Posted by Mike_D on 7/14/11 5:05pm
Msg #389729

Another Servicelink Thread

Had this happen to me twice already.


Schedulers are calling to schedule closings and saying they will be EDOCS for sure then the docs arrive via UPS and they lower your fee without telling you.....


just a fair warning if you all have not had that happen to you yet.

Reply by jba/fl on 7/14/11 5:43pm
Msg #389733

What? $10 - isn't that what is normal for their packages?

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 7/14/11 5:56pm
Msg #389735

$10? No, I think not. I think the eDoc fee is what is negotiated between the notary and ServiceLink. I get more than $10 for eDocs.

The thing I'm learning from reading the board is that fees paid to each notary by each vendor differs depending on various factors (i.e. track record notary has for number of successful signings, distance to be traveled, number of notaries in an area, EOM rush and availability of notaries during that time). From what I can tell there doesn't seem to be one exact determining factor in how much is paid to a signing agent.

ServiceLink and every other company out there knows they can find a notary to do a job cheaper, maybe not better, but definitely cheaper and will do what they can to minimize the cost of doing business on their end. I'm not saying they are right, I'm saying that's the way this business has headed.

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 7/14/11 6:03pm
Msg #389737

One more thing...

One of the things that confuses me when I read the board is when people say that ServiceLink or XYZ Company meets my fee of $XXX (indicating a 3 digit fee instead of a 2 digit fee). Yet, the bulk of the postings indicate people are being offered $XX to complete a signing or are being called and are being requested to lower their fee. Either the people on the board stating their fee of $XXX is met are telling little white lies or there are several different reasons ServiceLink or XYZ Company will pay one notary $XXX and another notary $XX.

Reply by Lee/AR on 7/14/11 6:10pm
Msg #389738

Re: One more thing...

I think you explained price variances well in your previous post. I'm not telling lies about it, but I'm also not getting bombed with SLs either. Nor do I want to at bargain table prices.

Reply by Gilda Murray on 7/15/11 2:04am
Msg #389754

Re: One more thing...

Well Notary family, I finally got my call yesterday from Servicelink after working for them 2 years with a minimum of $125 per signing requesting I lower my fees to $45.00 if package was sent UPS and an extra 10.00 if Edocs. I felt insulted and informed her no way could I accept that fee change. So maybe I will receive future calls or maybe not. Oh well.......

Reply by Anita Posluszny on 7/15/11 5:24pm
Msg #389810

I do a lot of work for Service Link. As a matter of fact they are my main source of income. They were paying $100 for edocs and $75 if docs were over nighted. I was told in advance about the overnight docs. I just go a call from them and the scheduler told me that they have decrease the pay for edocs to $90. He said that it was straight across the board. I would like to know if anyone else out there who works for Service Link was told the same thing. I don't really want to stop working for them. Cutting off my nose to spite my face, so to speak

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 7/15/11 6:33pm
Msg #389822

They are lying to everyone. Just tying to get SAs fees down

I guess, depending on which "script" they have in front of them at the time they call, your edoc fee would be $90, as you described, or $55 as others have described. This "across the board" stuff is BS on their part. It is what they want people to think so they will take less.

Anita, if they can get you to lower your fees today, trust me, they will be back to lower them again only that time they will be able to say something like, "well, you lowered them before."

Look at the HUD on a few of your last signings from them. Have they lowered their fees?

Reply by JandB on 7/15/11 6:57am
Msg #389756

They start at the bottom and work their way up. So, if you have several signing agents in your area accepting lower fees you may as well move on.

I called and changed my fees in their records so that Base+$10 print fee = my fee. If they actually succeed in overnighting the docs it is fine with me. I have closed a few files for them this month. They confirm my base w/overnight docs but when docs do not arrive they reconfirm with a $10 print fee. I'm oK with that and hope it continues. If it doesn't, I'll move on. There are many TC and SS paying a fair price. Never let all your eggs rest in one basket.

As to the OP...that has not happened to me yet. If it did, it wouldn't bother me much.

Reply by A S Johnson on 7/15/11 10:28am
Msg #389776

My fees: $75 for the signing of a regular, around 100 pgs.
$35 for printing from e-docs ( how can $10 cover your cost, printer, toner, paper, your time)
$25 if a legal office is needed
$xx determined by the number of fax backs
$XX determined by distance, if outside my nornmal work area.
I do not add for last minute, Sunday or holiday. The only agreement that is expressed is I get paid the print fee if I print the docs, full fee If I make the trip: no show, no sign no fund
Sure, I do not do get the number of signing I did two or three years ago. But we know each other and that a signing will be done with no problems and I know I'll be paid.
I have a business plan and know my cost, I will Not work if I can NOT make money.

Reply by Lee/AR on 7/15/11 11:50am
Msg #389780

If we all thought/acted like this, we wouldn't have

these posts on low fees. Hiring entities would be forced to 'get it'.
As for number of signings... hey, that was destined to decrease as rates hit bottom and are still there.

Reply by JandB on 7/16/11 7:53am
Msg #389835

If we were in the same area, you would get more calls than me because your base is lower but you would be turning them down because they won't meet your print fee. How annoying!

Your e-doc fee is $110 so tell them your base is $100 w/$10 print fee.

When they are scheduling, they will start with the lowest fee and work their way up to you. You'll still get calls when they can't find somebody to accept the lower rate but they won't be ringing your phone unless they can pay you.

If they actually send the docs by overnight, you are paid $100. A pay raise!