Posted by ladyknc on 7/5/13 3:59pm
Msg #475724

Signing Company that really annoys me

Wow It finally happened!!! So after quoting my fee to this SS on many calls and they "say" I will call you back if I get your fee approved" and then I hear from other notaries that they were, of course, called for the same signing and their fees were higher than my offer and then at the last moment you might get a desparate call from them to do the same signing to which I usually decline because quite frankly it is rather insulting to say the least.

Well earlier I got a call to do an annuity for $40.00 in my city. I told them $75.00 since it would be only 20 pages of course all pages faxed back. I got the usual - how low would you go. I said "today would be $75.00. I am very busy and have alot going on". The usual, "If I can get your fee approved, I will call you back". Never never thought I would get called back. 17 minutes later got a call from "Unknown" and I did not answer was in middle of something important. I cut phone off because I did not want to be disturbed. Never thought that "THEY" would call back. Cut phone back on at 4:38 and got call from a number I did not recognize which was "THEM". Anyway my fee was approved and by that time I already had other plans. The lady got rather annoyed with me because "THEY" had called back withinShe 20 minutes etc.
Said that I never thought that would happen and had not been concerned that they would. She wanted to know what time I could this tonight and I replied that I could not tonight.
She hung on me.

Reply by ladyknc on 7/5/13 4:10pm
Msg #475725

A PS: Do these companies not realize that we are worth a heck of alot more than they may realize.
We are face to face with borrowers and we oftenhave the potential to make or break their loan. When a signer waivers - we can encourage them to sign, or we can keep our mouth shut and whatever happens will happen.


Seriiously - I am done selling myself, the training, the experience etc that I have short. There are some companies that I will accept fees lower than I like but at least they are not calling 15 other notaries after that trying to get less.

Reply by ToniK on 7/5/13 5:06pm
Msg #475733

Her lost. It was no guarantee your time was going to be open. I'm not going to stop my life just in case of a call back. If they wanted to sign that bad they could have put you on hold while getting approval.

I had one company call me and said they would call back if it was approved. They called back 45 mind late but that time was filled by another closing that met my fee.

Their problems are not mine.

Reply by ladyknc on 7/5/13 5:38pm
Msg #475736

Amen to that Toni

Truly not my problem.

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 7/6/13 2:24pm
Msg #475793

Guess it works both ways

<<"It was no guarantee your time was going to be open. I'm not going to stop my life just in case of a call back.">>

Exactly. I was driving to a meeting one night and got a call but couldn't check my calendar for a signing I was pretty sure I was open for. It was EOM and I didn't want to make a mistake on the time I knew I was already booked for. I told SS I was more than likely able to accept, but would have to call back when I checked for sure; I called back later to "officially" accept, and course, it had been assigned already. I totally understand they can't go on "probabilities" alone. But honestly I would have done all I could to carry out the assignment for them. In that particular case, it was more about the relationship (and me not wanting to run off the side of the road). So, MY loss.

It also taught me I need a better calendar/appointment system!

What annoys me is the call you try to get and less than a minute later the signing is gone bye bye, adios, bon voyage, so long . . . !!

(My goodness, we're like a pack of wild dogs being thrown a steak

Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/6/13 4:40pm
Msg #475801

Re: Guess it works both ways

Very good point. Yes, it does work both ways. We have our goals and they have theirs, and each has their own approach to reaching them. We also need to recognize that we are accountable to our own goals and not those of our clients, but we should also understand that their goal is to fill an assignment, not keep us busy.

"My goodness, we're like a pack of wild dogs being thrown a steak"

Some companies would like to think of us that way, which I believe is why we're seeing the trend to mass emails and texts with work assignments. But we have the choice as to whether or not we want to run with the pack... That approach doesn't fit with my business model. A text or email from a well established client (which is coming to me alone) I don't have a problem with, but I'm not interested in participating in bidding wars.

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 7/6/13 8:16pm
Msg #475821

Re: Guess it works both ways

<<"we have the choice as to whether or not we want to run with the pack">>

LIKE

Reply by RickG/CA on 7/5/13 9:30pm
Msg #475757

Re: WAY off topic

I love how you Cut the phone on and off!

Reply by Buddy Young on 7/5/13 11:15pm
Msg #475760

I've had companies put me on hold while they get approval.

I love it when they call back later and say they got my fee approved, and I say sorry not available. Then they say "you said you were" I say " that was then, time slot has since been filled"

Reply by LKT/CA on 7/6/13 11:06am
Msg #475784

If they have to "get that approved", I don't bother. MY business rule is if the fee offered is not at/within $25 of the fee I quote, then their "approval" is just a ruse to get the ordered filled. They have little to no intention of paying my fee. In your case, they offered $40......your quote is $75 - nearly double their offer. If you took the job and IF you get paid, the check will be $40, regardless of the agreement.

Reply by JanelWI on 7/8/13 12:23pm
Msg #475928

While I would love to work for free so that a scheduler at a signing service can get paid for picking up the phone....I just can't oblige them. I am also sick and tired of being called a "notary" when some of these title companies and lender reps promise the borrower they can send someone to them. There is a difference between a "Notary" and a "Professional Loan Document Signing Agent". I don't know about any of you, but the last time I took my notarial law test, not one question referred to the loan signing process. Yet, we are expected to navigate these borrowers through their loan package and be clueless as to what is there? I think not. When I was a senior finance rep in the finance department did I suddenly cease being a senior finance rep because I had to notarize a title? No! It was simply the tool that I used in that particular job. No different here. We are not defined nor limited to the title "notary public". It is the tool in which we use to be able to perform the signing task on behalf of the settlement agent and lender. We MUST know the process, we MUST know what the loan documents are....and we are NOT just "notaries", and I am sick of being devalued because of it.

These companies have already made up their mind as to our "worth" or lack thereof. We need to teach them differently because for the many that do this job as a business and not as "christmas money" this is our only livelihood, and I don't appreciate some signing services, lenders, title companies and those newbies that think this is EASY point and sign, who continue to devalue our position in this industry because they think all we do is just drive there, push papers in front of a borrower, watch them sign and then activate our notarization arm where ever there is notarial wording present.

Stop it...we are not just "notaries". One of the requirements is that we must have a notary commission to be able to do the job. However, that has nothing to do with signing loan documents. They are two halves of a whole process in order to complete a signing for a borrower.......title reps who go to close loans don't cease being title reps....they just bring their notarial seal with them along with the docs so they can finish the process of signing....

These signing services who haggle about fee don't care about professionalism at the end of the day....they are only concerned with you doing the job for as little as possible. But it starts from the top down. If that was not the standard from lender, title to SS, it would not be so....that is the game...sadly ...and it is insulting to those of us that do take this business very seriously.