Posted by Leonard Texas Mobile Notary Services on 2/19/08 2:22pm
Msg #236023

NO more package edocing for us.

We have stopped taking full edoc packages from lenders. It has gotten out of hand and the only way we could control our business was to stop. Lenders are requested to send their prepared documents to our offices for presentation. If they want to edoc we will transfer their file as received to FedEx Kinkos, AS RECEIVED, for printing at their cost. We also started a requirment that paperwork arrive 24 hours before the scheduled signing. We will allow edoc corrections but only IF the original document is in our hands. SO far everyone has been cooperating. Our costs of operations has gone down and business has remained strong. In our office the feeling is, if they don't want to work to our requirments...go somewhere else. Some of our clients even applaud our stand on sound and solid business practice. Will you join us?

Reply by sue_pa on 2/19/08 2:31pm
Msg #236024

...business has remained strong...

I'd sure like a monthly average number for 'strong' since you've started this procedure. I'll stop short of actually calling you a liar but if I imposed these 'business practices', being low man on the entire pole, I'd lose 95% or more of my business.

Reply by Leonard Texas Mobile Notary Services on 2/19/08 2:55pm
Msg #236033

If you don't set standards for your business it's not really yours.....but theirs to do what they want.

Reply by sue_pa on 2/19/08 3:03pm
Msg #236037

a number, please

since you've told us your business plan / standards, a number to go with it surely won't harm anything.

No matter what anyone thinks, it's the client's business, not ours, and we must adjust to a certain extent or go out of business. Everyone has to set their own limits but you can believe Countrywide isn't going to change the way they do things because I don't like their way.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 2/19/08 3:15pm
Msg #236042

Re: a number, please ~ Sue I understand what you are saying

but the business still is yours, ours, mine. It is not the clients' business. We must make decisions that optimize OUR business and if it works to reduce costs by eliminating e-docs and one can sell the concept (or has a monopoly on the business) to one's client then one is obligated to do what is best for thier business. I don't disagree that in this business because of the surplus of notaries the notary has become a commodity and the client is in the drivers seat but things change and situations vary: it's still your business and your decision to do with it what you will.

Reply by Leonard Texas Mobile Notary Services on 2/19/08 3:34pm
Msg #236048

Re: a number, please

Sorry...took a little to get the last two weeks count. Slow couple of weeks because of mid month..22..but have two most every day this week and one saturday. None scheduled for this coming monday but two again on tuesday. about 40% of the business is closing, the rest are field inspections and process serving.

Reply by sue_pa on 2/19/08 7:57pm
Msg #236101

success?

our definitions of 'success' via number of appts. is vastly different. I'd have lost so far this week 6 appts. with your method. I've got 4 others scheduled that probably would disappear closer to the 24 hour limit because I absolutely know the docs won't be here 24 hours ahead of time. To each his own.

Reply by Philip Johnson on 2/19/08 2:38pm
Msg #236026

Just a little search on this site alone

shows you to be the only notary in 50 miles in your zip code. I assume the rest of us have a bit more competition than you so chances are we'll play with the current rules.

Reply by sn/oh on 2/19/08 2:53pm
Msg #236030

Re: Just a little search on this site alone

"Ditto!" n/m

Reply by JanetK_CA on 2/19/08 7:19pm
Msg #236096

Re: Just a little search on this site alone

I just checked. After the clean up, I've gone from about 750 within 20 miles to a mere 251. Big improvement, but I don't think I'll be giving up edocs any time soon!

Reply by Ernest__CT on 2/19/08 2:47pm
Msg #236027

Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee, ho, ho, ho! You're too funny. n/m

Reply by Leonard Texas Mobile Notary Services on 2/19/08 2:57pm
Msg #236034

Re: Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, hee, ho, ho, ho! You're too funny.

All the way to the bank!

Reply by justin/CA on 2/19/08 2:53pm
Msg #236031

Will I join you? NO!

Reply by Loretta on 2/19/08 3:09pm
Msg #236038

Leonard....It won't happen here. I get my fee, including email docs and I am happy and satisfied. You are talking about people losing their business, that's not smart for most of us.
There are 10 notaries in my area doing closings, me telling the lenders that I won't accept email docs would be suicide.

You will find yourself in the unemployment line as soon as notaries in your area start networking.

Reply by dlcva on 2/19/08 3:27pm
Msg #236047

maybe he is trying to get rid of the other notaries by getting them to set unreasonable goals, while he is really getting edocs and printing away like the rest of us

Reply by Ernest__CT on 2/19/08 4:06pm
Msg #236056

Gee, ya think? n/m

Reply by SoCal Signing Co. on 2/19/08 6:11pm
Msg #236076

I don't think he has an agenda, but the only signing agent in 50 miles? they can pretty much set their own rules on all scores. They could even ask that the borrower come to them

it would not work in any of the more populated areas.

Reply by CJ on 2/19/08 6:30pm
Msg #236081

I get email docs from one company regularly . . .

They always call at the last minute, I am sitting home doing nothing, their pdfs print in five minutes. I am not cutting off this supply line of income.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 2/19/08 6:52pm
Msg #236088

Well, if you want to give Fedex-Kinkos the profit on edocs you could be taking to the bank, be my guest. Personally, I will charge the edoc fee and pocket the profit. I don't seem to have the issues with edocs you seem to have. I accept the job, let them know that I will schedule the signing after I get the docs. I get the docs, print them and go to work. What could be simpler? Why would I want to farm out printing to a place where I have to drive 20 miles to pick them up? You probably have one next door.

I may be dense, but I don't understand what you mean by "out of hand". Before I retired, one of my jobs was to go to underperforming stores in the chain and turn them around. Besides the usual expense controls that go into a retail operation, we would address customer service and the customers needs and through that would increase the sales at the store. Addressing customers needs brought business.

You are in the customer service business, my friend, and your take on telling the customer on how it's going to be instead of maybe addressing their needs is fine when you have little to no competition. But just wait until the Wal-Mart of notaries moves in to your area and then see how your method works. People remember poor customer service when they only have had one place to go and then someone new moves into the neighborhood.

I seem to be keeping busy when a lot of notaries are sitting in my area. I would like to think it's because of the service reputation I have built. But to each his own.

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/19/08 7:34pm
Msg #236099

Glenn...you said, it buddy.

WTH is Leonard thinking? Driving around to pick up docs? Letting Kinko's make the money he could be making? Brilliant.

Reply by Linda Juenger on 2/19/08 7:39pm
Msg #236100

Isn't there a privacy issue here also. Kinkos has access

all borrowers personal information. Do you really want to be responsible for that?? There are ID thieves everywhere, including Brownsville, TX.

Reply by Loretta on 2/19/08 8:11pm
Msg #236104

Re: Isn't there a privacy issue here also. Kinkos has access

Some people have an issue with sending docs to Kinkos. I don't. I only send them there in emergencies (once every 2 months). The title companies I work for don't have an issue with it.

Reply by Linda Juenger on 2/19/08 9:15pm
Msg #236120

I would be very very upset if my personal information

was sent to a Kinko's for God knows who to see. An emergency I understand. But, you are saying Loretta that you have emergencies every 2 months??? I have never had an emergency to use Kinko's. Luck I guess in over 2 1/2 years. JMO

Reply by Loretta on 2/20/08 6:38am
Msg #236161

Re: I would be very very upset if my personal information

Sorry, Linda, but most of my clients are title companies and attorneys that love those last minute, last day of the month to get their stuff done. If I am out doing closings and can't get back to the office, I will ask them to send it right on to Kinkos.

I wouldn't be too worried about the guy at Kinkos who has been there since I started doing email docs, I tend to be more worried about these non-licensed (Title Producers License required in Maryland) notaries that go around doing closings for $50.

Reply by Leonard Texas Mobile Notary Services on 2/20/08 2:55am
Msg #236157

Re: Isn't there a privacy issue here also. Kinkos has access

Kinkos computers are very secure, more so then the average small company, the company is bonded and insured (and a lot more coverage then I keep). They are also used by many government agencies for documents. That little amount of "profit" (that I have never seen doing documents) they can have. I'll spend my time doing something else. Yes, I'll print the, every so often, correction pages but I will not sit staring at that printer nor have anyone else. My clients know where their print files will go...they have the option to print themselves, it's really up to them.

Reply by ZeeCA on 2/19/08 9:09pm
Msg #236118

Re: Isn't there a privacy issue here also. Kinkos has access

I don't think there is an issue as when I was a paralegal we took every single doc in a big filing to outside copying. we never had to stand there and watch ... we just went back and picked up the finished product later in the day. Now if it there was a privacy issue two of my secretarys at a time had go to our inside copier and stand there and 'watch each other' while they copied documents.....

Reply by MistarellaFL on 2/20/08 2:33pm
Msg #236247

Re: Glenn...you said, it buddy.

There are ways to get the edocs on the road without Kinkos..... make the client happy, and protect the borrowers' sensitive information.....and keep the e-doc profits.
Here in SW FL, I don't have the luxury of being a prima donna, but I do fantasize about it.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 2/19/08 10:39pm
Msg #236132

I'm with Glenn and Brenda, as usual. n/m

Reply by ALL SONOMA MOBILE NOTARY - Judith Neeley on 2/19/08 9:26pm
Msg #236122

Since I can't get high speed internet here, it's not

an issue for me, and so I have to decline edoc business. However recently I got a call from a SS at 7 PM wanting me to do the signing later that night after receiving and printing out the edocs. The signing was a 2 hour drive away in a distant county in a remote area of the countryside. They were offering me $75 for EVERYTHING. I about fell out of my chair laughing! That would have been a 4 hour drive round trip, the hour with the client, printing the docs, all for $75. Whoopie! Lucky me. I was glad I couldn't accept the assignment as I had a good excuse - above and beyond I would never work that cheap. Seems to be more crazy/unreasonable assignments coming up these days. While I sympathize with Leonard, you also don't want to cut off your nose to spite yourself. You can always negotiate, and then decide if it's worth your time and effort.

I recently had a similar call from a lender that wanted me to sign a contract and fill out a gazillion forms. Their pay was only $40! They don't pay if it's a no-show, or the signing doesn't take place even for no fault of the notary. I wrote back and declined to enter their network. They also just sent me out on a job 1.5 hour drive away one way - and if it had not gone through I would not have been paid! No way Jose.

I think we all have to decide our policies, but keep them balanced so that we are serving the needs of our customers without shooting ourselves in the foot. Let us know how this works out for you Leonard.

Reply by Leonard Texas Mobile Notary Services on 2/20/08 3:07am
Msg #236158

Re: Since I can't get high speed internet here, it's not

Well, so far it's working. A short while ago you would always receive the documents from the client but once they knew some agents would print on location everyone got into the act of edocing. My policy will stand, and if you ever go through the docs you receive you will ALWAYS find that one page that is "THE DOC FEE THEY CHARGE", any where from $100 - $250. It's about time they put-up or share that charge. Or is that $5-$7.50 you make on those documents, if you are lucky, that important to you? And yes, now I'm hearing the "we only pay $75 song"...only because some out there are taking it......Our office will not, go somewhere else, thank you, "click".

Reply by Leonard Texas Mobile Notary Services on 2/20/08 3:13am
Msg #236159

Re: Since I can't get high speed internet here, it's not

You may have noticed the 3:07am time stamp on the last message. Yes, it's 3! I have to do a field inspection at a tv station at 5 to see the equipment "working" for a leasing client. It only pays $50...per piece x 4. I'll go to breakfast from there. Have a nice day!