Posted by MBCA on 2/6/06 8:18am
Msg #94644

Fax Backs Taking Time And Gas!

I'm having to do a great deal of fax backs and was wondering how the notaries who accept them deal with them? Last week I had 2 that wanted fax backs and the signing were about about 40 miles away from me. I'm in a rural area so that's something I have to deal with. If I followed the SS plan I'd have to drive to the signing them drive all the way back home to fax the documents they want and then drive to FEDEX and drop the docs (35 miles)! Any profit I make will be eaten up in gas! There is a Kinkos in the middle of town that I used for the last one but it cost $14 to fax the docs (which I charged the SS for)! I had another one over the weekend, I took the docs home and faxed them to the signing service, but this time I call FedEx to see if they would pick up. They said yes, but it would cost the title/escrow company $4. Is this OK or will I lose business because I didn't take it directly to FEDEX? There are no drop off boxes out here.

Reply by Stamper_WI on 2/6/06 8:48am
Msg #94652

I got a call that my daughter was in a car accident as I was walking into a fax back signing last week. I did the signing and ran home to fax back and they had a voicemail on their fax! it wouldn't accept faxes! I had to fax to another notary to fax to them after 10 am my time the next day (they were in CA and I am in WI...2 hrs difference) so I could leave town. I took the package with me and they finally called late the next afternoon to go ahead and drop the doc's. THEN i had to find a drop box in a strange town. I made it with 5 min to spare.

Reply by MistarellaFL on 2/6/06 8:58am
Msg #94655

This is a just a suggestion...

When I have run into that situation (and I have many times: early drop box p/u times here, late drops are 20-30 miles in either direction).
I have stopped and made COPIES of the pages needed for fax backs. I made sure they were absolutely correct first, so that I did not send back an incomplete package.
I then drop the package, and go home and fax back the copies.
If you are sure of your work, this may be a less expensive solution for you.

Reply by Teddog_CO on 2/6/06 9:00am
Msg #94657

MBCA,

For starters we are offering a Personal Service and this kind of service does cost money (something lowballers) just can't get a handle on.

You have to charge for the fax backs (faxing is just wasting your time) the same with splitting pkgs- excessive call backs to companies w/no toll free number,..etc. for us TIME is money , with experience you learn to organise everything. I live in a rural area also, pick-up is a great time & gas saver - or you will have to start charging for the extra trips. The company that hires you just wants those PKGS back ASAP.

So sit down ad refigure your fees so you are not losing money-it sounds like you could be losing $$. If you have companies that don't want to pay you for faxing and you're doing a lot of faxing for them, you will just have to start working with another company. Simple as that-you can't be paying out money to close their loans.

Hope this is some help to you.

Reply by MBCA on 2/6/06 9:45am
Msg #94671

Thanks so much for the feedback and yes Teddog, I am factoring in the cost of all this running around! Love this board!

Reply by MBCA on 2/6/06 9:48am
Msg #94674

To Stamper!

Hope your daughter is all right?

Reply by Beth/MD on 2/6/06 10:15am
Msg #94678

Teddog is right on target! I also charge for faxbacks. And if I have several signings back to back, they'll just have to wait. I have turned down signings from a couple of SS that require more phone calls then my mom did my first semester in college. That's just eating valuable time (and my patience).

Reply by Teddog_CO on 2/6/06 10:42am
Msg #94699

Ah! Yes Beth it is a fascinating dance is'nt it! lol nm

Reply by PL on 2/6/06 9:54am
Msg #94676

I too live in the sticks

I tell them upfront that I wll fax back everything and drop off the packet after I have completed all of today's business. Some days it's early and some days it's not. It seems to work out for me, because I tell them up front.

Reply by janCA on 2/6/06 11:25am
Msg #94721

I don't stress over this anymore.

This is how I too handle the situation. I used to stress over this but most title, lenders, etc. just want the docs back in a reasonable amount of time, unless they state specifically they need them the next day and depending on when the actual signing took place whether or not you can get them to the courier in time. If it's an early signing and it's not EOM and I have the time, I'll certainly do my best to get them to a drop box. If it's mid-day and I have signings for the rest of the day, I usually don't fax anything back until the next morning. This works for me.

Reply by Kurt Gross on 2/6/06 1:42pm
Msg #94763

I charge $25 if there are more than 3 pages to be faxed back. I explain why (time, travel, expenses, etc).

If it's just a page or two, then I print an extra copy, say it's a HUD or front and last of a DOT, take it with me to the signing, have the borrower sign the extra copies, too. I drop the docs off on my way home and fax the extra copies to the title company when I get back to my office.

I've found a few title companies who will waive the 'fax back' rule, but most won't, and they don't mind paying me for the trouble.

My general rule is, I want to get paid for my work. If they're not willing to pay, I figure that other Notaries in my area can work for p-nuts and they'll eventually learn and adjust, or they'll simply move on to other ventures.

Why dine on p-nuts when there are plenty of walnuts and cashews around?

Anyone have any other ideas?

Kurt Gross
www.quixtar.com #909916