Posted by AngelinaAZ on 3/3/06 11:19pm
Msg #101854

One bad apple spoils the bunch!

I am so irritated. I have a lot of good contacts but certain companies are my favorite to work with. I have one small signing service in particular (go figure that they would be a favorite) but they are. They give me a consistant amount of business every month... the loans are fast and easy... they pay on time... and they are SOOOOO easy to work with.

About six weeks ago all business with them stopped. I called to find out what is going on and the owner told me that they lost a really big account because a notary called the Title Company and complained that they weren't getting paid. He said that this notary was always a pain in the butt and NEVER sent in the completion report. It is the ONE thing they ask... that you fill out a couple of things and fax it to them the next day and it serves as the invoice. He said that this notary NEVER did it. He warned her that it caused problems and if she didn't send it she wouldn't get paid. She didn't comply so she didn't get paid on time.

Now I don't know if he was telling the truth or not but I know that I have worked with them for a long time and they were the BEST!

He said that the TC was just waiting to find a reason to switch to a cheaper service but it would violate the contract. The notary calling and complaining gave them just the reason they were looking for.

Everybody works really hard for their good clients... I hope a dog pees on her briefcase!

Reply by FlaMac on 3/4/06 6:48am
Msg #101857

Sorry but she's a smart apple not a bad.....

one. I wouldn't want to see any SA get burned and I don't work for SS. If a SS won't pay on time then the SA has no choice but to call the TC, the Lender or the Borrower. It's the best way, and the quickest way, to collect from slow or deadbeat signing services. You might want to market directly to TC's and Lender's. The are much better to work with directly. Hopefully, this trend of using signing services will fade. 99% are fly by night or simply incompetent. JMHO.

Reply by LilyMD on 3/4/06 7:13am
Msg #101860

Re: Half right and half wrong FlaMac

While having to collect from deadbeat companies is a problem, I'm sorry to say, I'm very happy with 3 of the SS I still do business with. These ss are some of the best out there. They have high standards and excellent business ethics and pay schedules. I have also worked for a particular TC that has none of those. While over time and with experience, my client list has become 90% TC, I will still remain loyal to those great SS that gave me a chance when I was new and inexperienced. Just because it's a SS doesn't necessarily mean low pay and deadbeat ethics. YOU might want to rethink your marketing strategies. It sounds like you may be missing some good business with that attitude. JMHO.

Reply by FlaMac on 3/4/06 7:32am
Msg #101863

All good points..thanks! n/m

Reply by LawrenceOK on 3/4/06 8:25am
Msg #101867

Re: All good points..thanks!

You also did not seem to notice that the notary failed to complete and return the completion report, which acted as her invoice. It's no wonder she was not paid on time. Would you do a signing for a TC and then not send in your invoice?

Reply by John_NorCal on 3/4/06 9:10am
Msg #101873

Re: All good points..thanks!

My question on this is why did the SS keep on using that notary if they knew he/she was causing a problem by not turning in their invoice/completion report? It seems to me they were giving this person ammunition.

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 3/4/06 10:35am
Msg #101896

Re: All good points..thanks!

Every ss I have ever accepted assignments for has me do some sort of completion report. Whether by fax, email, website, or phone. By repeately contracting her services they did give the sa ammunition, but why did the sa continue to accept the assignments. Unfortunately it's a lesson learned the hard way for the ss which does suck because I have my favorite also. Why, they pay good, easy to work with, and pay timely. What comes around goes around the sa will learn the hard way when she looses a tc that she fails to confirm with.

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 3/4/06 10:37am
Msg #101897

In addition

I've always made it a point to email my lenders and tc's that I have done work for saying the signing is complete along with putting the invoice in the package.

Reply by AngelinaAZ on 3/4/06 11:09am
Msg #101903

Re: All good points..thanks!

I asked them the same question. He said that she had repeatedly not sent the completion report and that five times in a row they had called her and warned her and then sent it for her. The last time... he said... this is really important... I can't keep doing this for you.

We are not talking a bunch of unpaid invoices ... we are talking ONE! Incidentally, he also told me that the invoice was 31 days old when she called.

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 3/4/06 11:33am
Msg #101906

Re: All good points..thanks!

Oh good golly most ss don't even cut checks till 30 days. Please people read the instructions and the payment policies of each company. What I like to do is put a sticky or paperclip a note to the assignment that notes when payment should be sent. When you have many assignments from many different companies you need the notes. When working for ss you are agreeing to thier payment system. If it says check cut on the 30th then figure that sometimes they won't be signed and mailed for a couple of days (especially if the 30th is a friday), then they need to go through the postal system. Does that suck, yes it does but it's what you agree to when taking the assignment. You always have the option as an indepdant contractor to turn down companies with policies that you don't like.

Reply by Paul_IL on 3/4/06 1:37pm
Msg #101919

I find it hard to believe that the TC was able to break their contract based only on a single isolated incident. Bet there is more to the story on what has transpired between the SS and the TC.