Posted by BrendaTx on 8/6/06 3:31pm
Msg #137358

Attn: New folks - a tip about "referrals" - pls read

I just got an email from a signing service promising a stream of income if you'll hand over your contacts from lenders and title companies.

Don't do that without thinking this through.

#1 - Investigate by insisting on getting referrals you can follow up on. You know, like the the tried and true experience of others. Not emails, not testimonials. Ask to have telephone numbers and names you can call. At least five. Otherwise you might be left completely out of the loop by this referral thing.

#2 - It's unethical. If you have worked for a signing service, to hand over their clients' names is total wrong. To give this "golden" info over to their competition is seriously undermining their business.


Okay, that's all I had on that...however, you seasoned folks are probably seeing some pretty strange things out there now where fighting for lenders' accounts are concerned. What I am seeing is client grabbing gone wild. This letter from the signing service is just another phase of it.

Let's just think this through...perhaps not this particular ss, but any number of ss's may be looking for referral income from a national title company? Who is to say that these theoretical ss's have not been engaged to scoop lender clients out from underneath not only other ss's, but title companies, as well.

No matter what the wave of business is...there is no denying it's about to get really interesting...right Lawrence?

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 8/6/06 4:11pm
Msg #137359

I got that e-mail too Brenda.
It really is unethical of them! How would they feel if the notaries they used gave their title company, lender's contact info to another signing company. Better believe they would be screaming blue murder!

Reply by MBCA on 8/6/06 4:29pm
Msg #137361

I also received this e-mail a couple of days ago! They must think we all just fell off the turnip truck!

Reply by Becca_FL on 8/6/06 4:34pm
Msg #137362

The nerve of some... n/m

Reply by Calnotary on 8/6/06 5:12pm
Msg #137363

Re: The nerve of some...

I got one from FxxxxxLxxx is that the same one you guys got? I see some SS dont have ethics.

Reply by kathy/ca on 8/6/06 5:37pm
Msg #137364

Yes, it came from F*n*s* L*n*! Do we look that dumb??? n/m

Reply by pat leyes on 8/6/06 7:35pm
Msg #137378

Re: Yes, it came from F*n*s* L*n*! Do we look that dumb???

I got it too, and this is the 2nd time I have received it. I would never give them any leads. Once or twice a year I will take a signing from them and it is taking them 45 days to pay.
Hopefully no one else would give them names of their customers.

Reply by CaliNotary on 8/7/06 1:37pm
Msg #137475

I think one of you should email them back and ask if it's ok to give their title and lender contacts to another signing service as well, just to see what their answer is.

Reply by Jason on 8/6/06 6:38pm
Msg #137371

F- them and the horse they rode in on!

My TCs pay me $150 and up, overnt docs.

Why the heck would I give my TC contact info to a $50 SS?!!!!!!!

Reply by LarryTN on 8/7/06 8:34am
Msg #137413

Re: F- them and the horse they rode in on!

I got this one too and I just ignored them! Who's to say that they would forget you when they get this information? How do you know when and how many times they contact these companies so you could verify your commission on these contacts? It's a dirty ploy to steal business from companies that have worked hard to get what they have!

Reply by MBCA on 8/7/06 9:43am
Msg #137427

Re: F- them and the horse they rode in on!

"Who's to say that they would forget you when they get this information!"

Of course they would! They want your contacts so they can call some inexperienced notary and offer him/her $50 for the signing, while they keep the lion's share of the fee! I cannot believe anyone would go for this! Just think of it, they'll call that escrow/lender/title company that you've worked so hard to build up a relationship with and they'll tell them that YOU told them to call! Make it sound like you no longer want to do business with them directly! The more I think about it the crazier it sounds! Who in the world thought this up? Very bad marketing decision!

Reply by BrendaTx on 8/7/06 9:56am
Msg #137428

F- them, but why the horse???

Animal abuse, plain and simple.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 8/7/06 10:20am
Msg #137434

Re: F- them, but why the horse???

Not if the horse enjoys it.

Reply by thnotary_NY on 8/7/06 11:32am
Msg #137453

Re: F- them, but why the horse???

Is there anyone so endowed they could pleasure a horse.? (while standing on a ladder)