Posted by Negrete on 2/14/09 9:23am
Msg #277535

From : Negrete's : To : Debbie Frisk

Lets start out with this statment :If I get bashed for this then so be it.

I will admit from the very start, Debbie is correct in her statement.

Here is my side of the situation.

Here is the scenario so everyone knows what happened. We had an order from a company that has a couple different type closings that we do for them. ( Just for those that know it was a TX closing ) In the state of TX they have loans that MUST close in a Attorney and/or Title office. I charge a higher fee for that type of closing obviously because I have to pay the notary more to get the office and rent it from the Attorney or Title Company. That being said there are also loans that DO NOT NEED an Attorney or Title Office to close in. This closing DID NOT NEED such office. We made the mistake of not catching the fact that this loan DID NOT NEED a Attorney or Title Office.

When we called Debbie Fisk, at first we quoted her the Attorney or Title Office fee that we pay our notaries. As soon as we realized the mistake that we had made we asked Debbie Fisk if she would lower her fee so we could make our small profit that we make on the TX closings that we close. SHe stated that our packages where very large and she COULD NOT lower her fee. with that we informed here that we would have to find soen for a lesser fee.

Now it is not our fault that we have different fees for different closings. The TX notaries that we work with know that we pay more for an Attorney or Title Office closing.

That being said , if you think that what we did is wrong then when we call you and you don't like the fee that we are offering keep in mind that I am a busniess just like you are. I am sure that you charge a Title Company more for a closing than you do a Signing Service like ours and many other Signing Services.

Anthony J Negrete
Negrete's notary Service Inc.

Reply by Linda Hubbell on 2/14/09 9:36am
Msg #277536

First off....this should have been addressed privately with Debbie - not here on this board....
regardless of the fact that she posted here of a bad experience with your company, Tony, rise above that and address it privately...MHO

Secondly...you said "at first we quoted her the Attorney or Title Office fee that we pay our notaries. As soon as we realized the mistake that we had made we asked Debbie Fisk if she would lower her fee so we could make our small profit "

IMO, you should have stuck to your original agreement and not try to make her pay for your error - you made the error, your bad, you keep it...and as we tell all new (and veteran) notaries who make mistakes, keep it, answer for it and move on...

Sorry, JMO...

Reply by PAW on 2/14/09 9:42am
Msg #277537

What's good for the goose is good for the gander

>>> IMO, you should have stuck to your original agreement and not try to make her pay for your error - you made the error, your bad, you keep it...and as we tell all new (and veteran) notaries who make mistakes, keep it, answer for it and move on... <<<

I disagree. Tony made an honest mistake and was entitled to rectify it. It is the same if you accept an assignment with overnight docs and it turns out to be edocs instead. Do you not expect the fee to change? How about the reverse ... you take an assignment with the expectation of edocs, but the lender/title company changes to overnight docs. Do you think the title company or signing service should suck it up and not make a change in the fee?

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 2/14/09 9:53am
Msg #277539

Been there done that, Paul

Have had e-docs changed to overnight and the fee reduced accordingly - and I accepted it BECAUSE I didn't print..

I'm not saying Tony's not a good guy - I'm just saying he should have owned his own error, just like we have to do,...

Reply by PAW on 2/14/09 10:16am
Msg #277543

Re: Been there done that, Paul

I don't see the difference between the two scenarios. Both revolve around lowering the fee because the notary didn't have to do something extra. In Tony's case, the notary did not have to use an attorney's or title company's office for the closing. In your case, you did not have to use your printer and paper. Why is one acceptable and the other is not?

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 2/14/09 4:53pm
Msg #277571

Sorry Paul - have been out all day

and I'm glad to see they've come to an agreement and all is well - gonna let it go at that and not drag this on although there is a discussion to be had...

Reply by Negrete on 2/14/09 9:48am
Msg #277538

Re: From : Negrete's : To : Debbie Frisk ( MUST RECANT )

"When we called Debbie Fisk, at first we quoted her the Attorney or Title Office fee that we pay our notaries. As soon as we realized the mistake that we had made we asked Debbie Fisk if she would lower her fee so we could make our small profit that we make on the TX closings that we close. SHe stated that our packages where very large and she COULD NOT lower her fee. with that we informed here that we would have to find soen for a lesser fee."


I must recant this statement now, after speaking to Debbie Frisk and my staff this statement is incorrect. We did not ask here to take a lesser fee from the start. My mistake.

Anthony J Negrete
negrete's Notary Service Inc.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 2/14/09 9:54am
Msg #277540

Re: From : Negrete's : To : Debbie Frisk ( MUST RECANT )

Well, so much for our arguments Tony!!!...<G>

Reply by LORNA DENT on 2/14/09 10:13am
Msg #277541

Re: From : Negrete's : To : Debbie Frisk ( MUST RECANT )

I have done many signings for Tony in the past and never had any problems with his company, he always paid well and always paid on time.

It was mentioned here that he should own up to his mistake....seems to me that he did in both cases, he said they contacted her and let her know what happened...and I assume that he thought that this had happened...then, when he found out from his staff that this had not happened he also owned up for that.

Tony's not the bad guy here, he mad a mistake...two mistakes...and he admitted to them both.

As to the situation...had it been as he said originally...if it had been me, I would have had no problem adjusting my fee because I understand that as human beings we make mistakes and when someone is honest enough to let you know a mistake was made there is nothing wrong with trying to work it out, especially when its with someone that works honestly with you.

Reply by jba/fl on 2/14/09 10:14am
Msg #277542

Re: From : Negrete's : To : Debbie Frisk ( MUST RECANT )

But still has not been addressed that he/his office continued to look for another notary. Did that or did that not take place?

Reply by Negrete on 2/14/09 10:20am
Msg #277544

Re: From : Negrete's : To : Debbie Frisk ( MUST RECANT )

Yes we did, and ONCE more , we have admitted to our mistake.

Most humans are not perfect in any way, again I will say I am sorry to Debbie Frisk for the mistake and I will make it up to you in the future as soon as I can with closings coming her way.

Can we continue to bash me or is there no forgivness on this board ?

Anthony J Negrete
Negrete's Notary Service Inc.

Reply by Debby Frisk on 2/14/09 10:27am
Msg #277545

Re: From : Negrete's : To : Debbie Frisk ( MUST RECANT )

Tony, thank you for the telephone call this morning and thank you for the apology. I look forward to working with you and your company in the future.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 2/14/09 11:56am
Msg #277550

I think this was a valuable discussion. A notary posted a

complaint and a warning.

The SS posted a response, and took responsibility.

There was no name-calling, ranting, blaming, excuses, or rancor.

The parties reached an understanding and saved a valuable business relationship.

How refreshing, and utterly professional.

Valentines galore to Tony and Debbie, and to the entire forum!

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/14/09 12:19pm
Msg #277553

"There was no name-calling, ranting, blaming, excuses..."

Susan, I'm guilty as charged.

I wasn't here to do my job. I should have been here to gather myself up in rancor...to rant, blame, shift blame, re-shift blame, offer flimsy excuses and so forth.

I was away for a day. I'll get on it. Thanks for the gentle reminder.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 2/14/09 2:24pm
Msg #277558

Re: "There was no name-calling, ranting, blaming, excuses..."

Ha! That'll learn ya...

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/14/09 4:25pm
Msg #277567

Rancor is my word of the day.

In fact, I'm going to use in Sunday school tomorrow. And with vigor, I might add.

It's a good word that needs to be used more often!

Kinda like there's just not enough good solid names like Mildred, Thelma or Herbert on our landscape any more. At least "Henry" and "Fern" are starting to make a comeback.

Reply by hp/MD on 2/14/09 12:21pm
Msg #277554

Re: I think this was a valuable discussion. A notary posted a

Oh no, please keep it coming. I loved this soap. These are the posts I enjoy the most specially if ends up peacefully. Tony and Susan are great.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 2/17/09 2:10am
Msg #277726

Amen to that!

Yes, a refreshing change of pace. I'd read the previous thread and didn't get around to posting (or thought the subject had been covered enough), but I do remember thinking that any one of us - notary and ss alike - can make a mistake on any given day. But doesn't it make our business so much more pleasant when there is mutual respect? This kind of attitude brings out the best in all of us and makes us want to do our best work (not that most of us don't anyway...)

What a striking contrast to the thread I just read about the punitive ss's that threaten fee deductions and treat us like children! To me, those emails are like fingernails on a blackboard (to those of you who have been around long enough to remember blackboards...) If I'm not booked and if they meet my minimum, I'll hold my nose and take the job, but I'd sure rather work for those who just let us do what we know how to do -- like Tony. (Always a pleasure doing business with you!)

In fact, I had an idea this week. I think I'm going to start keeping a file by client with all the instances where I found THEIR mistakes and either saved the deal, prevented them some embarrassment, or they just didn't live up to their end of the agreement (like getting docs to me when promised.) I've never actually tracked that before, just stopped working for those that were really awful. Has anyone else? Should be interesting... Just last week I found missing docs and pages scanned with the bottom cut off (letter vs. legal).

Reply by MW/VA on 2/15/09 8:31am
Msg #277594

I was actually a bit surprised that it took Tony that long to respond. Even though I've never worked with him personally, everything I've heard is that he treats the notaries he works with a great deal of respect. Thanks to Tony & Debbie for giving us a great example of how disputes/misunderstandings can be handled by true pros!