So I do my best to try to save my customers’ money or other things helpful like coming immediately to their location on short notice for emergencies that make a difference for them. I arrived within 20 minutes of their call at night on a holiday weekend!
The young Chinese couple were so happy when I arrived within 20 minutes and complete their mortgage docs that have a deadline in 30 minutes to overnight somewhere! They were so grateful to me having raved about my services after paying $95 for several documents. Regardless of customers’ gratefulness, I do denote their early complaints about having to notarize certain documents they think shouldn’t be required that’s decided by a title company. Such is a frequent issue my customers complain about that’s beyond my ability to do anything about.
After I completed the services I rode my eBike home in the light rain. I then sat down with a cup of coffee awaiting a 5 star Yelp review the customer mentioned about that provided me with a sense of relief! Three weeks have since passed and there was no review of my prompt services as a mobile notary that saved their predicament of a real estate transaction. Why wasn’t there any review of my services I wondered? Well, I think the young lady had more time to think that I had to ask for her foreign passport having turned down her green card. She had to go up to their condo to retrieve it though she believed the green card should be enough she inquired twice about. I also think this couple thought $95 was a bit much for 3 signatures with a mobile and rush fee. Too many unpleasant factors they encountered I guess.
In another more troubling example, a managing director of equity research in my office building I’ve had for 12 years asked to come down to my office. I made a special trip to my office for his appointment request for just two signatures. When the director arrived he began to rant about how his two documents shouldn’t need to be notarized but another state requested them anyway. The executive wasn’t pleased he had to get his documents notarized related to a loved one passing that in his view shouldn’t be necessary. This executive expressed frustration that he had hoped online notarizations would be available by now.
The director agreed with me that notary publics are hated lately and rudely mentioned it to a bystander overhearing at the office kitchen “Did you hear that? She said notaries are hated!” Well I’ve been hated as a notary public lately and people make up excuses to find fault with my profession. Some man who summoned me to some trashy hotel to notarize a Warranty Deed for someone who lived there falsely accused me of “screwing up.” I was only following California law crossing out the out of state language. He seemed to prefer I accept working for him as a pimp rather than a notary public. He seemed like pimp material summoning me to a trashy dangerous part of San Francisco then complaining about my $50 fee in a one star review putting up a photo of me gleefully smiling on the receipt he received.
I’ve had my share of documents handed to me lately people think it ridiculous that they need to be notarized at all. I try to sympathize with my customers but can’t get past the fact I profit from those who are requiring notarized signatures. Customer anger is growing as are complaints I receive outside my ability to please a customer other than providing free services.
I thought more about the executive today who did nothing but complain, then calling me “mame” as he opened up his wallet to pay $30. A bit much for him, right? Well I did some research and this customer is very well off. I provided him with an office I lease for quick access to a notary in a nice clean sanitary environment. Yet, this customer complained all the while. He agreed notaries are hated and spread the news to an observer. I gave him everything anyone could ever want, a notarization in his building for $15 per signature. He lives in a $2.7 million home! He has a huge salary! These wealthy people don’t want to bother with notaries, we’re too below them apparently.
Here’s another example of unwarranted wealthy customer mistrust of me as a notary public. I’ve had this customer name Rick for several years now, he’s a high up there owner of a company who travels all over the world. My Square app said my charge to his credit card didn’t go through so I charged it again. However it did charge and therefore went through twice! I immediately refunded the charge and informed Rick it was reversed successfully. Then two weeks later I got an email with a question from Rick that his bank inquired about potential fraud of the duplicate charge. I was shocked! Really? I wrote him I had already let him know it had been refunded immediately and his bank should know that. I don’t think I’ll ever hear from Rick again though I’ve provided services for the past 8 years now.
In yet another example, my very first customer was in 2009, a lawyer. He used my services at his nice home with a view of the Coit Tower and San Francisco Bay for over a decade now. This customer was angry I didn’t get vaccinated shaming me like a child and he’s never called since. He was very upset with me asking to leave as I waited for his sister to provide a check in the other room. He appeared anguished and even traumatized I wasn’t vaccinated being under duress because of it.
These wealthy folks want notary publics gone and their hostility is genuine. No matter what I do people aren’t making much effort to help my business stay around for much longer. The hostility is duly noted,they all have issues with having to get their documents notarized.