Posted by brass/LA on 7/9/09 3:06pm
Msg #295201

Another FASS Story!

I was on Transcontinental Title's list of notaries and did quite a few assignments for them. FASS takes over their scheduling. Contacts me for an appointment and meets my fee for edocs $$$.$$ Wait for docs, email requesting docs, call requesting docs, no answer provided other than we are waiting on the lender. Schedule appointment time comes and goes and no docs. I contact borrower and advise that I have no docs so the appointment will have to be rescheduled. No one else has contacted them. I log on to FASS' web site and see that the appointment is not listed. Email them and they advise "the appointment was cancelled. Sorry". I request to be paid for my time due to their error. They reply that they do not pay for cancelled appointments. I guess I will have to dock them some points and revoke their "white gloves" for that one.

Then they email me their app. I fill it out, indicate the parishes (counties) I am commissioned in; cross out their fees and indicate MY fees. Well now my phone rings with the number displayed as 000-000-0000. It's FASS and the scheduler sounds like he is reading a script, advises that the call is being recorded, and can he proceed. (Almost as bad as when you contact Dell Customer Service). I say yes. He then reads a script indicating that he has an assignment in my area and would I take it. I verify that the assignment is in my area and quote my fee. He says that their base fee is $50 plus $25 for edocs, which is half of what I quoted him. He says, OK I can offer you $60 plus $25 for edocs.

At this point I think I'm on the Price is Right! The scheduler advises "this is only 11 miles from you". So I tell him "I know how to operate my business and properly price my services." He then says "I will note this in your profile" to which I said thank you and good night!

Other times when FASS has called 90% of the time the assignment was way out of my commissioned area and it was apparent that they weren't operating from the profile info that I submitted to them.

I'm seriously considering removing my name from their contact list.

Reply by BrendaTx on 7/9/09 3:08pm
Msg #295202

Re: Another FASS Story! The good news is

that none of us are in that poor guy's ridiculous position. What a nightmre of a job.

Reply by mwm143 on 7/9/09 3:16pm
Msg #295203

The schedulers who recite the "scrpit"

are in another country and are required to do so by the company. I was told this by one of their "local" sounding schedulers who called one day when I asked why he didn't recite the script. It's pretty sad when a company named First American is sending work out of the country!!

Reply by Lee/AR on 7/9/09 3:33pm
Msg #295205

Re: The schedulers who recite the "scrpit"

It's really Threepio, R2Ds's sidekick. They've been out of work since the Star Wars series stopped, ya' know...and, well, with the economy being what it is....
Seriously, I have to agree that a co. with a name of "First American" just shouldn't send jobs out of the country. Heck, no American co. should do that!

Reply by John/CT on 7/9/09 3:47pm
Msg #295206

And don't ever try to interrupt them ...

during their "reminder call", because they'll just keep on reading. It's difficult enough trying to translate their spoken English to the one I speak, let alone having to go thru this drill to begin with when I don't ever need to be remined of an appointment I've already booked and confirmed in their system ... another requirement of their's. Grrrrr!!!

Reply by Les_CO on 7/9/09 4:19pm
Msg #295213

Re: And don't ever try to interrupt them ...

Come on…give the guy a break. How many of you could read, and recite a script in Tagalog?

FASS, Nations Direct, SOX, and many others are now and have always been a JOKE! When will you people learn?

Reply by A S Johnson on 7/9/09 3:56pm
Msg #295209

The light at the end of the tunnel; CA starts withholding Ca with holding income tax from ALL of us, independent contractors, some of the SS outside CA will pick up many of those signing that come from CA based SS.
Hey, Arnold, go ahead and imposed that with holding tax.

Reply by GA/Atty on 7/9/09 4:36pm
Msg #295216

My experience with FASS

Georgia is an attorney state so I understand it may work differently elsewhere, but I think the FASS system is so automated that it really doesn't matter.

There is some hassle getting signed up with them, but once you do, you can request that they modify your base fee in there system to whatever fee you want. This can only be done via email and to a specific email address. Once you have done that, though, they are great to work for. They do call several times just to read you a script but I can live with that.

Forget about the white glove thing - I am not White Glove and would not want to be. When you modify your base fee you will no longer qualify for White Glove. (To those of you who close with them now who are White Glove, you should consider raising your fee - of course every area is different and some places maybe a fair rate does qualify for white glove.) White Glove is just a gimmick to subtly encourage closers to keep their fees low - nothing more. The schedulers don't care if you are white glove or not!

And they have not said a single word to me about any background check - might be because I am an attorney though not sure.

And - on a related note - I still work for Transcontinental directly - scheduling is done by TC - checks come from FAT.

Reply by Cari on 7/10/09 7:38am
Msg #295271

same here re: TransContinental title.... n/m

Reply by Les_CO on 7/10/09 1:37pm
Msg #295324

Re: My experience with FASS

Okay Toby….This is really none of my business because I have never worked for FASS….And may I say I do read and enjoy your contributions to this board, which I have always found to be knowledgeable, concise and helpful. However your preface stating that GA is an attorney State does not quite cover it (IMO). I too would work for FASS and jump through their hoops if they would pay me $200 plus per signing! My question to you is would YOU do a signing for them (e-docs…travel) for $50?

Reply by GA/Atty on 7/10/09 4:49pm
Msg #295354

FASS

No I wouldn't do much of anything for $50 - but I suspect, unless you work in an area where a lot of notaries are signed up with them - you could sign up and get some work(even if it is initially at $50, just don't accept any signings until you increase your base fee). Once you are in their system, you can tell them to raise your base fee to $125 or $175 or whatever you normally charge, and I suspect you might get some calls from them.

My post was really designed for folks like you who had never worked for them and do not want to bother with them due to the talk of low fees you see on this board. But, if you are willing to invest the time to sign up and then raise your fee in their system - you might get some calls from them. And if they do call they will already be expecting to pay you whatever that base fee is - so you don't have to worry about negotiating fees.

Now, I may be wrong. Maybe it works differently for me because not many folks do these things in my area. But I know that in some parts of the country it would benefit folks to sign up with them. Very few late document issues with them, very fast pay and a website that lets you see exactly when they send your checks out, etc.

I just think a lot of folks might be surprised if they tried what I suggest. At worst, they simply won't call you and you aren't out anything but a little time. But if they have a need for closers in your area - I bet they would pay your regular rate to get them done.

And if you do try it, remember - white glove status is meaningless - when they send you emails saying you will lose that status (after you increase your base fee) just ignore them. If you do try it, let me know how it goes.

Reply by Les_CO on 7/11/09 10:17am
Msg #295471

Re: FASS

Thank you for your reply! I now see the point of your post. You have been helpful yet again. I’m located in the greater Denver area, and there is no shortage of Notaries here, so I most likely won’t try and sign up with FASS, but I can see why those in rural areas probably should.
Have a pleasant weekend.

Reply by Colleen Martin on 7/17/09 1:05pm
Msg #296261

Re: FASS

i have worked directly for transcontinental for several months now....they used to pay on time and their fees always met mine. it seems that recently, their accounting department is located in rancho cucamonga, ca (or somewhere around there) and though i've sent numerous emails, they don't seem to care whether or not their notaries get paid on time. transcontinental USED to be a good company to work for. i personally don't enjoy having to constantly remind them to pay me. 30+ for payment is ridiculous.