Leading article is about trends they are dealing with. Notaries who accept assignments then ask for more money and then cancel if they don’t get a higher fee they requested.
Or accepting and then canceling the order when they receive the details.
They are going to start suspending notaries who do this.
And another trend they are tracking are notaries who work with other notaries and are accepting orders and having them filled by someone else. That will get you suspended as well.
I consider it one of the best platforms available. People do grab the orders very quickly. But if you do that and think you can then ask for more money - services are losing patience with that.
Then maybe they should give all the details from the outset or offer a better fee to begin with?
Signature Closers used to be one of my favorite companies to work with - they knew my fees and usually met them. (as you always say, know your market and your area - I did and they knew it).
I do know I see a lot of posts where notaries are adding some outrageous fees for simple things which they should be including in their initial required fee when registering. e.g. for the services I’m seeing that companies require now (print, scan, drop, larger packages) I’d set my base fee for my county at $150 and outside my county for $175 - all inclusive. I’d take a loss on some, sure, but I’d probably come out with a profit in the long run.
Again, maybe companies should start offering better fees from the jump to avoid these issues - I know Signature used to but I’d never work for some of the fees I see here that are offered by companies…I know what I bring to the table and I’m worth my fee.
Also:
This has always be frowned upon and a huge no-no. I do know many notaries are told to double and triple book appointments, so if any cancel you still have that slot filled - maybe that’s why it’s become a problem. But this practice has never been acceptable. Really makes you wonder what’s happened to this industry.
Like the co; got the newsletter; agree with you, but Linda has made some excellent points. I think the issues SS are having with notaries are self-inflicted. There really are but 6 things we need to determine if an offered fee is good or needs to be countered. Best we can hope for in an offer is 3-4 of the 6.—which means everyone is blind-sided by some missing, critical detail when they accept an offer. If SS plays games, a notary has no choice but to play their own game in return.
As to ‘all-inclusive’ fees–I, too, do that–but–these days I get a lot of pushback on that…a call from SS that NOW provides the previously omitted details and asking if I can do it for less. At that point–maybe I can/can’t; maybe i get the job or not. The platforms are the biggest contributors to the problems SS are having–yet SS keeps on using 'em. Far as I can see, they deserve the problems they’re having because they don’t want a level playing field.
I was only asked for a lower fee one time when they gave me a 2nd assignment in the same long distance location. But I only gave a very small break. It almost never happens. I do think they need to stop using bad resources and pay the good resources better.
Then you haven’t been around long enough. It’s almost a guarantee that Murphy’s Law will come into play. In over 3 decades, I have experienced ONE perfect day. 4 signings in a 30 mile round trip loop–many years ago when the market was hot.
It doesn’t happen “at all times.” But, it does happen … if you let it.
I’ve been in this business for more than 19 years. Many years ago, I took an assignment such as you describe: long distance signing for $XXX then same company called me for another signing same day in same general area as other package and would I give a discount as already going there. Okay. On day of signing, the first signing cancelled and I was stuck with the lower-paying signing. I’d given my word. I stuck to my part of the deal. However, never again. Each signing is a separate and distinct agreement with its own fee – even if I’m signing multiple package loans with same signer on same day and location.
$10 discount on two packages at $150 each. That’s not a big loss if it should happen. But a $10 discount sends a message and that service calls me all the time. You can approach it with a negative outlook or you can strengthen a relationship. I know what works for me.
As a newer notary, this is disappointing to read, but as an HR Director, sadly its not surprising. The work ethic (and common sense) of yore is absolutely lost. Not too mention, too many people are worried about “the fast” buck than truly mastering this industry and being seen as a true professional. I absolutely hope MY work ethic helps me stand out against these newer notaries who cause stories like this.
If you haven’t opened a “signing service” - you can’t off load your work to cover over booked appointments. People will find out like everyone else, not all notaries are created equal. And you get caught. Then you get blackballed. Then you don’t get any work.
Sleaze-bag SSs often deliberately leave out the information that would cause some NSAs to reject the offer. I suspect that this is the case in many of these instances. If a SS has a lot of problems with this issue, then perhaps they should be more honest!
My issue is many companies dont list the number of pages. Im expecting 65 or so and get 193. At that point, i have to go whoa! Thats a lot of ink, paper and time at the table.
percent! 
