Posted by pan/nd on 6/10/13 1:25pm
Msg #472791

Ditto..I won't work for ISGN either for the same reason n/m

Reply by Sandra Nelson on 6/10/13 2:32pm
Msg #472799

Re: Ditto..I won't work for ISGN either for the same reason

I thought ISGN was pretty good at first, OMG was I wrong. There is no communication with the employees who work there. I kept getting emails from at least 5 different employees regarding completing their new hire packet. I faxed it several times and ended up replying to countless other emails to contact ****, the person that originally contacted and has all of my information. They just didn't get it? They did meet my fees, but getting paid was another story....I had completed quite a few signings in the first three weeks and received some of the payment in a timely manner, but as time went on it got worse. They ended up owing me quite a bit of money, which took 5 months to get. Needless to say, when they started heading toward 60 days I started turning down all signing requests. I kept having to leave messages and send emails, I finally called and demanded to speak to a manager, that conversation didn't go very well. I was always taught if people are mean to kill them with kindness, I really tried but she was darn right nasty. I finally had it and threatened to call the title and lenders. I received a check promptly the day after from FedEx. I still get calls every now and then and I keep telling them to take me off their list.

I see on NR that they are out of Melbourne FL, just about everyone I dealt with had a Mid eastern accent which at times was a little difficult to understand. I am normally a very patient person but in one conversation “while getting the run around” and it didn’t help that I couldn’t understand the person I was speaking to at all, I asked him where he was located and he said India, if I'm not mistaken he said that was where the company was based out of. I’m sorry, but I have a hard enough time getting payments from companies in the U.S. not going to deal with any companies that their home office is based out of the country. Unfortunately, I was not checking the ratings on NR at the time, otherwise I’m sure it would have saved me a lot of headaches.

Sure learned my lesson!

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 6/10/13 2:50pm
Msg #472802

Re: Ditto..I won't work for ISGN either for the same reason

It's stories like Sandra's that make me wonder what the hell is going on in the lending/title industry. It's run by a bunch of crooks, it's off-shored, nobody gives a crap about the notary ... they only know that *have* to use us ... but the majority of us or too stupid or ill-informed to know not to work for these scumbags. They do anything to stay in business cos they make so much $$$, we're an afterthought if even that.

Sometimes I wish I could be a fly on the wall of these outfits when they discuss their "business model" and what they actually say about us. I bet they laugh about us all the time, and like Sandra said, have absolutely no intention of every talking to you again after the scheduling call. And when you actually get ahold of a person to stand up for yourself, they treat you like crap.

I am very fortunate to have landed with a TC who treats me in a professional manner. At one point last year I fired dozens of outfits who ticked me off in the slightest, I was so fed up with all their BS over the years. And that's all it was: BS. Don't back you up on ID issues, late pay, beg for pay, endless threats of docking your pay over this or that, but they can and do drop the ball at every opportunity. I rea

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 6/10/13 3:03pm
Msg #472803

Woops

Didn't actually mean to post the above "rant"! I was just venting to myself in writing (as I often do) ... but at least I am usually cognizant enough to press the blue "Cancel" button instead of "Post." Yikes!

In any case, I think many of my points are valid .... I just get so disgusted by reports of the horrible behavior of the people and companies we work for .... I feel so bad for the countless notaries who are so desperate or ill-informed that they feel they *have* to work for them. They don't know there are other options ... but judging by recent posts, the options appear to be getting slimmer.

Anyway, lesson learned. I'll type my vents elsewhere!

Reply by Chris/ILL on 6/10/13 3:53pm
Msg #472807

Re: Woops

Wow really, too stupid, ill-informed or desperate. options?? Wow

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 6/10/13 4:05pm
Msg #472808

Yes, Chris...I agree with GG

notaries that work for $50, $60 or $70 - ill-informed or desperate. They don't realize their worth and they think just because they're insanely busy they're making a profit. Not so. They think because the company says "all the notaries accept that fee" or "that's the going fee for your area" that it is true. Not so.

Options? Educate oneself to bring more to the table; market to companies that pay a fee commensurate with the knowledge and experience of the notary they're hiring; JUST SAY NO to those who pay these insanely low fees and then ding the notary fee for something stupid like was posted in another thread - for not calling in.

And yes, stupid notaries. Notaries who decide to go into business without researching, educating themselves and judging their market; have no idea how to be self employed or run a business; have not developed a business plan and have no idea what they need to ear to turn a profit or what's involved; they are out there and they are many - and they post here.

Yes, I agree with GG

Reply by Sandra Nelson on 6/10/13 5:39pm
Msg #472818

Re: Yes, Chris...I agree with GG

No one likes working for low fees. I know CA notaries charge $10. for notarizing a signature, which is great. Notaries in AZ can only charge $2.00 per notarized signature. Also saw on several posts that some notaries charge from $125. to 200. for loan signings. I know that the distance on coverage areas for signings can be much greater in CA. Not sure about other states. I have been an NSA for many years and I the only way I have seen $125. or higher is to travel somewhere like Wickenburg which is approx. 45 miles one way. I have also received increases for packages with an excessive amount of docs. As soon as I open the package and if its in excess of a normal amount I call the SS and ask them if they have seen the amount to be printed. Sometimes they are unaware (or at least they say they are) and when I bring it to their attention they usually adjust the fee with no problem. I do have some very good clients that pay $100, but only a few. I have tried to work directly with title and escrow companies but have not had to much luck.
ServiceLink had a seminar here not to long ago and I asked the rep what the going rate for signings here and he said around $85. which I think is way too low for the hoops you need to jump through on some of their paperwork, especially VA loans. Not sure if they determine the fee they pay as to how many notaries they have in a given area or what? I go above, beyond and out of my way to give companies %110 and I like every other NSA out there refuses to be taken advantage of. I wish I could set my fees higher but unfortunately I believe the areas we live in designate what companies feel we are worth. It would be nice to here from other AZ NSA's to see if they are in the same boat as me.

Reply by Belinda/CA on 6/10/13 6:42pm
Msg #472824

One little comment. n/m

Reply by Belinda/CA on 6/10/13 6:44pm
Msg #472825

It must be the day for hitting Enter or Post tooooo early.

One little comment.

It is not the distance that determines your fee. It is your expertise. What you are worth! that determines a fee.

Distance adds to that.

Reply by jba/fl on 6/10/13 10:55pm
Msg #472847

It is also the companies you work for as well.

You said SS's you work for - it is like pulling teeth to get an SS to pay more than $100 unless there is excessive mileage, larger than normal packages, inordinate number of fax backs, etc. I have only one SS I work with regularly, the rest are TC's.

You need to market, market, and market some more. You need to find what you are better at than your competition and promote that. You don't worry about what others are accepting, rather what you are charging and remain confident continually. Yes, you may suffer a bit at first, but you have to build.

How many times did you play with blocks, stack them 10-11-12 high when you wanted to reach 15 high. Did you stop or did you continue to work towards your goal. Successful people fail a lot, always have. It is what they do next that determines their course.

Reply by LKT/CA on 6/10/13 9:48pm
Msg #472843

Re: Yes, Chris...I agree with GG

<<< I wish I could set my fees higher but unfortunately I believe the areas we live in designate what companies feel we are worth. I do have some very good clients that pay $100, but only a few.>>>

Only YOU can dictate your worth - and *charge* accordingly to cover your expenses and yield a profit. As long as Notaries have an employee mindset - what companies pay - and don't develop a business mindset - what I charge - loan signing fees will continue to on the downward spiral.

Reply by loandocs on 6/10/13 5:04pm
Msg #472814

Re: Ditto..I won't work for ISGN either for the same reason

Thanks for all the comments regarding ISGN. I told them that based on comments I have seen by other notaries that I will not work for them.

Thanks again everyone!