Posted by NJW/FL on 2/12/10 9:39pm
Msg #322636

Frustration......

Accepted assignment for an reo/cash deal 23 pgs or so with fax backs from the table before buyer could leave. I asked the scheduler to make sure that there would be a fax where the signing was being held 18 miles from my office. I call the buyer's agent as required and find that there will not be a fax machine at a fast food restaurant where the signing is to be by the buyer's choice. The realtor will not be at the signing either. The day of the signing, I receive the docs emailed and turns out to be a lender deal. Owner of signing agency phones me just as I began to phone the agency and agrees to up my fee to the proper amount. I also point out to her that there will not be a fax machine available. I told her there is a Staples near there and that I can use their service. I honestly have never faxed from anywhere but my own machine. The owner told me it shouldn't be more than 10 cents per page so she would give me an extra 5.00. I had told her I had another appt. in the same area right after that one and she stressed the importance of faxing right after the reo deal. Well, the fax backs cost me 23.96 for 22 pgs. When I notified the signing agency they scolded me for not calling them first and the owner herself emailed me stating that is was not her responsibility to cover that cost as I should have called them first and they would have figured out another way to do it. I emailed back asking and what other way would have worked? It suddenly would not have been as important??? I will eat the cost and learned a lesson. I have only done two other signings for this signing agency and did not have any problems. It is just frustrating to make a decision based on how important the faxing is for funding and how much they stress that. I had covered all the issues before the assignment due to my schedule and knowing that the fax was important. I just needed to vent on this one.....

Reply by CopperheadVA on 2/12/10 10:03pm
Msg #322637

One of my very first assignments as a new signing agent in 2005, I was required to fax back two pages. I didn't have a fax machine. I went to my local shipping place to fax and got charged $2.00 per page ($4.00 total). Needless to say I bought a fax machine the next day.

Because of that I know how expensive it is to fax from a Staples or FedEx Kinkos or other shipping store. I also know these companies WILL NOT pay for that stuff, even if they say they will. Once that money leaves YOUR pocket, you will never see it again. I either fax from my home office or from the realtor's office - that's it. It's the TC or SS responsibility to set up the appointment at a location that has a fax machine if they require faxbacks from the table. Sometimes they just need to tell the borrower NO, we must do it at your agent's office.

A few years ago, I also had a situation with a well-respected TC where at the signing it was discovered that half the docs were missing and I offered to go to the nearby FedEx Kinkos to download and print the docs. TC said yes, please do and we'll pay for the expenses. I had my computer with me and went to FedEx Kinkos, incurred 15 minutes of air time only to get a VERY slow download that resulted in a corrupted file message. Rather than putz around with it at FedEx, I drove back home and printed, then went back to the appointment and finished it up. I incurred an airtime bill of $5 or $6 and included it on my invoice with a copy of the FedEx Kinkos receipt. TC never paid me for the additional expense even though they said they would. Lesson learned.

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 2/12/10 10:14pm
Msg #322638

A lesson learned here..This SS didnt care about your cost..telling you it was pennies to fax they knew it would be more. We know that is usally around a $1.00 per page as your learned. I would have told them that I will fax but at my office when I get back in an 1 hour or 2 ! Some of the companies never pay for extras or pay you for going the extra mile..Use this as an education, and vow never do it again!

Reply by Notary/IL on 2/13/10 12:32am
Msg #322644

i agree, they would have to wait until i return to the office, and if its a late evening, everything is done the next morning. i've had to learn, that they don't care about you all they want is the docs signed so they can get paid. i read in another forum that they underpay SA anyway. Some of them have these crazy rules and such, to me those are scare tatics, believe me their one and only concern is that the docs are signed.

Reply by LisaWI on 2/13/10 5:08am
Msg #322653

Whats really frustrating, is these office supply stores charging these amounts when its not necessary anymore. With most phone services these days, long distance is included in a bundled package and it doesnt cost what it used to. The faxing prices are still from when their long distance was charged per minute. $25 for 15 minutes, thats a nice profit margin especially if their total phone bill for the month just for service isnt anymore than $35.

Reply by EastTxNotary on 2/13/10 11:30am
Msg #322707

As the owner of a store that provides fax services, consider this: we have provided a brick and mortar location that is convenient to your needs, and with that service we must pay labor (to have an employee available to send the fax), rent, electricity, fax machine itself and on and on. I have many customers who DO own a fax machine, but it's on the fritz and they often thank me profusely for "being there" at a crucial time. It isn't all about the phone charges. It's about service and convenience.

As others have posted, we have to be firm about charging for services we have had to pay retail to acquire.

Reply by LisaWI on 2/13/10 12:05pm
Msg #322708

Re: Frustration......Dorothy

Let me apologize. I meant no offense. I was referring to the big office supplies stores, the big guys, Staples, Fed Ex/Kinkos, etc who could probably afford to hand down the savings.

Ooops

Reply by EastTxNotary on 2/13/10 12:58pm
Msg #322711

Re: Frustration......Dorothy

No offense taken! And...if another NSA came in my store...I'd give them a discount for faxing...they would be the ideal customer...unlike the bulk of my faxing customers, but that's a story for another day.

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/13/10 9:52am
Msg #322694

The Fax People discussed in this thread...

are
Too ballsy to believe;
Unlikable;
Rude;
Disrespectful;
Shameless.

And if you look at the first letters of those remarks you'll see what I really think.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 2/13/10 10:07am
Msg #322697

LOL Brenda:) n/m

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/13/10 11:18am
Msg #322706

Sylvia - that hardly took any effort at all!

I wonder what that says about ME.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 2/13/10 9:50pm
Msg #322749

Re: Sylvia - that hardly took any effort at all!

Oh, that you are witty, intelligent and think fast

Reply by Dorothy_MI on 2/13/10 6:56am
Msg #322662

Lesson learned

I'm sorry that this happened to you, but if it ever happens in the future that anytime a closing must be faxed from the table (and almost ALL REO closing it is a requirement) and the borrower insists on closing somewhere that does not have a fax machine, increase your fee by $25.00 and get it on the confirmation. That way the signing service can collect it from TC and they and you will get your expenses covered.

Reply by NJW/FL on 2/13/10 8:07am
Msg #322676

Re: Lesson learned

I thank you all for your feedback and suggestions from your experiences. Very much appreciated!!

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 2/13/10 8:16am
Msg #322678

Nancy...don't tuck tail and run...

that was an added expense that was required to accomplish the assignment the way THEY wanted it done and you were misled into thinking a fax would be available - no matter who - *someone* agreed to either (a) provide fax facilities or (b) pay you for the required faxing.

I'd send them an invoice for the agreed signing fee PLUS full costs of faxing with a copy of the receipt for the fax. You're entitled to reimbursement

MHO

Reply by Julie/MI on 2/13/10 9:34am
Msg #322689

I second what Linda said

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 2/13/10 12:56pm
Msg #322710

Re: Nancy...don't tuck tail and run...

Good advice Linda.

Reply by NJW/FL on 2/13/10 4:42pm
Msg #322724

Re: Nancy...don't tuck tail and run...

I did forward my receipt and the owner of the signing service sent me an email stating that she did not feel it was her responsibility to pay me and that I should have phoned her when I found out the cost of the fax. I did remind her that just that morning, she herself told me to make sure I faxed right after the signing before I went to my next appt. She actually sent a new confirmation stating "Fax from Staples" $5.00. I honestly believe she should make sure her clients take on the responsibility of this added expense when they are the people responsible for setting up the appt. at a fast food restaurant. The owner of signing agency did state that in "fairness" she will reimburse me "some" of the cost, but not all of it. I will see if she lives up to that.
Thank you for your input. Much appreciated.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 2/13/10 5:36pm
Msg #322730

Another generic suggestion

Unfortunately, we have the best leverage before the fact. After the fact, there is pretty much none, unless you're in an area with very few notaries and they need you.

A technique that helped me easily get through two years as a 5th and 6th grade substitute teacher is to respectfully offer a couple of very well considered choices -- and timing is critical. For example, you get there and find no fax capability, so you immediately call them to advise of the situation. The choices you could offer them are that you could either find another source for the faxing, which would mean that you'd have to increase your fee by $XX (which you would need confirmed in writing) OR they could just waive the fax requirement this time and you would get the docs shipped out ASAP for delivery by ____. At that point, you've transferred the responsibility back to them and if they later try to take it in a different direction, your response is simply to kindly remind them that "you decided that I should..." (And it's amazing how often they will tell you to forget the faxing.)

In that scenario, you are not the bad guy because you just went along with their decision. (Works great with kids, BTW! ) Ultimatums, on the other hand, DO make you look like the bad guy and just tend to tick people off. They will find any excuse to accuse you of being unreasonable. I should probably add that this is much easier said than done, but it gets easier over time if you work on training yourself to think that way. And those that have no ethics or integrity may try to inject a third choice after the fact - like doing what they did to you. You may still have a conflict on your hands, but the onus is clearly on them ("You agreed that..." and you are more clearly holding the moral high ground, keeping your reputation in tact. In other words, they pretty much have to lie to pin it on you.

Just FWIW...

Reply by NJW/FL on 2/14/10 4:03pm
Msg #322796

Re: Another generic suggestion

That is pretty much how I left it . I told her that she should just do what she thinks is right after my reminders of our conversations. I did not get nasty, yet held my ground and "left the ball in her court" as they say. I do appreciate your input. Thank you.