Posted by RJE/MI on 6/28/10 11:59am
Msg #342764

Little bit of advise please

Fridays schedule went like this. I started with five signings on the schedule. One cancelled. I ended up driving 313 miles. 13.5 hour day. I completed only 4 signings.

I'm quite rural so most appointments I get average 45 to 60 minute drive times.

No one had docs ready until right before or shortly after the original scheduled time. I know this is typical for end of the month.

I've read about drop dead times. Mobile offices and other wonderful tips that would have made my day go more smoothly.

My questions are to those who actually implement drop dead times and wonder what kind of reaction is received from clients that you notify about it. Do they respect that and continue to call you or do they choose not to do business with you because they can't guarantee these drop dead times.

My question about mobile offices is do you actually print docs while driving? I drive a Chevy Lumina and wonder how that would work for me. I wonder if you are driving down a road that is not completely smooth do you encounter paper jams and other problems? Do you print only when you are stopped? What is the best equipment that would be able to handle printing docs on the road that can handle a bump in the road etc.? Price is definitely a concern for me.

I have used the orange search button but I'm having a hard time finding these answers.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 6/28/10 12:09pm
Msg #342766

I'm not sure what a "drop dead time" is? I use a mobile office, it is a pricey investment. I have an aircard (some use mobile phones to connect with internet) laptop, pure sine inverter installed in car and two drawer laser printer. It was a very expensive investment however paid for itself quickly and if you want to consider the relief of stress of having a mobile office that's priceless. I have used it while driving, but you don't want to use it on bumpy roads the papers will fly out of order all over the back of your car. I have a subaru outback it's a station wagon so it's easily accessible. Don't know how much room you have in a Lumina. You don't need such an elaborate laser printer just a single drawer will do you will just have to print on legal paper.

Reply by Lee/AR on 6/28/10 12:27pm
Msg #342771

I, too, am very small town/rural and the driving is a serious investment of my time/gas. Yes, I have always had 'drop dead' time or latest I can receive docs, print, drive. Not only that, but I just don't do unfamiliar rural roads at night. Honestly, I nearly always give them 'a time'--or you'll have to find someone else. Is it always well-received? No, but they do understand. And, yes, even if I have 'dropped' it due to time, they continue to call.

As to 'mobile printing'.... you park & print--that much I know. And it is an even more serious cash investment that I, personally, would never undertake. Particularly these days.

Reply by Lee/AR on 6/28/10 12:30pm
Msg #342773

I should add.... It is quite rare, after giving them a 'drop dead' time, that docs are--catch this--more than 15 minutes late. So, pad the time a bit.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/28/10 12:43pm
Msg #342774

I have a mobile office... or at least the setup for one. I use what I need when I need it.

Eventually, I want to have a full-time mobile office, a conversion type of thing... but that's way down the line, and more of a want than a need at this point.

I have a drop-dead time and I stick to it. Docs must be to me X hours before the appointment, or I will reschedule the appointment for the following day or simply cancel. Everyone I contract with knows this right up front.

I've found that I have lost a few opportunities because of it, but I'm okay with that. I refuse to accept the mantra that "it's the way it is" in this business. It isn't! There is NO EXCUSE for late documents! If you are calling notaries to make an appointment, the docs just need to be ready to go, IMO. If the docs aren't ready, don't make the call. The industry has become lazy and with fees getting lower all the the time, I'm not putting up with it.

Now, I'm always willing to do last minute jobs, if I can... but I charge a premium for them. Just about 20 minutes ago (10am), got a call from a SS asking if I would do a signing that was set for noon today. (2 hours notice? You're in my drop-dead window now, lady....)

Are the docs ready? No, she doesn't have them yet... she can't get them until she tells TC that she has a notary lined up. (WHAT??) That's two strikes.

Then, I look up the address. Great, it's Lake LA -- that's a 45 minute drive. I add all this up, and quote her my fee. SS pitches a fit, "But it's right in your zip code!!"

I then have to remind her that my zip code covers hundreds of square miles, she asking me to take a job in less than 2 hours for which she has no docs and will put me on the road for 45+ minutes each way. She doesn't get it.

I told her than when she gets the docs, to call me and ask me if I'm available. She hung up on me.

I didn't care.

While I happily offer same-day and speedy service, there is NO loan appointment that is an emergency that can't be averted by proper planning, and I refuse to be a part of their game. Fortunately, the ones I deal with know how I work and they know if there is a true emergency, I'll get it done... but they're going to pay for it.

The only true emergencies in notary work are generally those that come from the hospital and nursing homes - general notary work, and situations where I have compassion.

I have no compassion for lazy lenders, TCs and escrow companies who can't get that acts together and prepare their loan docs on time. ZERO.

That said, I can and will print docs on the road for those willing to pay for that extra service. The convenience of hiring a mobile professional isn't cheap.

If I hire a mobile dog groomer to come to my house and take care of my puppy dog... you darn bet I expect to pay more than if I took him to a groomer myself.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/28/10 1:00pm
Msg #342775

Also, like Lee said... for those that know my drop dead time, and that I'm serious about it... the docs always manage to show up. It's funny how that works. Demand respect... there is NO excuse for late docs.

I also do not print while I'm actually driving. I stop and print. However, I will bring the printer with me, because it does help when far from the home office... and I refuse to go to a copy/print shop to print loan docs - I consider it a serious privacy issue.

Right now my "mobile office" fits in an office depot rolling case (the kind that folds up). In it I keep:

-laptop, with a tethered blackberry when I need it, or I utilize lots of free wi-fi places
-portable, wireless printer (Brother HL-2170W), it's a nice, small thing... about 15" W & L and less than 7" H.
-reams of paper (legal and letter), blank labels, etc.
- "really useful box" filled with pens, pencils and small basic office supplies
-shipping envelopes
- bag to hold cables and such

Then with bungee cords, I have my Notary case attached to the carrying handle of the rolling case. I also have another bag with other essentials that I keep in my car just about all the time, little things that just come in handy (first aid, shoe covers, umbrella, towels, dog/cat treats....etc, etc.)

Reply by garland/CA on 6/28/10 4:00pm
Msg #342806

Marian, not sure if I caught how you power your printer. Do you have an inverter also that you power from your car?

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/28/10 6:12pm
Msg #342840

I have a portable inverter that my husband and brothers set up for me. I'm dumb about the technical details of it... but I know that I can power my laptop and printer at the same time quite safely... though I make sure that the car is running when I do it.

We have my FILs old wheelchair van that would be a great conversion, but we're not sure we want to do it yet. Other priorities.

Reply by Notarysigner on 6/28/10 1:07pm
Msg #342779

Like Lee and Marian I also have a drop dead time. I don't know if I lose business because of it since no one actually says so. It doesn't matter. My area has plenty of notaries so I'm sure it's easy to get someone else. I would think, in a rural area, they better get you your Docs in time or pay a pretty plenty when they call you back to ask you the change your mind. IMO

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 6/28/10 1:24pm
Msg #342785

Amen to that! Where I am, there are plenty of notaries... but it is still somewhat rural in many respects. All of the notaries are pretty much "in town" -- but there are tons and tons of small, remote communities within an hour's drive that we pretty much all service. It makes for interesting conversations with people.

Of course, there are about three notaries that I can think of in my area that I know will take the super last minute/late stuff for ridiculously low fees. They can have them. I refuse to work for companies that pull stuff like that.

Reply by Julie Dailey on 6/28/10 3:36pm
Msg #342800

As far as I'm concerned, I feel that a company is more likely to respect me as a business if I let them know in advance what my business policies are (since they do the same for me). Since I have other fish to fry, so to speak, I won't let a company dangle me all day (or even half the day) waiting on docs that may or may not come. I allowed that in the early years of my business...and I discovered that the companies that can't get their docs out in a timely manner are usually the companies that have other issues as well (like paying me). So, I finally wised up and I give companies the latest time by which I need to docs. If they are not received, the signing comes off my schedule and I move on with my day.

I don't concern myself with how my business policies are received. The companies that I prefer working for don't need a drop dead time anyway since they get docs to me without fail. The ones that don't, I don't want to work for anyway.

There are other signing agents in my town who specialize in last-minute signings and I am not one of them. I plan my day out in advance and last-minute jobs just don't work for me...nor do signings where i am expected to waste my time waiting on docs.

No mobile printing office in my car either. I've invested enough already in equipment. I don't want or need more. I can't imagine negotiating traffic and printing docs at the same time. I'd prefer to print at my desk.

Reply by RJE/MI on 6/28/10 6:14pm
Msg #342841

Thanks for your support!

Thank you so much for all of your advice. I definitely am going to start to institute a drop dead time. When I found this board and learned that I was not charging enough I did a business plan to find out what I needed to make and have stuck to it ever since. I know I have lost plenty of business because of that but it did not bother me because until I actually did a business plan I didn't realize I was actually paying to work.

With all of your supportive comments I will not have another day like Friday.

One more thing, I saw a few comments regarding last minute signing appointments and none of my appointments were accepted last minute but they still kept me hanging until the last minute. Probably because they knew they could. No more!

Thanks again!

Reply by MichiganAl on 6/29/10 12:52am
Msg #342935

Looks like a lot of good advice. The only thing I'll add is that my drop dead time is whatever time their issues start affecting my other closings. If I have nothing else going on, I've got no problem waiting. But the moment I think their late docs are going to affect another appointment, then I've got to make the call. I give them a warning, something like "I need docs in the next hour." I'll give them one more, "I need docs in the next ten minutes." If I still don't get docs then I let them know I've got to move on to the next closing. I hope most companies will understand that my other borrowers don't deserve to have me show up late. HOWEVER, I always try to offer an alternative. I offer to work it into another opening or after my other closings. I'll talk to the borrowers, "I don't have your documents yet and I've got to head out to other closings. Would you be available later this evening if I receive docs?" More times than not, I'm able to work out something that's amicable for everyone.