Posted by Cari on 12/3/09 12:23pm
Msg #312964
WHAT A JOKE! A & L SIGNING CONNECTIONS aka
A&L Mobile Notary...
I have to post the email just so you all can see how unprofessional this company is! Besides the bulk email sent, I was okay with it for the price was right...but please read on...
1st email:
From: Angie Anderson-Lane [mailto:[e-mail address]] On Behalf Of Angie Anderson-Lane
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:54 AM
To: Angie Anderson-Lane
Subject: RE: I have a signing in your area
Importance: High
N Michigan Ave Chicago, IL 60611
Closing Date Time December 9th 12:00 pm
$125 with edocs
This email is being sent to all area notaries in and out of our database, so reply as soon as you can if you want to take this singing. The first responder will get the closing and will receive a confirmation.
*Visit http://www.alsigningconnection.com to be added to our database.
My response:
From: Cari Rivera [mailto:[e-mail address]]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 12:09 PM
To: [e-mail address]
Subject: RE: I have a signing in your area
I am available. However, you need to waive the $25.00 sign up fee. Also, what is your payout schedule?
Let me know if you’re interested.
Caridad Rivera
773.885.3874
Their 2nd response:
From: Angie Anderson-Lane [mailto:[e-mail address]]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 11:34 AM
To: 'Cari Rivera'
Subject: [Bulk] RE: I have a signing in your area
You are not required to sign up for our database to be assigned the closing. You do not have to pay $25 to have the closing. So, I am not able to waive the $25 fee. For you reference, the $25 fee is a one-time fee for your notary listed to be included on the site. You can link your website to it and it is included on all of our advertising and site submissions.
If you would like the closing, you were the first responder. Please let me know asap as there were others wanting to take it.
Thank you.
My 2nd Response:
From: Cari Rivera [mailto:[e-mail address]]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 12:38 PM
To: [e-mail address]
Subject: RE: [Bulk] RE: I have a signing in your area
Thanks for the information. What are your paydates?
-Cari
Their 3rd Response:
From: Angie Anderson-Lane [mailto:[e-mail address]]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 11:46 AM
To: 'Cari Rivera'
Subject: [Bulk] RE: [Bulk] RE: I have a signing in your area
Net 15
Then I get another email from them:
RE: I have a signing in your area - THIS CLOSING HAS BEEN FILLED. IF YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS MESSAGE, YOU WERE NOT ASSINGED THE CLOSING. THANK YOU
What the hell??
My final response:
What a joke! You say I was the first to respond, and that there were others waiting…but yet, when I give you my answer that I am available, and in the same email, ask a question about your payment dates, you give this to someone else?
Seriously unprofessional behavior.
-Cari
BEWARE.....
|
Reply by jba/fl on 12/3/09 12:25pm
Msg #312965
Sometimes, the phone is better for finalizations. n/m
|
Reply by Linda Hubbell on 12/3/09 12:31pm
Msg #312966
Hate to say it because I can see your point, Cari
but they didn't want to play around...they wanted the order filled and be done with it - if the price was right for you the other details could have been ironed out after acceptance and if not to your satisfaction your turn it back..
My .02
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 12:32pm
Msg #312968
I didn't turn my back Linda, I gave them an answer!
I said I was available? Where didn't you read that in what I posted....let me double check...but I did give her answer....
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 12:31pm
Msg #312967
UPDATE...received another email from Angie...
Her response:
"Thanks for the information. What are your paydates?
-Cari"
Then nothing after my answer to the above. I do not consider this an acceptance. I have too much going on to play games. You either want the closing or you do not. And put all of your emails together and I say do not.
I would say ask anyone who has worked for us, and unprofessional would with out a doubt, NOT be used. I don't have time to go back and forth.
Thank you. I will take you off further lists.
My response:
Angie,
I also do not have time to play games, however, I gave you a reply, which was that I was available! Its not my fault you didn't check your email or that you are so unorganized that you can't keep track of which emails you answer!
-Cari
Seriously hurt I was taken off of their list.....NOT!
|
Reply by LKT/CA on 12/3/09 12:54pm
Msg #312974
Here's my 4 cents.....as soon as the SS received a response to their blast email inquiry (tacky), the scheduler should have picked up the phone and called the Notary to work out the details and answer questions. The mere fact that the SS assigned the job to someone else "because they don't have time to go back and forth" is suspect, IMHO. They have a "live one", someone interested who responded. Why does one not have time to answer questions and work out details? The payment schedule is certainly something I would like to know upfront, too. I choose not to work for companies that pay past 30 days.
I agree with Cari.....the SS handled this in a tacky fashion. Yes, Cari could have called them and waded through a menu to get to the scheduler but the burden of contact is on the SS, they initiated the quest - it's up to THEM to call the Notary, follow through and finalize the job. JMHO
|
Reply by Notarysigner on 12/3/09 1:02pm
Msg #312977
MortgageDocs does the same thing..I told them they should also email the Docs and the first notary to the borrower wins! LOL I asked to be removed from their "Notary priority list"
|
Reply by LKT/CA on 12/3/09 1:04pm
Msg #312979
<<<I told them they should also email the Docs and the first notary to the borrower wins!>>>
LOL....you are too funny!
|
Reply by CopperheadVA on 12/3/09 1:11pm
Msg #312980
I agree with LKT that SS should pick up the phone and call when someone responds - if SS does not want all the back and forth, then blasting an e-mail to all notaries in the area is not the way to go. SS should include all that info in the e-mail if they want to limit questions.
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 1:16pm
Msg #312982
what gets me about all of this is that I wrote I was
available. Then got totally ignored because SHE failed to read her email with my response.
I guess I had to spell it out in crayon or serial killer typing for her to understand that I was available. And I know for some on ths board, I should have been more specific, like type YES I AM AVAILABLE in bold, or that perhaps the rest of my response could or may be construed as a contingent to my accepting the job, regardless, I wrote I was available. How much more simplier could I have gotten. (I wonder if there is a crayon or serial killer font out there for me to use...he he)
When she sent me the one email with the "sorry but we filled the job" in the subject line, I'm thinking one of three things could've happened:
1. she's a complete moron, and just couldn't keep up with her bulk email responses to see that I answered her, or
2. she got a lower bid or offer, or
3. some idiot nsa paid the $25.00 subscription to sign up on their 'list' and got the gig.
Either way, I'm happy it worked out like this. I hope that whomever took it, gets paid.
And as luck would have it, I just got two jobs for the same week! =)
|
Reply by mwm143 on 12/3/09 1:34pm
Msg #312986
You used the word "however" which made it a counteroffer. n/m
|
Reply by CaliNotary on 12/3/09 7:08pm
Msg #313031
Re: what gets me about all of this is that I wrote I was
Here are the pertinent parts that I see, in chronological order of response:
"I am available. However, you need to waive the $25.00 sign up fee. Also, what is your payout schedule?"
"If you would like the closing, you were the first responder. Please let me know asap as there were others wanting to take it."
"Thanks for the information. What are your paydates?"
So after you made it clear that you were available, they made it clear that the closing had not been given to you yet, but was yours if you wanted it. And instead of saying yes or no, you said "thanks for the information". You ask how much simpler you could have made it, but how much simpler could they have made it to let you know that you hadn't been assigned the signing yet? Was "If you would like the closing...please let me know ASAP" too vague for you?
|
Reply by Angela L Anderson-Lane on 12/3/09 1:53pm
Msg #312990
Actually, I have no problem answering any questions about what she asked. It wasn't until the rude comments continued to come via email that I let her know I do not have time to play games. If someone doesn't want to take my closing because I request them via email, then do not accept. I have no problem with that. She did not accept after I answered her questions.
Angie
|
Reply by Mortgage Closings Inc - Heather on 12/3/09 3:30pm
Msg #313000
Angie,
I will do your closings. I had no problem with the one I did for you the other day! I service the entire state of Michigan and Chicago Area. Hope to hear from you soon!
|
Reply by Dorothy_MI on 12/3/09 3:42pm
Msg #313003
Inquiring minds would like to know
How are you covering the entire state of Mi and the Chicago area? I cover south east Michigan and some days find that a stretch if the assignments are in a couple of different counties. How did you get an IL and a MI certificate? Unless you are a signing service soliciting another signing service.
|
Reply by Linda_H/FL on 12/3/09 3:48pm
Msg #313005
Re: Inquiring minds would like to know
Which would make this equation so far "title to SS to second SS to notary" OR
"title to SS to second SS to third SS to notary"...
Thanks for asking this Dorothy, I was curious about that too..
|
Reply by PAW on 12/4/09 7:42pm
Msg #313138
Here's how... read ...
http://www.mcinotaries.com/
|
Reply by Smitty/MI on 12/3/09 5:21pm
Msg #313023
Same here, Angie is fair and quick with pay. I have no problems working with her.
|
Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 12/3/09 1:25pm
Msg #312985
I always accept by phone and to ask my questions. I don't have time to sit at the computer and go back and forth with somebody to work out the details.
|
Reply by Pat/IL on 12/3/09 2:01pm
Msg #312991
Hmmm...Not so sure I agree
Cari, you stopped posting the time line after Angie's answer to your pay schedule question. It seems to me, she got the drift that you were available, she just didn't know if you were interested in taking the job.
Note, the original blast email is sent at 10:54 Angie's time. In Angie's second reply, at 11:34, she asks, "If you would like the closing, you were the first responder. Please let me know ASAP..." This should have indicated to you that she wanted to know if you were interested in taking the job.
You responded at 11:38, inquiring once again about pay dates.
Angie responded at 11:45 with the answer: "Net 15".
11 minutes may be a bit quick to turn the job over to somebody else, but you don't give any indication as to how long after that you received the email stating that the job had been filled. And, how long should she have waited for your answer as to whether you were interested in taking the job?
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 3:00pm
Msg #312995
Pat, I answered her that I was available, and then
reiterated my question as to the paydates.
So she knew all along that I was available.
|
Reply by Angela L Anderson-Lane on 12/3/09 1:47pm
Msg #312988
I think your post speaks for itself as I explained to you in my emails after that. Accepting a closing with conditions is not an acceptance. I asked you a 2nd time to please let me know asap if you wanted the closing and you responded with "Thanks for the information. What are your paydates?". I then respond to your question again, and I didn't get anything back from you accepting. I think that you are very rude and am very glad that we will not be working together in the future. I have worked with many notaries and am a notary myself. I would never speak to anyone that way, nor have I ever had another notary speak to me that way. I answered your final question (pay dates) at 11:46am and you never responded until 1:13pm I gave the closing to another closer.
Angela L Anderson-Lane
A.L. Mobile Notary Signing Service
A.L. Signing Connections
|
Reply by Pat/IL on 12/3/09 2:06pm
Msg #312992
"I answered your final question (pay dates) at 11:46am and you never responded until 1:13pm I gave the closing to another closer."
Well, that answers my questions.
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 3:16pm
Msg #312997
...Angie, this is getting nowhere fast...
"Accepting a closing with conditions is not an acceptance." I agree, however, how is it exactly that I said yes, but.....
Plain and simple: I wrote in your original bulk email, "I was available....." Just how was this answer conditional?
A reasonable person would've either taken what I wrote as, "yes, she's available, let me call her to confirm and also answer her question over the phone", or "let me call her to confirm because her email is confusing"
Either way, you should have called me, it would've saved us both alot of frustration on such a cold afternoon.
|
Reply by CaliNotary on 12/3/09 6:43pm
Msg #313029
Re: ...Angie, this is getting nowhere fast...
"Plain and simple: I wrote in your original bulk email, "I was available....." Just how was this answer conditional? "
"I am available" and "I accept the closing" are two completely different statements and ideas. I'm available for a closing by SOX right now, but I sure as hell wouldn't accept one from them.
I wouldn't take "I am available" followed by more questions as an acceptance either, I would assume that the person was still trying to determine whether the terms were acceptable or not. If you had questions that needed immediate answers, you should have picked up the phone and called them right away. It's totally unreasonable for you to think it's THEIR responsibility to call you. You want the job, you do the legwork, or you risk someone else coming in and swooping up the closing from underneath you. You snooze, you lose.
And BTW, just as you never actually said "I accept the closing", they never actually said "the closing is assigned to you" either, they just said that you were the first to respond. Not the same thing either.
And FWIW, I think email scheduling is idiotic. A good signing service should be scheduling signings to their best signing agents in the area, not sending out mass emails and giving it to any slob that responds.
|
Reply by CopperheadVA on 12/3/09 8:04pm
Msg #313049
Re: ...Angie, this is getting nowhere fast...
<< And FWIW, I think email scheduling is idiotic. A good signing service should be scheduling signings to their best signing agents in the area, not sending out mass emails and giving it to any slob that responds. >>
ABSOLUTELY!!!
|
Reply by Angela L Anderson-Lane on 12/4/09 11:47am
Msg #313114
Re: ...Angie, this is getting nowhere fast...
FYI, they are being emailed to about 5 notary's that are experienced and normally on my list of notary's. I think that there are a lot of assumptions being made here.
|
Reply by desktopfull on 12/4/09 7:22am
Msg #313087
Sounds like a communication problem
You know that saying: "What I said isn't necessarily what you heard," maybe both should work on their communication skills instead of blasting each other on this forum.
|
Reply by GA/Atty on 12/3/09 3:28pm
Msg #312999
I do not read your responses as an acceptance of the job.
I think Angie did everything right in this case.
I only read the original post, by the way.
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 3:38pm
Msg #313002
Okay that's fine...and based on my original post,
and answer, I believe she should've called to confirm my response, at the very least.
|
Reply by MW/VA on 12/3/09 4:11pm
Msg #313009
Re: Okay that's fine...and based on my original post,
Regarding "seriously unprofessional behavior", IMO it is exactly that to have posted this email communication here.
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 4:29pm
Msg #313013
why not? n/m
|
Reply by Sandra Clark on 12/3/09 6:16pm
Msg #313026
Cari - Why didn't you call her once you thought you accepted n/m
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 7:10pm
Msg #313032
Calling to confirm is the job of the SS or TC, NOT
IMHO, the duty of the NSA. I was expecting an email confirmation with the details.
|
Reply by CaliNotary on 12/3/09 7:15pm
Msg #313034
Their company, their money, their rules
If you're not going to be proactive because you think it's not YOUR job, then sometimes you're gonna lose out.
|
Reply by John/CT on 12/4/09 8:27am
Msg #313095
The Golden Rule:
Those who have the gold make the rules. 
|
Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 12/3/09 7:15pm
Msg #313035
In this market the early bird catches the worm.
If you want the job, say so. Don't stand on ceremonies. Angela waited as long as she could.
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 8:14pm
Msg #313052
ceremony? funny...look I wrote I was available...
nuff said...
|
Reply by CaliNotary on 12/3/09 8:46pm
Msg #313058
And you never actually accepted it
nuff said.
|
Reply by Cari on 12/4/09 5:31am
Msg #313077
not sure what "I'm available" means anymore...
...I honestly thought I would see or comprehend all of this a little bit more clearly this morning, but I don't. But I do agree with some, that this whole mess was due to a failure to communicate. Perhaps on both ends.
|
Reply by Sandra Clark on 12/3/09 7:56pm
Msg #313045
Re: Calling to confirm is the job of the SS or TC, NOT
Maybe next time they'll call, email etc and BEG you to take the job. Yeh - when pigs fly. Get off your high horse and work like the rest of us - go get the job. Don't wait for it to come to you. Or quit you b@#@# and drop it!
|
Reply by Cari on 12/3/09 8:09pm
Msg #313050
whoaaa Sandra, I mean Silver.... n/m
|
Reply by Les_CO on 12/3/09 7:30pm
Msg #313039
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Anyone with a cell phone (and in this case a computer) can start a Signing Service. And now the more entrepreneurial, are CHARGING (foolish) notaries to work for them!
Is this a GREAT COUNTRY or what?
|
Reply by BrendaTx on 12/3/09 7:58pm
Msg #313047
Well said, Les. Great country, indeed! :) n/m
|
Reply by MW/VA on 12/3/09 8:24pm
Msg #313055
I don't know about bashing signing services. At least 50% of my work comes from ss, and some are great. I wouldn't be in business without them. If we can charge $25 for printing docs, why can't a company charge us to sign up with them???????
|
Reply by CaliNotary on 12/3/09 11:59pm
Msg #313075
"If we can charge $25 for printing docs, why can't a company charge us to sign up with them???????"
What on earth does one have to do with the other?
We charge $25 for printing docs because we're not idiots and we need to charge to cover the cost of supplies and time to perform this service. If there were no supplies needed and the time involved was the amount of time it takes a signing service to put us in their database (a one time effort of 5 minutes maybe?), we wouldn't charge for it either.
|
Reply by Marian_in_CA on 12/4/09 12:30am
Msg #313076
It's really quite simple...
The signing service keeps a portion of the funds paid out on every signing as their cut. If they weren't doing that, or if they were up front about a specific flat percentage of the fee that they kept, then I could see it. But right now, we all know a lot of these services are making real bank by keeping $60...$100...$150, maybe even more.
If a signing service is good enough and has enough business coming in, the idea of charging notaries would be ridiculous.
I have an agreement with one service where I only work on one specific Title Compnay's packages. They keep 15% of the total fee paid by Title. I get the other 85%, no matter what the total happens to be. (In this case, it's always well over $175) That's a special agreement, and not the norm, to be sure. But, they also know that if they call me, I'm taking the job and I'm going to do it well. They don't need to call around and play games.
If there were other services who used that business model across the board, then yeah... I'd probably pay a fee or jump a few hoops to get in to their database if it meant an exclusive right to an area or something like that.
What irks me are the ones who charge the fee and never call, or as in this case... send out a blast to notaries, both ones who paid and ones who didn't. If I were a paying notary to that service, I'd be right peeved with them.
There are a couple of inspection services who use the blast technique, but those blasts only go out to people who have gone through their approval process and have a proven track record of performance. Also, I've never been asked to pay to join any of them.
|
Reply by Marian_in_CA on 12/3/09 9:52pm
Msg #313068
However this ended up, the fact that the service sent out a blast notice like that to notaries who aren't even in their database yet is seriously tacky and unprofessional. In fact, it comes across to me as outright SPAM to solicit people to be the first top respond to an offer... for which they will need to pay for at some point? Not cool, and clearly indicative of the fact that the service doesn't really care who they hire, so long as they find a body and a notary seal. It's companies like those, in my experience, who are the ones who will cut corners and push the levels of legality to get a job done.
Why would anyone respond to something like that?
|
Reply by LKT/CA on 12/3/09 11:28pm
Msg #313072
7 STAR POST, MARIAN !!!
<<<However this ended up, the fact that the service sent out a blast notice like that to notaries who aren't even in their database yet is seriously tacky and unprofessional. In fact, it comes across to me as outright SPAM to solicit people to be the first top respond to an offer... for which they will need to pay for at some point? Not cool, and clearly indicative of the fact that the service doesn't really care who they hire, so long as they find a body and a notary seal. It's companies like those, in my experience, who are the ones who will cut corners and push the levels of legality to get a job done.....Why would anyone respond to something like that?>>>
Couldn't have said it better.......I absolutely agree 200%!!!
|
Reply by desktopfull on 12/4/09 7:20am
Msg #313086
They are apparently using someone's database in order to send the email. So they are trusting the source of the database to have qualified notaries, what's unprofessional or tacky about that? Can't tell you how many SS schedulers call me that don't have a clue about this business and can't answer the simplest question about the closing when they call, that to me is tacky and unprofessional.
|
Reply by John/CT on 12/4/09 8:21am
Msg #313093
Re: "So they are trusting the source ...."
Wasn't it said some time ago, "Trust by verify" ... or words to that effect?
|
Reply by John/CT on 12/4/09 8:31am
Msg #313097
Opps, that should have read, "Trust but verify" n/m
|
Reply by Riley/FL on 12/4/09 9:08am
Msg #313102
Re: Opps, that should have read, "Trust but verify"
That was Ronald Reagen regarding nuclear arms reduction and the USSR, I believe. If I receive an Email closing, I usually respond that I am available, please send confirmation. Then I do my checking of the SS reputation, pay schedule, etc. If they don't measure up, I give it back. I think this is only fair when an SS basts emails to all NSAs. I don't take alot of time on it either.
|
Reply by desktopfull on 12/4/09 9:14am
Msg #313103
Re: Opps, that should have read, "Trust but verify"
I agree, but what's the point of blasting the company on the forum when all you said was "I'm available," but didn't "accept" and asked more questions.
|
Reply by jba/fl on 12/4/09 10:18am
Msg #313106
Are we still beating this dead horse today?
Here is a sample script that Cari is going to follow in the future for email blasts:
Cari, (hereinafter referred to as C): Me, me, pick me
SS: You were the first to reply - do you want?
C: yes.
Then, she will either apend a note asking: When can I expect payment? and any other questions she may have regarding that particular job.
OR
she will pick up the phone, call the SS, and ask her questions
THUS
avoiding miscommunications.
The End
Am I right C? Of course you are.
Painful lesson learned.
Bravo, Applause.
The End
|
Reply by jba/fl on 12/4/09 10:21am
Msg #313107
Meant to say, Care and anyone else will respond thusly n/m
|
Reply by jba/fl on 12/4/09 10:29am
Msg #313108
Oops Meant to say, Cari n/m
|
Reply by Cari on 12/4/09 10:56am
Msg #313111
excellent! n/m
|
