I read a LOT of your comments, and I hang on the word of more seasoned Notary Professionals. So, first I’d like to say thank you, and keep your sage advice coming. You never know your impact.
Now - today, the gears clicked into place and my mind transitioned from being an “Employee” to being an “Owner”. I started my company back in July 2020 and have been going hard since; bending over backwards, taking the hard assignments far away for less than respectable money, and enduring the hours and hours of late docs only to do signings well into the night when everyone at Title is in bed. Today, I took a stand and said NO, this is Unacceptable! I had an $85 signing at 2pm, and turned down MULTIPLE other signings at higher fees ($100/$110). The signing service doesn’t return my emails and requests for information from Title. At 3:30pm, I fly my first email: “Docs late by 3.5 hours, signing was 90 minutes ago - need to know intentions…” No response. At 4:30pm, I’m pissed and DONE (a cold glass of Sangria is waiting…). I fly another email…“Heyyy?? (knocking on the screen), I’m still waiting… If I receive no response in the next 15 minutes, I’ll assume this signing has been canceled. A $25 late docs fee has been assessed on this file.” 15 minutes later, I get activity. The Signing Service forwarded my email to title, who says they’re so sorry because they’re busy, and promises to have documents in “a few minutes.” I responded that If I don’t have them by 5:15pm, you’ll have to reassign. 5:45 I write and say that “I am no longer available for this assignment. Please unassign.” At 6:15 I get the documents. I stick to my guns and said - “I am no longer available for this assignment. Should I consider this assignment - it will be $175.” Ten minutes later - I got unassigned.
Today I decided to be a Business Owner and not act like a desperate Employee whose willing to accept anything to include low balled offers, and disrespectful and inconsiderate business practices. After the night I had last night, when the documents for my 5pm and 7pm were SO LATE, that I didn’t get home until after 10pm! Jacksonville, FL is NOT a place to be caught in many neighborhoods after dark. I was terrified! Last night, I said No-More.
So, Veterans of the Forum - how would you have handled this situation?
Kudos to you Patricia - you do not deserve to be treated like that - and I’m glad you took your stand and held it.
Now, say “no more” to $85 for a signing. Now that you see what you’re put through … reconsider your fee structure and stick to it - you’ll find you’ll be working smarter, not harder, making more money with less headache and less consumables.
I am right there with you. I just took my first assignment and it accidentally was a low ball. I decided to just take it and be professional. I am just learning on the various signing services dashboards, text pop-ups, and huge user agreements. I learned to stop responding to the “No, Fee to low, but fill-in blank.” It was disastrous for how I want to run my business, but telling on the next steps to take. Like- I don’t have to respond to every text particularly if it is the same company and assignment. I said, “No.” I didn’t say, “No, but if you wait 5 minutes and up it by $10 it would be a yes” repeated several times. You don’t have to respond to those. I am no longer responding to those. Those are crazy-making.
Also, I can cancel an appointment if the documents do not come in at a reasonable time to make sure that they are error-free, and that I can get to the signing without a helicopter. That kind of pressure is NOT how I want to run my business. Good luck to you
Kudos to you Patricia. I’m doing exactly the same, I’m newbie but nobody’s fool! I started to ignore low ballers. Too much time and energy consuming, and I have done the same, if I don’t get the documents 3 hrs prior, please reassign. I might not do anything else during that time, but I have to value myself and my time. I like your hint, $25 late documents
Yes on the $25 late fee. I’ve been pretty consistent with that. I was actually considering a more aggressive late fee structure. Something like $25 for documents received less than 3 hours prior to signing, and $10 per hour thereafter up to 5pm. Then it will be a hard cancellation if docs aren’t received by 5. With doc prep/travel, my last signing of the day is 6pm. I won’t accept anymore signings after 6pm. If I need to get packages to Fedex before 6:45 pm, I can’t go past that time; or get out of dangerous neighborhoods; or avoid the long dark roads, etc. I have to set limits. I am also a wife with a husband who worries about me and asked for a healthy compromise on my hours. I am having an enlightened moment where I’m beginning to operate like a business with real profit/loss statements. If I can’t go to Target and tell them to stay open until I get there, or tell even my NAIL Technician to operate on my timeline; then no-one should expect my business to do so either.
What I’m also thinking through is the automated email after I receive Confirmation with my late fee structure and other “rules”. WE get them from title AFTER the agreed upon price with all these threats in them right?..”if you miss initials - $25 reduction; if you fail to use the right FEDEX envelope - $25 reduction or forfeit; if you fail to drop packages for signings that occur on or before 6pm…” blah blah blah, etc, etc. I want to say to THEM: If I call during a Signing and you DO NOT ANSWER or Return my call within the hour - $50 per occurrence! If your Packages do not contain the correct Notary certificate and a Loose Leaf needs to be attached - $5 per Certificate! If your packages are not FORMATTED correctly and I have to print unnecessary pages with 1 number on it - $1000!!!
I’m not trying to be arrogant, just a business owner.
Patricia, I know you’re upset, but step back and take a breath and think about this - if you impose all those fees and stipulations…you’re going to stipulate yourself right out of business.
Lol! You’re right - I was just venting. There is always a balance and I recognize as a contracted Signing Agent, there’s a certain amount of static I must endure in this business. One day, I’ll become a lobbyist for Notaries’ fair “labor laws,” but not just yet.
Hello Patricia. I commend you. I went through the same things and I even told them I expect more from a working relationship than to be ignored on late docs and I blocked them. Sometimes when I have already agreed to the price but they are asking to print too many docs, I request an additional fee for me to go forth. I am learning what companies will give me what I want and what others won’t. Sometimes they call and nearly beg for me to take it, but I don’t budge. We’re business owners and our services are crucial to the industry. We will be respected. Like many of us, we have built excellent reputations and they know it. So I use that for my advantage when they come texting me and making “side deals” to get my services instead of going through the system. Keep up the good work Patricia. I had to learn quickly too how I wanted to be treated in this industry.
I totally agree with this. Receiving docs 1 1/2 or even just an hour before signing doesn’t work for me. It is causing undue stress. They should have those docs done. I wonder if the Signing Service uses some algorithm to assign the orders and if the Signing Service is contributing to the problem. I am going to be turning those down also. I love this job! This is my dream. I’m not going to work these less than desirable jobs and end up hating it! I feel we have integrity and we care. We want to do it right! 3 hours before the signing is not too much to ask. P.S Last week, 50% of the signers had not even seen the closing disclosure!
Yes! that seems really low down that we get all these additional rules AFTER we agree to the job and the fee. I could hardly believe it. I understand it gets your attention and may motivate people out of fear but it is unreasonable and arbitrary. I feel they are violating some law or right or something! In the interest of fairness they should at least openly disclose this information. I think I wrote them a comment that I would like a list of all the “infractions” and corresponding fees.
Sometimes it is necessary to fire a customer. I’ve done this in many endeavors besides the Notary world. What I’ve learned is that, many times, once those customers know the boundaries they become very good customers.
In my notary business, I’ve had companies call and tell me what they will pay. When it is not an adequate offer I decline. Some companies I’ve declined for years. Now, some of those companies are very good customers; when they call they say “what will your fee be?”
Exactly the right thing to do… Now take the next step… Put together a package about yourself and your qualifications… get business cards made and then drop them off at any title company you can find with a nice holiday card…
Great suggestion and aligned with my new strategy for direct business. After declining a bunch of low balled offers to travel 3 counties over for $85 at 7pm, I haven’t gotten any more offers (Signature Closers). A Notary on this site constantly says that when new notaries wear themselves out with low balled offers, then we’ll join the team of working for our worth. I did the math from the last 100 signings, and its like I’m working for free. I lose an average of $35 per $85 signing. I just can’t anymore. Direct business with a couple title companies are paying me $150 per job that’s 2 miles away. While its an ego hit for being dropped (my assumption), its actually for the best. When one door closes, two more will open. I’m good with that.
Patricia. I’m doing exactly the same, I’m newbie but nobody’s fool! I started to ignore low ballers. Too much time and energy consuming, and I have done the same, if I don’t get the documents 3 hrs prior, please reassign. I might not do anything else during that time, but I have to value myself and my time. I like your hint, $25 late documents 
