Posted by Maranga Ink Resources on 2/6/10 10:57pm
Msg #321735

Vital Signing/venting

I search for previous posting and I agree with those.

Vital signing has pages of instructions. I did work for them since 2003 and never had a problem until Daniella called me for this particular closing.
If you are familiar with all their details, very specifically says if no arrow no signature even there are names under the lines. No arrow no signature needed.
So, 2 arrows 2 signatures, one arrow one signature and that is what I did. No notarizations in this package.
Was end of the month, last minute on SUNDAY, 35 minutes one way trip by the hwy around 7.30 pm
Back home, faxed all pages, and Daniella called me at 9 pm saying I DID AN ERROR.....page 24 only has one signature!!! Well I said that pages has only ONE arrow, so ONE signature. To make things easy for everybody, I called borrowers and asked them please take note of these 2 fax numbers = and thank God i drop a set of docs that is not a requirement with them = sign page 24 and tomorrow in the morning I come by to pick up the original. No additional fee for second trip, and that wasnt my error.
Borrowers faxed that page from home. Meaning Vital Signing received that page and no complains at all.
Yesterday Daniella called me to say that pages 25 and 26; which only have ONE set of arrows needed the spouse signature; after so many days? after receiving the page 24 faxed?
I told them would be fine for me to drive there if they pay me the trip fee.
Daniella said they didnt have enough funds for this particular closing.....third trip for free?
and wasnt my error !!!!!

If all companies are behaving this way, trying by all meanings to reduce our fees and we as a SA not wanting to do business with them again, = even we did business for years = who will be there left? or is just the new employee / scheduler imposing their ways on us?

The idea of starting kind of UNION, perhaps would regulate as well this abusive treatment.
They require HIGH standards on us, why we shouldnt ask the same in exchange?

thank you

Reply by LKT/CA on 2/6/10 11:09pm
Msg #321737

<<<No notarizations in this package.>>>

Wonder why Vital Signings didn't just overnight package to client, send them directions, and a prepaid return envelope. Then you'd be out of this assignment, yes......but is it really worth it if you are now venting about a PITA job?

Let's recap: PITA job vs. NO job.......I vote for NO job. JMHO

Reply by Lee/AR on 2/7/10 5:33am
Msg #321754

Agree with LKT/CA n/m

Reply by JulieD/KS on 2/7/10 12:44pm
Msg #321792

I agree! When a company that is as much of a PITA as Vital has always been dropped their fees to the obscenely low number that they did, I not longer accept their calls.
They used to pay $125 for edocs...then they dropped it to $70 with edocs. I think that was back in 2005. I haven't worked for them since.

If they told me to only have the borrower sign where their was an arrow, regardless of if their name was printed or not, I would most likely disregard it. A signing service doesn't always know where the BO needs to sign. That's MY job.

Reply by Maranga Ink Resources on 2/7/10 1:00pm
Msg #321795

Docs are usually sent by the TC
TC tells SS what they need when place the order and SS transfers to the SA those instructions.
Another example is phone calls. Part of OUR job is call the BO to confirm the appointment, but if TC says DO NOT call the BO, then please do not call.
Was good anyway all the comments, are appreciated and help me to see different ways of thinking.
That is the purpose of blogs
Thank you guys

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/7/10 8:26am
Msg #321758

Once is enough with this company.

*The idea of starting kind of UNION, perhaps would regulate as well this abusive treatment.*

The problem with starting a unionized type of group with notaries, I have observed, is that no one wants to do a true non-profit unionized effort. While notaries are some of the hardest workers I know, there are many who have difficulty seeing that any kind of effort which doesn't "pay me today" is worth putting out the effort or money. The organized effort could be accomplished, but it costs money and paying a considerable amount for a FULL staff's time to accomplish this. It's unlikely that a benefactor will arise from the crowd and pay what it would cost to get this "union" started. It would take legal fees, non-profit entity establishment and someone who was paid to get this done through constant work.

Not everyone who says they want a "union" really wants to pay union dues, or pay an organizer to create a unionized type of effort. When I see someone who thinks that something should be done, I wonder why they don't step in and start getting it done. The answer is clear. No one has the time or resources to do it.

So, what it comes down to is that it's not going to happen. The closest thing you've got is a notary organization, but even those are profiting entities and NOT true non-profits established to serve the purposes of the notary. They are there to make money, not to use money to make things better for notaries. Therefore, notaries should stop looking for a big brother to swoop in and fix things. Individual business owners should take responsibility for their own business and the way they are treated. There are difficult jerks in every type of work that people do. When you are self-employed, it is for certain that the only one who can allow abuse is you. Given your set of circumstances I would blow off the Vital Signings and be glad to be rid of them.

Reply by Negrete on 2/7/10 9:12am
Msg #321762

Amen Brenda!

I belonged to a union for many years before I did this business.

Reply by MW/VA on 2/7/10 9:36am
Msg #321767

Re: Once is enough with this company.

Have you looked lately--former "union" jobs are now in China, India, .......
IMO, unions are a thing of the past in this country. A few people have tried to do this. I don't see it as a possibility with independent contractors. Most of us want to run our businesses our way, turning away low-pay, slow-pay, or general PIA's. If you're looking for union protection, it may be time to think about getting a paycheck job instead of the risks involved in this business.

Reply by Maranga Ink Resources on 2/7/10 10:20am
Msg #321778

Re: Once is enough with this company.

About the UNION thing, I did enter my comments under msg 341539.
We are Notaries with a Commission with a registration number for a term, which is State regulated in your duties but not on your rights.
We went to a second level and got Certifications, which regulates your qualifications and duties but absolutely nothing about your rights.
A UNION non-profit, has no future.
So a SS doesnt want to pay full fees, is like just bend your head and keep walking.
No funding because BO cancel the deal?, HONOR OUR TIME, all of us sweat since getting the phone call to strive to do an excellent closing, excellente customer service and complay with all requirements.

Reply by jba/fl on 2/7/10 10:30am
Msg #321781

Re: Once is enough with this company.

"We went to a second level and got Certifications, which regulates your qualifications and duties but absolutely nothing about your rights."

No certification regulates qualifications or duties - consider it only for its educational value - continuing education if you will. That is all it is, and it is not required by anyone, anyplace.

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/7/10 1:10pm
Msg #321798

Re: Once is enough with this company.

*A UNION non-profit, has no future.*

Unions are supposed to be non-profits. The profits go to a budget which spends money to the betterment of the workers' conditions. If they aren't non-profit then what you have is a version of a notary "association" which is a business where profits on sales of memberships go to the benefit of its owner(s). A union would have paid staff but the budget would go for promoting the interests of notaries...establishing benefits, lobbying lawmakers and so forth. At least that is my little pea brain understanding of the difference.

Reply by Notarysigner on 2/7/10 10:26am
Msg #321779

Re: Once is enough with this company.

Amen Brenda

Reply by Laura_V on 2/7/10 1:39pm
Msg #321810

Agree with most of what you say and.....

I agree with most of what you say and there are some wonderful exceptions in notary association land.

PAN is amazing for one. There is a wonderful person on this board who is in the middle of incorporating another one in another state. (I'll let her/him proffer a name or not.) Linda Hassis (spelling?) started another one that is wonderful.

Please forgive me if I didn't remember to post yours and you and your group are wonderful, too. Tell us who you are if you wish to - I'd love to hear about others.

All the ones I named are running the associations in all the right ethical ways. Hurray for every one of them!

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/7/10 2:56pm
Msg #321823

Are either of those non-profits, Laura?

"Association" doesn't mean non-profit, even if they offer some good benefits for their members. The "associations" which are currently available to notaries are established to sell commissioning services, insurance, memberships, notary bonds, supplies and so forth. Someone is making a profit. They aren't established simply to see good things happen for notaries.

I do think PAN is good. I know at least two others that I believe in. Before it died, I was a member of USNA simply because I liked their articles, but they are gone now. But, are they just a smaller version of the XYZ?

The real estate brokers/realtors have their association...but does any current notary association do anything on that scale for notaries? I don't know about it if they do.

Notaries have never seen any association which acts strictly on their behalf and for the welfare of the notary without requiring that a profit be made from which some"one" benefits. Not to my knowledge.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 2/7/10 4:20pm
Msg #321839

Well said... n/m

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 2/7/10 9:36am
Msg #321768

I don't understand this new way of thinking...

And I'm sure many will set me straight

This applies to the many posts lately calling for "Union" and "Banding Together" - would someone please explain to me where you all think a union is going to be any help to you in collecting past due monies and understanding your own state's collection processes?

You're in business - know your state's requirements for collections...state your terms and have them agreed to...if they're breached, follow your state guidelines for financial collections and Small Claims Courts. Independent contractors who are union members get burned for services from time to time too - think Electricians, Plumbers, etc,....they go through the non-pay stuff too - but they know what they need to do - add late fees, finance charges, turn it over for collection. Then sue if it's not paid. Good Grief, even Blue Cross Blue Shield sues in small claims court for some matters.

A union is not going to get your invoices paid....YOU are...and knowing your business and your state laws is your yellow brick road to payment.

Reply by jba/fl on 2/7/10 10:06am
Msg #321773

I need to expand on this

When I saw plumbers, electricians, etc. listed it made me think that since they are charging $100 hr (example for easy calculation) plus travel of $75 just to show up, it make me think why. Why? Because you and I are paying for the ones who didn't pay. It is built into their price.

So, you should be raising your rates - forget about these companies who want to "pay you" peanuts, because sooner or later you will get peanut shells, empty. It is part of survival of the fittest. And when you hear the rumors that companies are stalling in their usual payment practices, when you hear they just got a new bank account and there has been a bit of a SNAFU (what does that really mean - ask a military person); when you hear that they are offering less and less - Well, firuge it out. They are in effect using their loudspeaker to tell you: We are going under. Make use of that information and bail from their drama.

If one takes enough low paying jobs then as soon as one of those jobs doesn't pay, there is no profit from any of the others, so you have worked for nothing, except to see that all your equipment is working properly: cell phone, car, printer(s), fax, email, etc. - Check - all working properly and as they should. Is that the aim of a company?

Is that the aim of your company?

Reply by ReneeK_MI on 2/8/10 5:28am
Msg #321882

Linda - as it would apply to Networking ...

Definitely helps business across the board, because a good & reputable network is a greater commodity - losing a whole network because you stiff one is worse than losing one. =)

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/8/10 6:47am
Msg #321883

Re: Linda - as it would apply to Networking ...

*Definitely helps business across the board, because a good & reputable network is a greater commodity - losing a whole network because you stiff one is worse than losing one. =)*

And, if you are networked with high caliber notaries in several areas in your state you can immediately put the word out that you've been stiffed and those notaries may/can/probably will decide against doing business with a company who stiffed their "own" (member of their network).

In some areas, especially rural ones, this can significantly affect the ability to do business by a non-paying or smarmy SS owner...their nicey, nicey words don't get them much when the networked notaries recognize who they really are.

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/8/10 7:12am
Msg #321884

Sorry, Renee'...I think I just

re-stated what you had said...only with a lot more words. (Nevah-mind...)

Reply by Neil L. Kleeger on 3/24/11 11:36am
Msg #377364

I quit Vital. The biggest pain to work for and the lowest paying.
If you need a LARGE micro manager, they are it.