Posted by Kate/PA on 3/14/13 3:57pm
Msg #461216

Why are people so cheap to notaries?

Had an appointment today at a doctor office & the doctor had an issue with me charging a mileage fee. I told her I explained that her secretary yesterday yesterday, and she said "really" her motions & attitude suggested that it sounds stupid & everything should be included. Is this standard behavior?

Reply by JPH13/MO on 3/14/13 4:04pm
Msg #461218

In my area it is standard, they keep calling until they find someone willing to do it for as close to free as they can find, which is why I rarely do general notary work. I can only charge $2 per notarized signature, so I need to charge a travel fee or it would cost me to help them out.

I tell them it is like calling a plumber, they will charge a fee just to go to your home, say $50 or more, and then charge you for whatever they do once they are there. They are paying for the convenience of not having to travel TO the notary. If they are willing to travel to a place very near my home (and I am free at the time), I am willing to just charge the $2 per notarization. Guess how many times someone has taken me up on that offer? So far, never!

Reply by CarolF/NC on 3/14/13 4:32pm
Msg #461225

Have to put my 2cents in...

in NC we cannot charge for other than the cost of the notarization, so I will tell people drive to me and I will notarize it. The say, no way, you drive here, I'm not using my gas. Funny how that is.

Reply by ToniK on 3/14/13 5:02pm
Msg #461231

I just ask them if they want me to travel to them or are they willing to come to my location. If they have a problem with paying me more than the State allowed $5, then I suggest they go to the UPS store cuz they have notaries and they have to get there before 7pm.

Reply by MonicaFL on 3/14/13 6:11pm
Msg #461239

I am just curious here - when someone calls you (a title company or SS) to handle a closing, do they only offer you $2.00 per notarization or do they offer you a decent fee to print two sets of docs, travel and time?

Reply by Kate/PA on 3/14/13 7:33pm
Msg #461246

Hi Monica, I have yet to do a signing. I mainly do general notary work. This month of March, I'll be doing a training course for signing agent at Community college. Then I'll feel up to doing them.

Reply by Kate/PA on 3/14/13 8:20pm
Msg #461269

Yeah I the doctor probably makes a hundred thousand a year and made a big deal about $5!

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 3/14/13 7:34pm
Msg #461247

I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

I call it a "mobile service fee" -- since that's what they're getting. The service is a convenience to them. They have the ability to seek out and go to a notary in a stationary office if they wish. Having somebody come to them is a convenience, and therefore an extra service they pay for.

We aren't like the pizza guy, just delivering something. We're going to them and providing a service. Because state laws tend to mandate our fees for notarial service, we can't really throw that all in. We need to charge additional service fees for the services we provide.

And shoot... even the pizza delivery guys get tips.

Reply by Kate/PA on 3/14/13 7:40pm
Msg #461250

Re: I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

Thanks 4 the input. In Pennsylvania, you don't go to a stationary store for notary, you go to an Auto tag place! Yes I also work part time at an auto tag place. Yes, you can get your license tag plate & renew registration, and tag stickers there. In Pa all car titles must be notarized! So that's how we do it here. I know every state is different.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 3/14/13 7:45pm
Msg #461255

Re: I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

Heh. Kate, I meant "stationary" (with an 'a') as in fixed or immobile, not "stationery" (with an 'e'), like Staples or Office Depot.

I meant that if they want to avoid paying mobile service fees, they have the ability to get up and get themselves to an office or location where a notary works vs. having one come to them for convenience.

Reply by Kate/PA on 3/14/13 7:56pm
Msg #461261

Re: I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

. I heard people in California need to go to the UPS store if they want something notarized. You guys are Lucky you get $10 a notarization. Its $5 out here, which is a lot better than places like Kentucky & Wisconsin which only get ˘50 or Illinois, New York & Alabama, Minnesota which only get $1.

But yeah some people even think it should be free. Example: "my bank does it for free"

But they don't know its not free, they can check there statement. LoL...

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 3/14/13 8:09pm
Msg #461267

Re: I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

Te UPS store s(most of them) do offer notary service, but it's certainly not the only way of getting something notarized here in CA. Notaries are located just about everywhere... it's a matter of finding them. The vast majority, though, are notaries who obtained their commissions because of their employment, and their employers restrict their ability to notarize for the general public during work hours. Those guys generally don't do anything for the public. Mailbox stores, insurance offices, some (very few) banks are some of the places that offer it to the public on a walk-in basis.

We are allowed *up to* $10 per signature... we can charge less (or nothing) if we wish. There are some notaries who make it part of their advertising to only charge $5, $7 or $8 per signature as a way of letting people think they're paying less. I've found that they tend to make that up by charging high mobile service fees, since those aren't regulated. Others will post ads to Craigslist, for example, offering their notary services for $1 or in exchange for other items or services.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 3/15/13 1:14am
Msg #461307

Re: I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

What they are missing is that a) those people at the bank are employees collecting a paycheck for their time, and b) the bank employee didn't go to them, they had to go to the bank.

BTW, I like the phrase "mobile service fee". I've been calling that portion for GNW a "travel/service fee", but I might change that. Thanks, Marian!

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 3/14/13 8:47pm
Msg #461271

I've seen Parking Wars (A&E) w/ PA parking authorty, I'd pay

the mobile notary fee (even a milage fee), and do it with a smile, in order to stay away from any government agency that had anything to do with autos in PA if I lived there.

Reply by Kate/PA on 3/14/13 8:56pm
Msg #461274

Re: I've seen Parking Wars (A&E) w/ PA parking authorty, I'd pay

Yes, you are correct, I despise the PPA. They're out there 24/7 looking for anything to give a ticket on.

Reply by ToniK on 3/14/13 9:07pm
Msg #461279

Re: I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

OMG that explains why I got a call from a guy in PA driving down to VA to buy a car and he called me to ask what does he need to transfer the car. I said I dont know call DMV.

Reply by Kate/PA on 3/14/13 9:21pm
Msg #461282

Re: I don't call it a "mileage fee"...

Yeah we do auto tags and title transfers in pa & all car titles must be notarized.

Reply by ikando on 3/14/13 7:48pm
Msg #461257

I recently had a guy call me from my phonebook ad ($$) to ask if I did notaries(sic) (that's what the ad was under), then ask if there was a charge. ???? I responded, Of course. This is a business.

He wasn't interested in paying anything, much less a travel fee (which I never got to mention). Hope he got whatever taken care of.

Reply by MW/VA on 3/14/13 8:03pm
Msg #461264

I think it may all be in how you present it. Here in VA our

notarization fee if $5. I explain to people that as a mobile notary I charge a minimum fee w/travel of $25. I get that all explained upfront, and have never had a problem. I wouldn't call it "mileage".

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 3/14/13 11:00pm
Msg #461293

I agree, Verbiage can make all the difference

For GNW, people will sometimes ask me if I "take" credit cards or checks for payment or something like if I “take” a passport or a social security card for ID. -- I NEVER tell them I will "take" this or that from them.

When I opened my photography business in the mid 90’s, I used to train my photographers and sales consultants that we don't "take" any form of payment from our customers. Instead, we will gladly "accept" cc, checks, or cash for payment.

In sales, you always have to look at everything you say and do from the customers' perspective. Who in their right mind, would be happy with the thought of someone else "taking" their credit card, their checkbook, or their cash from them? You may be thinking “take” is A.K.A. for "accept", but the customer subconsciously hears, or thinks, you will be “forcible removing” or “separating” them from something that is theirs when THEY hear you say the word “take” in that type of situation.

If that same sales person is willing to "accept" something, the customer subconsciously realizes that he has to actually offer (whatever) first before the sales person can accept it. Therefore, at least in their mind , the customer actually believes they are in total control of their money, ID, etc.
All this subconscious thought process occurs in a matter of milliseconds.

Learning the proper verbiage to use and what verbiage to never use in sales, can make a huge difference to your bottom line. Learning to stop using verbiage that can quickly kill a sale (GNW quotes, NSA signing quotes, and even the actual signing) and learning what verbiage can cause a signing to drag on for 2 hours verses 30-45 min can affect your profit margins.

Bad verbiage, even in an otherwise decent loan signing presentation, can turn a motivated BO from a "just tell me where to sign" type of signer into the dreaded * reader * signer, in a matter of minutes.

Reply by jba/fl on 3/15/13 7:53am
Msg #461313

I agree, Verbiage DOES make all the difference

I spoke of that recently: Msg #459406

When I was in sales I learned it is so very important in how people "Perceive" you - not necessarily how you really are.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 3/17/13 8:15am
Msg #461668

You listed some great ideas there also. I found Zig Ziglar

... Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie, Tom Hopkins ("How To Master The Art of Selling Anything" Author), Harvey Mackay, and many others to be very helpful with sales/marketing/business training, as well as other topics.

A really good company, imo, that many of the top sales, marketing, business, self improvement, etc., "masters" offer their training material through is Nightingale-Conant ( http://tinyurl.com/ar77nvu )

I have also found that I can get really good deals at Half-Priced Books. Not only on used books but I have also picked up several used audio programs for $5-$15 that were still selling new for $69-$125.
It's a great way to build up one's personal library quickly with a large range of authors and speakers without breaking the bank.

I started building my personal self-improvement/business/training library around age 13.

Reply by FeliseSoCal on 3/14/13 11:40pm
Msg #461296

Rule #1...

Never go to an appointment without negotiating the fee and payment terms first. Then there are no surprises. If they don't want to pay a travel fee, have them come to you. That's what I do. Then it's $10 per signature.