I know many of you have cut ties with ServiceLink, and I’m curious—has anyone been successful in getting them to fairly compensate you or adjust their fees?
Lately, I’ve been declining most assignments except those very close to me because they are only offering $70 for signings anywhere within my city, including locations that require 30–45 minutes of travel each way.
After spending an entire month trying to get in touch with someone to discuss updating my fees, I finally able to speak with someone today who told me that their fees are “set” and can NOT be changed. I told them that is very unfortunate and explained that with rising fuel costs, supplies, printing expenses, and wear and tear on my vehicle, I simply can’t justify driving that far for a refinance at that rate. At some point, it stops being sustainable. Like many of us, I’m in this business to make a living—not to work at a loss.
I’m genuinely curious—what are they offering in your area? For those who have walked away completely, what was your breaking point?
I’ve posted about this several times on at least 2 forums.
Several years ago - I believe it was January 2020 - they sent me a spreadsheet listing the 9 counties I cover. Below each county is the name of every city/town in that county. They asked me to complete that spreadsheet by adding what my fee is for each city/town. It took me a while, but I did it. To date (6 years later), Service Link and I are still using that fee schedule. Keeping in mind that they would be using that spreadsheet when I accepted a signing from them, each fee is based on covering not only distance but also other variables that may come up such as scans, large package, Spanish required, etc. To this date, I’m still using that spreadsheet. It has come in handy not only for Service Link but any other company that contacts me for service. None of those fees are $70 and my fees do cover my business expenses and allow for a profit. I run a business not a blue-light-special.
Yolicue, That’s great! Yes, I do remember reading your posts which is why I tried to negotiate. The exact phrase she used was they are “currently not accepting fee increases” I replied stating what I said in my post, strongly encouraging her to reconsider, considering the rising costs of pretty much EVERYTHING, and that I have 3 years of FT experience and no errors..I’m not sure if it makes a difference, lets see how she replies… I was also told that there is only one person in charge of fees for every district, maybe the person for mine is just not that understanding as I wasn’t even given an option to negotiate, I was just asked what zip codes and counties I COULD cover for the current fee, I told her for that fee I would only cover signings in my zip if they were 5min or less from my house & don’t require scan backs! ha!
They have not let me negotiate the fees after Friday; I would have done 2 refinance packets for them. I’m just wondering if the fees would go up. The signings I have done in the last 6or 7 months have been 90 to 120 on refinances.
That is a reasonable fee. What have they currently been offering you? I just don’t understand where I’m at the fee is $70! Especially considering the rising costs of fuel
I rarely accept a first offer. About the only time I do is when I am contacted directly by a service that found me through a search or is repeat business. For all others, they start off low, anywhere from $50-80 usually. Thus far, I have not left the house for under $100 and I only do $100 if it is in my town. I just checked and I have completed 30 signings since March doing this part time. My average signing is $144, so ServiceLink is on the low end
I got the run around when I tried to update my fees, until one scheduler just had enough and escalated my request. The email I received as an answer from the Vendor Manager was plain and simple, we don’t update fees anymore. So basically, take it or leave it. And I made my decision accordingly. I counter, but I haven’t had any assignments from them this year. I don’t lose sleep over it.
I haven’t updated my spreadsheet in 10 yrs. I also won’t do a closing for $70. Maybe a loan mod or sellers in my immediate area. After that, refis, HELOCs and specially out of town I negotiate with them. They always say I’ll see if I can get that approved. Sometimes they call back to see if I’m still available. Otherwise I don’t hear back. But I still work for them if they negotiate.
I gave up on ServiceLink, Mortgage Connect, Townsgate, The Closing Group and a handful of others about a year ago. In my region, there are so many notaries that will take those orders for $60-$70 and they can have 'em. Negotiations yield almost nothing so why bother. Takes too much time to try and squeeze another $20 for a 30-50 minute drive each way. I cannot earn a reasonable profit doing that.
I was able to get them to adjust fees on occasion, but it became more work than worth it to try anymore, and all the hassle, don’t let me get starred so I sent them a email telling them they were FIRED, and deleted my app and asked them to acknowledge, but they didn’t have the courtesy to even do that even though I was top tier for them for many years…
…its been several months now and I do not miss all the extra work and drama dealing with them, not one little bit… they lie when they say they can’t change the fees…well the schedulers can’t but they can seek approval for counteroffers, which I often would get approved…but not often enough
@FeliciaNM505 You’ve probably noticed the variation in responses regarding your query . . .
As I often express on the Notary Cafe forum within various threads on diverse topics, in general, results can be quite disparate contingent upon location, Location, LOCATION . . .
As such, there are a few isolated regions within the United States that this particular business entity will negotiate Fees; however, in most areas - they DON’T negotiate whatsoever. In addition, the Fees for their Signing Orders [SOs] are well below any level of making a profit. Ergo, most business owners say: “Thanks, but no Thanks.” to their offers . . .
Sometimes it can be challenging with this types of client, but you’ll discover if you honor the Schedule of Fees you’ve created for yourself within your region, saying NO to LOWBALL FEES will ensure your schedule is open for clients that DO pay reasonable Fees.
I guess your local market has a saturation of notaries who will take the jobs at $70. I got a call Service Link yesterday (after me not responding to a text due to being in an appointment) and I countered for $120. She said she would let me know if she could get it approved and I have not heard back, so someone else took it, at what fee I don’t know, but less than my offer. I’ve taken some at $70 when it’s near by or I’m slow just to fill in my calendar, but between all the costs, I can’t take all of them at that price.
They would never reach my minimum fee, no loss. With inflation and everything going up and we pay the price. They don’t want to feel the cost of living and we have to eat it, and to make it worse, enough notaries don’t care of the fee offered, just glad for experience.If everyone stuck to their moral compass on an acceptable fee then everyone would benefit.
When I first heard of them a few years back, a woman told me that she and her husband work for them for $125 a signing and no scan. They agreed as long as she met the shipping cutoff each time. In 2020 they were still paying $125 for refis, when the rates started to climb they introduced auto-assign if you agreed to the $60 fee for the same refis. Between 2020 and today, the majority of the assignments have been Helocs and they assign them at $70 which isn’t good but if dealing with some Lenders might just break even. They also agreed to $90 for refis which are rare enough. Sometimes when the location is over 30 minutes away I have been able to negotiate $85 for Helocs which is typically the most a scheduler can offer without seeking approval. There are enough notaries in my area who will take the lowest figure for an assignment and I am signed up for auto-assign but have only had one in the past two months for $70 Heloc.
There is another branch that works with specialty documents like assumptions and loan mods, they are not on the same payment schedule and will pay closer to breaking even.
One recent signing a notary I know was paid $70 to travel 45 minutes to a signing which had 5 signers. One signer was in another state and he signed the other four. Two of them were available one day and two the next. He was paid a $70 flat fee for two trips and four signers. The notary in Texas received $125 for one signer and made errors on the documents. Fees then might depend on the saturation of notaries in the area. That assignment was a dead loss.
