Posted by MichiganAl on 4/5/06 10:23am
Msg #111177

Fax backs - Am I wrong?

Did a signing yesterday for the only SS I work with on a regular basis. Turns out the file required 35 pages of fax backs. I ask them to add $25 for this. I just get a call from someone on their signing agent relations team who says this is way too much to ask and in ALL the years she's been doing this no one has EVER asked for a fee for fax backs. Are you kidding? Wow, I guess the rest of you are spending 30 - 40 minutes of your time working for free. That's how long it took me to pull out all the required docs, fax them back, and get them back in order. Am I out of line?

Same file, separate story - I get docs an hour late on this (what a surprise). I'm an hour twenty minutes away and I get docs an hour before the appointment. It's printing like molasses so I finish printing the first set and decide I'm going to stop at the FedEx/Kinko's on Woodward and Square Lake to quickly copy the second set, it's on my way. It's been about six months since the last time I had to do this. I pop in my credit card, run the copies. This usually costs 10 cents a page. No biggie, I'll eat $8.90 to keep my day from getting totally whacked out. I look at the final bill, it's $89!!! What!!??? Then I see the sign: Printing - 89 cents per page. 89 cents a page?! Are they high?! Great. 2 1/2 hour drive, and I'm working for free now. And 35 pages of fax backs that I have the nerve to ask for a fee. Grrrrrrrr.

Reply by Korey Humphreys on 4/5/06 10:34am
Msg #111182

$.89 per page! Was it printed on gold foil?

In regards to your first issue, no I don't think you're out of line. Think of it from an attorney prospective. If you were an attorney and hired in an attorney only state, you're going to charge for every little thing you do (at least from what I've seen with my attorney).

Time is money. If we work for free, then there is no point in working. I can't believe your Kinko's story! That is too funny! I would have been pissed LOL .

Reply by MistarellaFL on 4/5/06 10:35am
Msg #111183

Somebody call 911

You have been robbed twice! I also would charge for that amount of fax-backs, too.
A few pages, OK, no charge. 35 pages? What the......it's ridiculous!
And I have no Fed Ex Kinko's, but when I do this at the local office depot or staples, the charge is normally around 7-10 cents per page. There is absolutely something WRONG with charging 89 cents/page.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/5/06 10:36am
Msg #111185

NO. You are right. [Major Nat'l Title Co] and I locked horns over it. Their behavior and attitude was horrendous IMHO. I am not proud to lock up with anyone - don't have an attitude...I am just being honest. I will not be treated as apparently many have decided to be treated -- "you are a stupid sheep who cannot understand business - now, if I say black is white, then believe it. Your time is worth less than dirt. Go fax, stupid."

Nope...I'd rather clean S. Hussein's jail toilet for a living. That's how much I hate the faxing back.

Just say NO, people.

Reply by Korey Humphreys on 4/5/06 10:37am
Msg #111186

Come on Brenda.... Saddam's toilet? :) n/m

Reply by LkArrowhd/CA on 4/5/06 10:38am
Msg #111187

Re: Fax backs - Am I wrong? Right on Brenda, I flat out

refuse to fax back EVER.......NO WAY NO CAN DO........

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 4/5/06 11:16am
Msg #111210

No Way.

35 pages faxed back for free. Not happinin'. Al I think she full of baloney and hoping you are gullible enough to buy it. If the fax backs aren't disclosed when the fee is settled by both parties then they have added to the contract.

(the rest of this post is about the topic but not directed to Al)

Last year we had a plumber come out and upgrade the kitchen plumbing. While he was here I noticed that bathroom sink pipe had a leak. So I had him fix it also. Took another half hour. Did I expect him to do it for free, no. Why? Because it wasn't in the original contract. He did everything I needed correctly and I paid him accordingly. When you are asked for added services then charge for them.

HEY NEWBIES OUT THERE. You have got to stop taking lowball fees. It brings the whole business down. Do you think that if you do 10 signings for a company then tell them your rate has been adjusted they are just going to accept it? Or do you think they will move on to the next newbie that will. Nowadays it is leaning to the later due to the constant inundation of newbies who haven't learned how much it costs to run the business let alone make a profit. Start with a fee that is acceptable within the peramiters of making a profit. The only reason lowball offers are being made is that they are being accepted regularly.

Last year only once were fax backs required. I found out this particular ss had a bad rep but that's another story. Although it seems fax backs are becoming more prevelant they are not the norm and should be charged extra for. Just because one or two companies that you have rendered services for required fax backs doesn't mean that everyone does and the charge is already considered in your base fee.

If you have an all inclusive fee for 6 months and then all of the sudden everyone is asking for additional services that weren't common during that period then you need to consider raising that fee. Or you start with a base fee and add for additional services when they are required. From being here for the last year I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who considers thier fees all inclusive.

2 things.
Ask when they call if fax backs are required. Then add that cost before agreeing to a fee. If they don't know when they call then they shouldn't be surprised that the fee for that service wasn't included in the original agreement.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES=ADDITIONAL FEES

Reply by LilyMD on 4/5/06 11:04am
Msg #111201

Re: NO FREE Fax backs - I'd rather help Brenda

I hold the Comet.

Reply by Dorothy_MI on 4/5/06 11:09am
Msg #111203

Al, even though you are my competition, FYI right across Square Lake Road there is a Staples, also an Office Max in the shopping center at Telegraph and Square Lake Road. Thanks for the heads up, guess I won't be stopping at that Kinko's for anything! I'd also stick to the extra charge for the fax backs.

Reply by MichiganAl on 4/5/06 3:17pm
Msg #111295

Thanks

That's why I gave the location, so even my competition doesn't get screwed.

Reply by Linda_in_MI on 4/5/06 11:23am
Msg #111213

Kinkos recently upped their $$$

The majority of the Kinkos in the metro Detroit area recently changed the hardware in their locations related to networking printers when you are using their computer or wi-fi. Consequently, the price for using the computers also changed.

Based on my experience with Kinkos staff (another story for another time) in the past few months, if I have to print out at other than my own printer, I'm going to put the docs on a thumb drive and find the nearest Staples or OfficeMax. They are more customer service oriented, a lot quicker, and not as expensive.

Reply by MichiganAl on 4/5/06 3:15pm
Msg #111294

It was just a plain old copy machine

I wasn't on the computer. Just plopped the package on the top of the copier, pressed copy, and two minutes later, voila, an $89 bill. I'm going to check the one in Livonia tonight to see if they're all doing this. And I've been very underwhelmed by the Kinkos staff myself.

Reply by Julie/MI on 4/5/06 12:28pm
Msg #111242

boy oh boy that's the fancy part of town, but .89 per copy IS robbery. I can understand if you use Kinko's to print from their computer and your email, but not for the average Joe to make copies.

My Ups store is .5 a page if you prepay a $25 "card".

I hope the signing company make 1 hour and 20 minutes one way worth your while; 2 hours and 40 minutes for drive time, plus 40 minutes, give or take for the closing.....gosh $89 in copies.......Al, this is just too sad.

Reply by patricia on 4/5/06 1:20pm
Msg #111265

sounds like you may have used the color copy machine, they are about that price per page.

Reply by MichiganAl on 4/5/06 3:24pm
Msg #111298

Hmmmmmm

Oh oh! It had an option for color but I chose black only. Maybe that's it, though. What a way to learn a lesson!