So we have learned recently here on the forum that certain clients/SS Co’s do in fact keep internal reviews on us notaries without disclosure to us, or for our review/response. So my question is, what prevents us from leaving a review on them (whether good or bad)? Especially when they don’t honor/comply with their own contracts and T&C’s?
Ever give it any thought?
Do you leave reviews?
If not, why?
I am in 100% agreement we should have a section where we can rate each company and a section of companies, we know are scams you help notaries not fall in those traps I have learned now when I get a new company to come here first and see what is said about them this is becoming my go to place for information and thank you I love your post right or wrong you are a straight shooter
If a company has Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. there is nothing stopping you from leaving a review. And they all do, outside of their vendor/customer portals. Other than that, individuals regularly review companies on this forum. What are you suggesting otherwise?
Of all the reviews I read on all social and internet platforms for my clients (WHERE available), google, Bing, yahoo included, I see NONE from notaries or NSA’s, they are all from their customers. This means we are not leaving any reviews with conducting business with them, which is why I asked WHY?
Do you leave reviews for your clients? If so, where?
Wasn’t suggesting anything, just pointing out an observation.
As you said in your opening, the companies keep internal reviews on us. This forum keeps our posts, many of which provide internal reviews on companies we have worked with. What would be the benefit of posting an external review for them or the public to read about our negative (or positive) opinion of working with a title company?
The same reason why you read reviews when you shop for a product or service. In search of the best value for your money, or in our case, a chance to face and respond to our accusers on a “one sided” review. MOST reviews are public. If someone is talking about you behind your back (knowingly) and you don’t have an issue with not being able to see, let alone respond to it, how do you know what your doing right, or wrong for that matter? Not too mention protecting other NSA’s from doing business with “dirt bag” companies. Public reviews keep companies in check and give their clients/customers an idea of how they operate, PUBLICALLY. That’s the benefits!
But, if the reviews of us notaries are being done “behind our backs” how do you know what to respond to? It sounds like the assumption is that reviews of us are negative. The SS and TCs with some integrity provide you a scorecard and periodic explanation of your ratings based on your work with them. Those scorecards give you an idea (at least an opportunity) to discuss with them what you can improve on, I would think.
Companies are selective about which feedback they post to their sites. I hardly think anything you write that would identify a company as a “dirt bag” they would post. There are plenty of such posts to this forum about companies (that are openly named) with which many of us have had less than desirable experiences.
There is always Yelp and Google review. But, while you may receive momentary satisfaction from voicing your opinion about a negative experience, there hardly seems to be any other significant tangible benefit. It seems to be unnecessary combativeness all for the purpose of feeling better about something you are guessing about at best. But, to each his own. Good luck with that for those of you who go down that road.
You might be “confused” here, especially on what a “review” is. Leaving a review doesn’t benefit the author of it. It benefits the reader (other customers, other clients, and the product/service/company you are reviewing).
This was the point I addressed in my previous post. If someone is writing a review about you, you should be able to see that review so you can respond to it. This is NOT the case. A “score card” (a grade) is something totally different from a review, and was not the subject of my topic.
If YOU are leaving a review on a company, it stays there until YOU remove it. Feedback on a companies website? Not the topic of my discussion either, obviously can be manipulated. Again, I’m talking about posting PUBLIC reviews! Yes, people “talk” about their experiences with companies here, but it doesn’t have the exposure a public review does. How do you think the BBB makes money? Businesses pay the BBB for PUBLIC REVIEWS! You leave a review on a business, and the business can respond to it, PUBLICALLY. Same features come with Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
My point, someone is on here and complaining it’s been 6 months and they still haven’t got paid? Bad business practice as a partner. Look the business up and leave reviews where you can FOR OTHERS describing your experience. You “may” get a response from the business by some means, heck, you might even get a paycheck, but the readers (other partners/customers) will be grateful
Going to disagree with you here vvs. Google a company name and many times links come up to posts on this site and others - so bad reviews here will show in a public search.
This is not a “review” platform. It does not solicit reviews on any particular company, meaning it does not “rate” them outside of our “general” discussion comments one “might” see on a particular company. I’m talking about leaving reviews where business advertise. If someone leaves a review for my business on Google, Yelp, Thumbtack, Bing, etc. I get a notification saying someone left a review. I can then see what the reviewer wrote, number of stars they gave me, etc. I can then also respond to it. This platform rates no one (to my knowledge), nor allows anyone outside of here to respond. When was the last time we seen a client chime in on here on a post someone left about them? I haven’t seen one. It’s the ratings that businesses strive for, and also what we look for when we read reviews on a product or service we are shopping for. In my mind, reading someone’s “venting” post on a member forum is not an actual “review” as NC doesn’t rate or grade based on the post or the client themselves as a business.
If you don’t see a response from a business on a public review board, it doesn’t mean they don’t have the ability to do so. It just means either the review was accurate with no defense, or they just don’t care IMO. A “true” review platform has dual capability (hearing both sides). I can’t tell you how many times a vendor on Amazon tried to “pay me off” to change my review. It means the business not only reads them, but they know everyone else out there will too. Our clients may not pay us off, but if the reviews mean anything to them (IF they are left) they may change the way they operate to protect their reputation. That “social credit score” thing we are all subject too now (one way or another).
My thought process is, if you didn’t get paid for 6 months by a company you did business with, and leave that experience in a review, they will see it, and so will everyone else looking up that business. They may not respond or do nothing, but imagine multiple reviews about non pay issues? Eventually they will either have to pay, change their name, or let the negative reviews accumulate with no regard. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not doing business as a customer with any entity that doesn’t do right by their partners, which is a necessity to give me what I’m looking for as a customer! And if they pay me and ask to delete/edit my review, there’s a charge for that too 
But I’m not deleting the review, I will update with I got paid on such a such date (coincidentally) after leaving my previous review! Playing “games” can be a two way street. They got what they want, now give me what I want, and that’s just what was agreed upon after services rendered. And this just doesn’t apply to non-pay issues either. A client was “nasty” on the phone because you questioned them? Hold them accountable to the same standards we are held to, and that’s “PROFESSIONALISM.” Call them out on the review (SnapDocs seems to be famous lately for this).
Benevolence is an admirable quality. I applaud your commitment and efforts.
I was shocked when I heard that SS companies leave reviews for other SS companies to see but we (Notaries) cannot see what was posted. It is very unfair that we do not have the opportunity to post a rebuttal if a comment was negative or just say THANK YOU if the comment was positive. When Signing companies post negative reviews, it could be that they don’t understand the laws of that particular state in which they are requesting the transaction to be handled. It could be viewed as the Notary being combative, which is not the case. They don’t want to lose their commission over a signing that the company is trying to push to be closed! I think the review platform should be an open platform. Just like we had to sign up to accept an offer, they had to sign up to send an order. We should have the same opportunity to post, therefore it should be a two-way street.
Yes, I post reviews on Google and wherever else I can. The problem is that if you want to warn other people and they don’t have a Google page or a reviews section on their website, you’re out of luck.
It sure would be nice if we could post a review on the big platforms.
There are several websites where you can rate and review signing service companies and title companies. And of course the usual fair; Google and Yelp.
You can read reviews for most companies on NotaryRotary in the Signing Central section. And also 123Notary, although that site isn’t as up to date. If you google the company name you will probably find a link to a notary site, like this one. When checking on a new to you company you should always do your due diligence before you go any further, especially now, with mortgage applications declining. These reviews are left by our fellow notaries who have worked for these companies. And, you can leave your review of a company, good or bad, after you’ve worked for them. There are going to be signing services, mortgage companies and even title companies shutting down/going out of business, as in the years between 2005-2008 or 2009, so it’s very important that you stay on top of what’s happening in the industry.
As I stated previously, we should be able to respond to reviews on ANY platform that our clients advertise on, not just Google. It’s the only reason I like BBB. These shady companies will actually pay for an account for people to leave reviews on, and also let’s you continue to leave a response to their replies! It’s really all “hear say” at the end of the day, but gives the reader a heads up and something to think about.
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