Posted by Elizabeth Soliday on 8/26/06 8:04pm
Msg #141175

Charge for faxbacks?

An electric surge fried my fax machine yesterday. So I have a signing today and printed docs. Notary Pro said that I must fax back for them to see how they printed and so I went to Staples and they charged me $5.00!!! to fax 4 pages to a 1-800 number!

What do you do when you agree to an all-inclusive fee, then you find out they need all these faxbacks (before and after signing). I usually charge $10, should I try to tack it on now?

Reply by Charles_Ca on 8/26/06 8:13pm
Msg #141176

Hi Elizabeth, sorry to hear your machine bought it. Unfortunately if you agreed to an all inclusive price that is the price you should charge in my opinion. However this also should serve as a lesson that the services you provide have a cost attached to them. I know what it costs me per page to use my fax machine and that includes a percentage of the cost of the fax machine, the toner, in my case the drum and my time plus a reasonable profit. I charge a per page charge or I don't take the assignment, in most cases the SS waives the requirement or they agree to the charges or they go elsewhere. Good luck!

Reply by Elizabeth Soliday on 8/26/06 8:24pm
Msg #141179

So if you don't mind me asking, what do you charge for a signing 5-10 min from your house with Edocs (and possibly faxbacks)? I charge $75 ($50 signing fee and $25 edoc fee) And you treat every signing as if they had faxbacks (included in your price)?

Reply by Signing_Doc on 8/26/06 8:30pm
Msg #141182

Re: Charge for faxbacks?...based on the fax (get it...fax??)

that you presented, I would charge $75.00 signing fee and $25.00 edoc fee minimum, or try for $125.00 (100.00 signing fee and $25.00 edoc fee)...BUT...as it has been said b4...this is YOUR business, charge accordingly.

"Doc"

Reply by Charles_Ca on 8/26/06 8:35pm
Msg #141184

I have my rates posted on my profile (but do you think anyone bothers to read ) I charge $75 for the immediate downtown are and $25 for e-docs. I discuss the assignment with each and everyscheduler who calls. I need to know if thre are faxbacks, whether the signing is a purchase money mortgage, a re-fi, a HELOC, a reverse. a double, a split whatever. I ask specifically when they pay and I specifically ask for a commitment to the terms discussed. I charge $0.75 a page for faxbacks. Frequently the scheduler will drop the requirements for the fax-backs. When the confirmation come through I check to see if they included all the terms discussed and that they have no hidden terms such as docked fees etc. If there are terms on the confirmation that I did not agree to I explain that I do not accept aleatory contracts and that I need a change in the confirmation or they need to get another notary. I then check the documentation for additional terms when the package arrives and if there are variations in the terms I again ask that they adjust for the changes (pay or remove) or get another notary. You have to watch your bottom line all of these extras that the SS demand impact your profitability. Remember that you are a service business and much like the auto mechanic you need to charge for the windshield washer fluid (all your extras) or you are losing money. I try to include all my charges in a basic package so that I can quote a flat fee and then there is no argument: they either meet it or go elsewhere.

Reply by Signing_Doc on 8/26/06 8:28pm
Msg #141181

Agree...not the ss's problem that yr fax machine's toast....

you should have a backup in case this happens. Myself, I have a regular fax machine and also can fax via computer. If I need to, I can scan the docs in question and then fax them via my computer.
I'm assuming that you have a backup printer in case your main printers go kabluie...Again, speaking for myself, I have a laser printer, a fax/printer and an inkjet printer in my office. My spousal unit has an all-in-one printer/fax/copier/scanner so we have 4 total printers (if you don't include the little portable she has attached to her laptop for printing out 1003's (don't forget, she's the Loan Arranger of Las Vegas NV). So...I guess this is a lesson learned on your part and as Charles_Ca says...<this also should serve as a lesson that the services you provide have a cost attached to them>.

"Doc"

Reply by Elizabeth Soliday on 8/26/06 8:32pm
Msg #141183

Re: Agree...not the ss's problem that yr fax machine's toast....

Okay,

I just read my post again and it didn't sound right. Here's the deal. I usually charge for faxbacks, but I didn' t find out they needed faxbacks till after printing the docs. So should I always tack on the extra charge? It is a PAIN to take out all the papers from the package and replace them, takes a lot of extra time. I know it is not their fault my fax failed.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 8/26/06 8:38pm
Msg #141185

Re: Agree...not the ss's problem that yr fax machine's toast....

Yes, if they did not tell you about fax-backs of course you let them know that there is a charge. I don't know how you got the docs but I usually read the pertinent stuff (notices to notary) before I print my docs. Unfortunately many of the SS are less than candid about their demands and frequently hide them in the docs.

Reply by Jenny_CA on 8/26/06 9:02pm
Msg #141187

Re: Agree...not the ss's problem that yr fax machine's toast....

sometimes I keep it short and once I know if it's edocs or overnight I ask three questions : is it a first and a second? English or Spanish? Anything in particular that I need to be aware of? then I state my fee and add " if you require fax backs it's extra".


Hello Charles, hope you had a good summer.

Reply by BrendaTx on 8/26/06 9:05pm
Msg #141188

Re: Agree...not the ss's problem that yr fax machine's toast....

**And you treat every signing as if they had faxbacks (included in your price)?**

I do now. I learned!

I had one back at the first of the year from "major nationwide title company." The documents came to me and they wanted 1/2 of the docs (around 50 or more pages) of fax backs. First time it had ever occurred.

I emailed them to ask for a price increase after I read their instructions about faxing back. The response was: "We do not pay extra for faxing back. So sorry!"

So, I wrote them back and said, "We have a problem. This is not good because I charge extra for faxing back." (My base fee was $35 lower until this occurred - I did learn something that day.)

They told me how it was all my fault, etc. etc. if the loan did not get done. Much emailing ensued...to the point they were circulating the email and literally wrote and told me I was stupid for not wanting to fax back to a toll-free number. (Whatever.)

I hate bullies and that's ridiculous to blame a notary >CONTRACTOR< for blindsiding them with fax backs on an already low price.

Well...finally, somehow someone up the line got the email later that day and apologized to
me via phone call which was nice, but I saw a side of them I did not know existed through that experience. No more. No thank you. We are self-employed to have the choice and ability to avoid that kind of garbage.

I learned to decide ahead a price I would fax back, take edocs (because most of them are now) and to set that as my all inclusive price.

This was the story of another of the "old classics" which has gone down the tube as far as we are concerned, been sold to a title company who owns a signing service and is learning the fine art of grinding notaries down on their fees (think F-A_-_).

Reply by LkArrowhd/CA on 8/27/06 12:27pm
Msg #141247

Re: Charles do you think it is intentional for ss to hide

faxback requirements.......I just always thought it was poorly placed in the work order.

Reply by BrendaTx on 8/26/06 9:07pm
Msg #141189

Re: Agree...not the ss's problem that yr fax machine's toast....

Elizabeth...it is a pain. More and more are asking for this. Once, my fax failed and I had to fax back $31.00 worth of faxes via the Office Supply company. They don't care if it is a toll free number of not. That's the going retail rate.

Reply by Tina_MA on 8/26/06 9:43pm
Msg #141196

If fax-backs were not disclosed at the time she accepted the signing, she *should* go back to them and revise the fee.

Closing loans is not *all inclusive*.

If there are e-docs, fax-backs, additional loans, split packages, etc. that were not disclosed at the time the fee was agreed upon, you most certainly should go back and tell them what the additional fee for each service is.

At that point, the company can choose to pay for the additional service(s), or tell you that they no longer require that additional service(s) and wish to just have the loan closed without the extras.

Reply by Elizabeth Soliday on 8/26/06 10:49pm
Msg #141201

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone

I think I will increase my fees. I am the only notary in my small town. I am going to see if I can get another fax machine tomorrow, but enough of these hidden extras!!

Reply by Dave_CA on 8/27/06 10:13am
Msg #141229

Re: Thanks for all the suggestions everyone

Elizabeth,
Check out the Canon Faxphone L170. I had been using my HP 7410 All in one but it was way too slow and needed too much babysitting.
I've had the Canon for about 6 months and it has taken much of the frustration out of fax-backs. It has a 50 sheet document feeder and scans to memory (very quickly) then sends.
I also set it to print a confirmation which includes a thumbnail of the 1st page as well as the page count. Then if/when there are questions I have proof.
This fax will also serve as a backup printer.
I still have to separate out the pages but the actual sending is no longer a PITA.

I also always ask and I do charge extra for fax-backs. It's not just the cost of sending them but also the extra time and travel as I'm not able to drop the docs on my way home.

And no, I don't work for Canon.

Reply by Gary_CA on 8/27/06 11:29am
Msg #141235

Another choice, and how to get it cheap.

I've got a Brother I'm real happy with. Haven't done signings, or y'alls volume yet, but use it as a Realtor, and give it a pretty good workout. Mine is a 2800, you'd get a newer model.

So here's the hot tip... go to Brother.com and find a refurbed model. Guarantee like a new one with guaranteed 80% or better life on the drum. I got mine a little over a year ago for $149. Somebody had another they were going to GIVE me, but I bought this instead because it was cheaper than a drum for the freebie.


Brother makes a laser all-in-one too that could serve as a backup printer.