Your right! Some put this language in bold or at the top of their contracts (that they can let you go at will for any reason). I don’t think I ever came across one that didn’t have it in there. Gotta read those contracts (in there entirety)! Some of them even try and trap you for being liable in cases/situations that aren’t even your responsibility as an NSA. Crazy!
From what I understand, they didn’t tolerate them, they simply just didn’t catch them. To save time and aggravation, most likely they just sent another notary out, scratching the original notary out. Putting myself in their shoes? During the extremely high demand the last couple years, who had the time to do the whole “back and forth” on an error? Some were doing hundreds, if not thousands of closings a month (depending on how they were tallying their numbers “regionally vs nationally”). It was easier to just dispatch another notary and keep it moving. What we will never know, is how many of these loans fell through due to errors on the lender/TCo. side of the house, or with the SS the client hired for that matter! If the phone keeps ringing from the same client, good news! If they suddenly fell off the map during the high ride, then there’s that!
True, now I remember there were a few companies that I didn’t even bother filling out their applications after I read their contract agreements!
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Why don’t you answer them,it is because of your low fees that you get inexperienced notaries , if you’re looking for quality, then hire the experienced notaries and pay them decent fees.
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The determination (or consensus) that notaries who take low offers being “inexperienced” is an assumption and not based on any facts. An “experienced” Notary is one who “simply” keeps their business afloat!
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You are absolutely right! No one has taken a poll and asked me how many ‘lowball’ assignments I’ve accepted yet they make the assumption that I am not experienced bc I do. Condescending!
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They may score their notaries but every single closing I do for them is a problem or two or three
That’s odd. I just went through another training with them to do IPEN and received info that they are expecting more IPEN Signings.
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Yes, this is disturbing. What I think some of the responders are missing is that, those of us who have been in the business for a while have a low error rate. Mistakes do happen and a seasoned professional will do the right thing.
I also believe that the seasoned professional will not sell their services at a low ball figure, which I am finding increasingly as I am offered signings. Therefore, these business that offer lower rates are forces to hire new notaries that are trying to build their business. (We all had to do it.) Jobs that seasoned notaries will not take. Using less seasoned notaries creates more errors in these companies.
Of course, as business gets tighter, These companies are trying to save money and will low ball notaries to increase their bottom line. Unfortunately, there will always be those who take those jobs.
I am fortunate that I do not have to do this to pay my bills and put food on the table. Those who do, I know it is a struggle to fight for what you are worth and earn the living we deserve. I can refuse a job because I can afford it, most of us can not. I have the luxury of not having to take a low ball figure. I wish new notaries knew what we know. As long as someone is willing to take a low figure, some companies will be more than happy to offer it.
Hopefully, the cost hiring a seasoned notary will outweigh the cost of increasing errors. If these companies are fighting the quality of the product they are receiving back from the notaries they hire, they need take a look at the quality of notary they want.
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IMO, We really need to get off of this false narrative/assumption that notaries accepting a lower offer are “unseasoned,” “inexperienced,” and come to the table “loaded with errors.” Ones business structure (expenses) and financial needs determines what they charge, or what they are willing to accept for that matter to make a profit. If one has a “set fee,” that’s great! Go ahead and sit back and wait for it. Besides, how does ANY client “really” know how “experienced/seasoned” the notary is that they are getting, outside of loyal direct work? (which is not the majority of MOST NSA’s business if we’re being honest here). The need for “experienced/seasoned” notaries is rare in this business, and always has been (at least in my 11 years doing this). It’s about getting what they need at the lowest cost possible, like what we do at the supermarket! One can sit there and tell me all day long on how experienced and seasoned they are, years of service, zero errors, on time, blah, blah, blah! How many ask you these questions when their looking for your services? Almost NONE! My last question is still going to be “how much do you charge?” And if I don’t like it, I’m going shopping! If I’m reading your post correctly, you answered your own question: It’s the fees one expects that kills ones business, not whether one is “seasoned” or not. On a side note, think of it this way, we are all experiencing a really slow time right now. This is the prime opportunity for new(er) notaries to do their homework and get caught up to speed with experience and education, better preparing them for the next ride. Where does this leave the “experienced/seasoned” notary in the future when that ride does come around again (whenever that is) because they lost what they haven’t been using because they’re sitting back waiting for each signing to be high enough to make their next BMW payment? Because one charges more doesn’t guarantee that the client gets anything more than the notary who is willing to do it for less! Ones experience and track record is “really” only known by the individual stating such, which at the end of the day is hearsay, because it can not be verified anywhere else!
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Its funny that you should write this… I had a conversation with a 20 year notary who shared with me that she is not getting any business and we are both operating in the same zip code area. After probing she shared with me that she has been doing this for a long time and only got one assignment last week at her set minimum price of $150 … because she wont work for less.
Now me doing the math … I was really busy last week… booked every day with one to two assignments each day because my fee was in line with what the market dictated for the area. So by her sitting back and waiting for her set price offers opened the way for me to establish a relationship with the SS works to my advantage. So i have no issues with people setting their prices as a wise person told me a successful person does what others are unwilling to do.
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Perfectly said and perfect example. My dad? “Always place a bet on the horse with the highest odds. But you better place a bet (at least for a dollar), on the horse with the lowest odds also.”
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I did Hybrid signings ,I have an A ,100% NO ERRORS I live in Hilo, East side Big Island . I made over $24,000.00 , 2021 during COVID. Then March 30th 2022 is when they called me to end contract. Quicken Loans ROCKET has exhausted the refinance on the EAST SIDE, Kona WEST side has SLOWED WAY DOWN. Mostly house sales & buyer loans also has slowed way down. I have been in the business 12 years mobile Notary Signing Agent, I think the business has CRASHED. And now they have run all these adds and add tons of Notary’s testing every month on each Island there is NO BUSINESS. And if there is business they want to pay LOW, LOW BALL first time in 12 yrs seeing this.
So you take the low ball , working for close to nothing and sometimes it will need up costing YOU add it up, gas, millage, printing X 2, scans back. They are just taking advantage of you and you are affecting the livelihood of all Notaries. Usually Local within 10 miles $125.00 if scans back $145.00, here i was driving 45 minutes to an hour, I can’t afford to work for fee, I am 70 yrs old I will just live off my SS, until the business pays a fair wage.
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The stock market also crashes from time to time, but it always recovers. Both the housing market and the stock market influence each other. Look what happened after the 2008 housing market crash. It recovered! NOTHING lasts forever! The trick for ANY business is to know this, plan for it, and prepare for it
Asking for a friend here,
1.) How do you know what anything costs anyone?
2.) How do you know what they do and don’t profit from?
3.) How do you know how many miles they drive?
4.) Why would you think by someone refusing to take any job is going to get you what you want?
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Yep, I am seeing $30 - $40 offers which I counter that this is too low. Let them play their games, not going to accept a signing that only buys me a 1/4 tank of gas…I will ride this out.
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So you are the type that wants to fill their tank on every signing? If you car gets 26 miles to the gallon, it means you can travel 26 miles on one gallon of gas. If Gas is $5 per gallon, it will cost you $5 to travel 26 miles. What am I missing outside of high expectations?
Profit…from your various posts on this subject recently, I’m guessing you’re missing the concept of “profit”. Everything counts toward that bottom line profit margin…and taking the ridiculously low fees offered (while they laugh their way all the way to the bank) is cutting into the notary’s bottom line profit margin (and padding theirs).
And don’t forget - the time it takes - time is money - and every minutes is billable. Time is compensible…
JMO
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Dude, bring it down a 1000…I was being facetious…in other words, I am not going to do a signing if there’s no profit.
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