Posted by mtnotary on 6/19/13 10:18pm
Msg #474047

first time for me

So I received a phone call tonight from a signing company wanting to know if I could do a Quicken loan in a job 35 miles away one way. They asked me my price I told them xxx and they then asked me...why? Why what I said. Why do you charge $1xx. I said because of the distance, time and the fact that there aren't a lot of Notaries up here.
In the many years that I have been a Certified Signing Agent I have never been asked why do I charge what I charge.
It really took me back and kind of rubbed me the wrong way.
How would you have answered the question?

Reply by LKT/CA on 6/19/13 10:28pm
Msg #474050

Me fee covers costs, time, and travel.

Reply by LKT/CA on 6/19/13 10:33pm
Msg #474051

"My" fee n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 6/19/13 11:05pm
Msg #474053

Agree, it's no one's business. I charge my fee, or, as I'm

rather partial to the dialectic, "me fee's me fee, an' that's me fee. Yes or no, I gotta go." <chuckle>

Reply by Sandra G Holland on 6/20/13 8:20am
Msg #474069

Re: Agree, it's no one's business. I charge my fee, or, as I'm

lol, Susan.

Reply by mtnotary on 6/20/13 9:00am
Msg #474071

Susan I love that n/m

Reply by pat/WA on 6/20/13 5:59pm
Msg #474134

Explanation

The reason they said Why is
This is a Quicken. Should take 15 to 20 minutes not including travel time. Usually documents are sent to the borrower so no printing.
Rarely do they pay $100 or more for a Quicken

Reply by Susan Fischer on 6/20/13 7:33pm
Msg #474145

Unless the BOs live 40 miles up the Coast Hwy, then up a

mountain on a goat trail...

Reply by pat/WA on 6/20/13 8:06pm
Msg #474154

Re: Unless the BOs live 40 miles up the Coast Hwy, then up a

You are right. That is when you tell them why you need more

Reply by Susan Fischer on 6/20/13 9:22pm
Msg #474164

Please Pat, I ran my mobile business according to my plan

and philosophy. I negotiated, to be sure, but not below my bottom line, which, and as a rule to save time after asking carefully crafted questions, I calculated - privately in my head on a case by case basis. No telling anyone the 'whys and wherefores' of every consideration, just as other professionals from plumbers to doctors don't break down, let alone ~negotiate~ fees.

Me fee's me fee an' that's me fee; aye or nay, pray ye, as I'm busy...!

Reply by Lee/AR on 6/20/13 7:07am
Msg #474067

ALL costs + my profit = my fee n/m

Reply by Barbara___IL on 6/20/13 9:29am
Msg #474074

I would say I need at least 100 to cover my time, travel, expertise, and responsibility is a big factor.

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 6/20/13 12:21pm
Msg #474093

Responsibility Factor (Like!)

Think Barbara makes a great point. I KNOW all the loans should be treated the same; but we are human (and naturally biased at times). I can tell you I will bend over backwards for the $xxx and up fee.

Funny how that sense of "urgency" to make the last FedEx pickup -when I'm already late for a dinner engagement - can take on a different tone (that "tomorrow is another day" tone).

I "hailed" down a UPS driver at Staples the other night who was leaving the parking lot as I pulled up. 5:00pm traffic is the pits - but when I'm adequately compensated, I'll make a jerk of myself to get it on the truck

Reply by Susan Fischer on 6/20/13 1:30pm
Msg #474104

I hear that. I've copped Uies on Hwy 101 (once smack dab

in front of the oncoming officer) after flashing my lights at oncoming UPS driver who pulled over and waited for me. Policeman, bless him, just rolled his eyes and shook his head - my guess is he'd been a BO of mine and understood the whole 'must drop dox TODAY imperative... I've even driven dox to other towns personally delivering to Title (we don't have Sat pick up/deliveries for either UPS or FedEx, and our deadlines are very early afternoons, to boot.

I carried candy bars for the specific purpose of giving a big yummy THANKS to accommodating drivers, and made some amazing deadlines with their help.

Sometimes that 'extra mile' morphs into 30, but that's why we get the big bucks, no?

Reply by desktopfull on 6/20/13 1:39pm
Msg #474107

My response would have been: That's what I charge to enable me to make a profit with my business where I'm located. Isn't that why most people are in business, to make a profit?

Reply by ikando on 6/20/13 3:06pm
Msg #474119

Methinks the question was asked by someone with an employee mentality. They don't understand there are costs, fees, and as mentioned, responsibilities to run a business. We need to make a profit, so we need to charge enough to pay us at least minimum wage, over and above the other factors.

Reply by BrotherOwner on 6/20/13 4:27pm
Msg #474127

Re: Because....

I am an EAGLE who must soar above a bunch of turkeys, (such as the caller), to accomplish the nearly impossible, with aplomb and grace, going above and beyond, to please and delight my clients whomever they may be. WEATHER, time, travel, cost of consumables and profit, etc. of course figure into MY fee.
AND who was this turkey ss?

Reply by Yoli/CA on 6/20/13 4:56pm
Msg #474129

Re: Because.... Love it, Stan!

I have a visual of you flying at the speed of light and donning a crusader outfit with a big "S" in front. LOL!!!

Reply by mtnotary on 6/20/13 9:34pm
Msg #474166

I ended up getting the job anyways from a different company

I am 95% certain it was the same job as it is in a small town at the same day and time and it is a Quicken loan. This company that I got it from values their Signing Agents unlike the one with the turkey caller.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 6/21/13 1:39pm
Msg #474244

Loved it when that happened. Woohoo. n/m