telllllll me that cantttttt you??????


Now, a very nice notary out of La. called last night and I was totally fine with that. It was a great phone call and I enjoyed getting to know her. We'll be friends and I learned a lot about La. NSAs.

But, most of the time, I bite my tongue hard not to say, "Okay, glad you called! Now, here is the best advice I can give you about starting a notary business: Until you study up on common business sense things like everything costs money, including 877 numbers, do NOT start a business. You'll never be able to budget, set your fees and you'll be on the street in a heartbeat. "


Okay...I am done and I feel much better. Thank you.

Reply by Teasa Mahar on 9/6/05 5:13pm
Msg #63889

Boy, you are nice. But it is amazing what some people think they are entitled to. I wonder if these people would do the same for others. Do you have a signing service now?

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/6/05 5:18pm
Msg #63890

*Do you have a signing service now? *

No ma'am.

But, sometimes people think that I do.

Reply by Teasa Mahar on 9/6/05 5:50pm
Msg #63893

Yhew! You scared me there.

Reply by Gavin on 9/6/05 10:27pm
Msg #63938

O.K. Brenda, now I want to know?

-Hey...I want to know where my notary is, d*mnit! This is taking forever! Three to six weeks is way too long for me to wait on my notary. Can't you expedite my application? What's it gonna take??

What did you do with him/her?

How in the devil did you get that call?

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/6/05 11:38pm
Msg #63942

Re: I have LCT. Gavin...

I left parts of all of these out, actually, she started out with "my name is ___ and I want to know where my notary is d*mnit. I applied for it two weeks ago!"

I thought she knew who I was and I was supposed to know who she was, so I told her that it took around 3 - 6 weeks.

CAN'T YOU EXPEDITE IT SOMEHOW??? ETC. ETC.

I slowed her down and asked her if she thought she was talking to the Secretary of State. She said yes.

I convinced her she had the wrong number. Apparently, she deducted that my site was the SOS because I have ONE webpage of educational material on my site. She navigated to my home page and got my number.

Reply by Giselle_CA on 9/6/05 5:37pm
Msg #63892

"Some is okay, but it is once or twice each weekday the last three weeks. "

Wow, Brenda! I don't blame you having a "Low Crap Tolerance." You are too generous...

Reply by Lee_AR on 9/6/05 6:59pm
Msg #63901

Under the circumstances...

I see nothing wrong with your stated wish-I-could response. They must have gotten your phone number from a website that they didn't even bother to read. Ohhh an 800 #...all MY problems are solved. And it didn't even cost me a dime. There is a big difference between a hand up and a hand out. It may be the 'reality check' they need.

Reply by TitleGalCA on 9/6/05 9:50pm
Msg #63930

Brenda, my goodness - you have the patience of a saint. I think it goes with the territory of being a professional in your field.

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/6/05 11:55pm
Msg #63943

In N.O. a couple of older women have been interviewed and they were just calm as cucumbers. They had learned to be at peace and not stress over what they had no control over. Wow... now that's patience!

These gals are 82-95 yrs old and they are still alive, probably because they have learned to be patient with life in general.

They sat in the midst of all that well aware of what was going on, and they just accepted it because being angry or stressed without the ability to change it was futile.

Reply by ColleenCA on 9/7/05 7:24am
Msg #63961

Re: You are way too nice!

Why don't you add a message on your website that no personal calls will be accepted and that any "advice" type of questions can be emailed to you instead. Then if they still call I would politely tell them that this is your business line, to please email any questions and then hang up. I know it sounds harsh, but time is money not to mention the fact that you are paying for these phone calls. JMHO.

Reply by ColleenCA on 9/7/05 7:26am
Msg #63962

Re: PS: Or you could charge them by the hour! n/m