Posted by NewPhoenix on 5/10/12 5:31pm
Msg #420527

Lost a company

I'm a little upset because I lost a big client last week. This is one of those that you have to Invoice AND they do not put the agreed upon fee in their Confirmation (lesson to be learned - ALWAYS ask that they put it in there).

The scheduler has always been very nice and if the distance to the signing is over 20 miles we negotiate an additional fee. I enter the fee amount on my Worksheet where I record the signing. One signing was 55 miles away so naturally we added more for that!

I sent them an Invoice with about six signing jobs on it. Didn't hear anything for about a month and then get an email from the scheduler that "we have to talk" about the Invoice. I sent back "Fine, call or email me". During all this time I'm not getting any calls from them. Again nothing heard for a few weeks and THEN I get a phone call from some guy I never heard of and he says my fees are excessive and he already talked to the scheduler and she never agreed to those fees. I was in shock but I said I didn't just make up the amounts but they were what was discussed on the phone. Now he starts saying my Invoice was for MORE that what they received for all the signings. Then he says that well if THOSE are my fees he will tell the schedulers that so they won't call me. This was already a lose/lose situation before he even called me but I said I would be glad do signings for their base fee in my local area, but I doubt they will call me again.

The next day I receive an email and he emphatically stated that he talked to the scheduler and she insisted that she never agreed to those fees. Now she obviously lied but I really did not get upset with her, I just figure she had to lie to save her job - she could not admit to setting an amount in the face of (literally) the guy asking her why she agreed to a fee that was more than the company was receiving (as if she knew anyway).

So the scheduler lied and I lost a big client. Even if we insist on the fees being on the Confirmation Order they might not do it - BUT as I said, that is the lesson to be learned. It would be nice if there were a standard Confirmation Order or two.

Reply by MonicaFL on 5/10/12 5:34pm
Msg #420529

Well, make it YOUR standard and insist they put the fee on the confirmation. Enough said!

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/10/12 6:26pm
Msg #420535

I won't do a signing without a written confirmation

of the agreed fee - I don't care how long I've been working for a client or how much business they send me. I've had companies call me and say "okay, your regular fee?" - answer is yes, send the confirmation over. And if I don't receive one within 30-45 minutes I'm calling them asking about it...that's my business policy. At least if the fees are on the confirmation order you have ammo to fight them to get paid on time and correctly - or that's your proof in court.

Sorry to hear such a good client treated you like that..that stinks. Are they going to pay your invoice?

Reply by ikando on 5/10/12 9:53pm
Msg #420546

Re: I won't do a signing without a written confirmation

I send confirmation of the confirmation emails stating my business policies for the fee, what I am doing for that fee, & what I expect from them. That's my contract with them, & helps eliminate issues. I learned to do that after not getting paid by an attorney. "If it's not in writing, it has no weight." If they lose or erase the messages, I still have my copy.

Reply by Luckydog on 5/11/12 3:00pm
Msg #420600

Re: I won't do a signing without a written confirmation

NEVER do anything without a confirmation stating your fee's, and if things get changed, you MUST get a new confirmation. That is your contract. Verbal doesn't mean squat! Another word of advice. If you have to return home and then reprint, or the buyer or Realtor or loan officers make any changes, it must go through the SS or you will not get the additional trip or print fee. They pay you and no one else. I have found that the company's who do not have a website or a place to do a completion report are pretty low budget, and those are the ones who have troubles paying you, and always lose the check, or it's in the mail etc.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 5/11/12 1:48am
Msg #420560

I'm guessing lots of people would like to see your post linked to the name of the company. (Maybe once you get paid whatever you can get out of them?)

Secondly, it sounds to me like this is a "good client" that you might be better off without. Time to put your marketing hat on... You'll probably end up better off.

Reply by NewPhoenix on 5/11/12 7:49am
Msg #420563

Yes he said he would pay but with a very OBVIOUS "but this is the last time" tone of voice. I thought about reducing the fees 'just to keep the business' but then again, why should I do that if it's going to be the last check from them? That was abundantly clear.

Yes I should name the company here - not out of spite, but because if we all insisted that this company (and all others) put the fee in the Confirmation then they would eventually have to make it a regular procedure. If I HAD done that than then that would have eliminated 3/4ths of the argument.

I know I have called schedulers back when I didn't see the Fee in the Confirmation but this was with "new" companies or higher than normal fees. I was lulled into complacency with this company because I had worked with them for over a year and a half with no question on any other Invoice. But whenever I ask for a higher fee from any Title Company I either get "I'm only authorized to go this much" or "I'll have to get approval for that" and whatever we end up with should be approved and unquestioned.

Lesson to be learned (at my expense but you are all welcome to benefit from it): If you don't see the fee in the Confirmation call or email them back and ask that it be put in there!

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/11/12 4:29pm
Msg #420614

Years ago I did one for a client that starts with a B and ends with a V. Very similar discussion...but I did not back down...they sent the check and kept calling, but I was very wary after that experience.