You are so right. I haven’t been in long enough to understand how it got to this point, but it’s certainly a scam. For less than $100 you want us to print the docs 2x, drive to the signer, perform the signing, answer all questions (which we aren’t trained to do), drive home and scan them back, AND drop them off for you by the end of the day? [MODERATION EDIT]
A lot of luck was involved with me figuring out a way to make around 5k a month. I was grateful for that, as the job is super easy lol. But, I was always aware of how signing services were scamming notaries. I tried to limit how much work I did with them. The best way to make it is to have a large volume of direct work where you set your own fee. Unfortunately, direct work has dried up and lots of title companies are barely making it themselves. At this point, all of the contacts I made relationships with have been fired, leaving me SOL as they say… Companies I worked with in the past have lowered their fees to a pathetic rate. I’m even being ghosted by direct title companies via email that I have done perfect work for.
Seems like notaries are generally thought of as… disposable nobodies. If you ask questions? They will drop you. If you demand fair treatment? They will drop you. There’s no HR to go to. There are no laws to protect us. For someone like me who has an entrepreneurial spirit, brown nosing, playing politics, and toeing the company line to conform to outdated mandates makes me sick. If I wanted to “play nice” and be a good doormat, I’d become an employee. You can’t pee on me and tell me it’s rain, without me calling you out. That’s just my personality. The whole point of being a business owner is to not have to be abused to make a living, I thought. Unfortunately, as the market has changed, I’ve seen a huge increase in those abusive tactics against us. It doesn’t make sense for our fees to be lower when the costs of literally everything have increased. Even if I was doing this part time… I’d be irritated.
The notary business is one that’s a commodity. When the market was flooded with folks looking to make as “much as a lawyer”, from Six Figure University, the supply demand curve tilted away from notaries. When our services are a commodity in a saturated market fees will head south. This is foundation of the supply/demand economics. This is something that an entrepreneur needs to grasp. It’s not abuse, it’s economics.
You complain about fees when Tennessee place no cap on the fees you can charge. In Texas, my State, we’re capped at $6 per notarization. This means that GNW simply isn’t profitable, especially when we’re trying to compete with UPS. When you can set your own notary fees you’re in a better position that just about every other notary.
You may have to put up with difficult clients in order to keep you business alive during the current recession. There is a threshold when a client crosses the line by asking you to do something illegal. I’m seeing a rise in illegal activity in my Tax practice. Tax Professionals are increasingly being held responsible for the actions of our clients. For years now we’ve had to conduct due diligence when tax payers claim kids on their returns. Todd Chrisly’s CPA will be doing time in a Federal prison for the fraud that was perpetuated by the Chrisly’s.
Economic abuse is still abuse. Labor abuse is still abuse. Financial abuse is still abuse. Exploitation is still abuse. This is something that an entrepreneur needs to grasp. You talk as if signing companies “set” the fees, when, as a business owner, we set the fees. We determine what we will do and for how much. It’s an employee mindset to simply take what you are given versus declaring your rate and sticking to it, which is why the profession suffers. Know your worth.
I don’t recall complaining about the prices that I set, ever. Don’t put words in my mouth, thanks. My post is clearly referencing fees that I do not set from other companies. I absolutely love the fees that I set. I charge what I am worth and get paid it directly before the signing is even completed. It’s amazing. Even if I may be “in a better position than every other notary,” I still have enough empathy for the other notaries in other states who cannot do what I do. As NSAs, we all have the ability to set our fee and decline jobs that don’t match it. For example, I’ve been with Amrock for over a year. They allow you to set your fee, so I changed my refi rate to $300 to test it. 2 weeks ago I got a 60 page refinance for $300, which I used to get $80 for. Imagine if all notaries did this? Then, regardless of the supply, companies would have to pay the new rate. That would become the new standard. Thinking in a fractured way keeps the profession fractured and weak. This is what makes it easy for notaries to be taken advantage of.
No, I don’t. Desperation makes it easy to be manipulated and abused. The beauty of being the boss means I don’t have to do anything. And I’m willing to accept what comes with that. I am the highest rated (via google) Mobile Notary in the entire city of Nashville and the entire state of TN. Putting up with difficult clients isn’t in my business model. The customer is not always right.
Apparently you’ve missed the point when I stated you have no cap on what you charge for notarizations in Tn. Texas, like most every other state, has a cap on Notary fees. This places a cap on what what your colleagues can charge for services.
Pointing out the obvious, you work in a commodity driven market. This means jobs go to the lowest bidder. You can insist on being paid the highest fees, but it doesn’t mean you’ll get them. This is the foundation of a supply/demand economy.
I said nothing about desperation nor do I care about you ranking on search engines. Your search engine ranking are not a reflection of how well your business doing. With the right now how, search engine rankings can be easily manipulated. That’s why I have an SEO expert on my team.
You never know if you’re dealing with a High Conflict Personality who’s also a well connected individual in your area. Influential people can ruin your reputation quickly and easily. This doesn’t mean putting up with an aggression, threats, or those exhibiting anti-social behaviors. It may also mean taking on that difficult client, but only once. The next time they call, you’re booked solid and can’t accommodate their request. Taking this approach leaves your reputation on solid footing and let’s your difficult client move on to your competition. It’s a matter of Tactics.
I don’t have to brag about how well my business ventures are going nor worry about the opinions of those in my community. I took a systematic approach with my business. Becoming a master of customer service is critical to keeping a business alive during an economic downturn. Those who lack Customer Services skills, will soon find themselves without customers.
In a capitalist society, almost everyone works in a commodity driven market. So, yes, this is obvious.
Addressed this as well, both succinctly and directly. Not sure why you keep bringing it up. You can buy a bag at Louis Vuitton for $5000 or you can go to TJ Maxx and get one for $50. Louis Vuitton continues to exist and sell, last time I checked…
I didn’t say anything about rankings. I said, “rated.” Ratings come from satisfied clients leaving 5 star reviews over and over and over again on your business profile due to your exceptional services. So, yes, my 197 5-star reviews from satisfied individuals, title companies, banks, and lawyers are a reflection of how well I run my business. Good reviews always beat out manipulated SEO rankings and are more credible to potential customers.
You seem very worried as you’ve replied to my post with false statements and insinuations even though it doesn’t regard you at all. You also have the propensity to lecture other adults who never asked for your advice. This is not the behavior of someone who is not worried “about the opinions of those in [your] community.”
In other news, water is, in fact, wet. I’m not sure if this is a passive aggressive dig or what? Either way, I’m done with this convo. Goodbye.
When you state, “I’m even being ghosted by direct title companies via email that I have done perfect work for”, would seem to point towards economics, that your business model isn’t working, or a combination of both. You imply your business model is superior to the rest of ours. If your business model is superior, there should be no complaints about “economic abuses”. You’re not a victim, it’s not abuse, it’s an economic reality.
It makes no difference how “perfect” your are in a commodity market. Your economic value is what someone is willing to pay you to do a job. Put yourself in the role of a decision maker at a TC or SS. Why would they pay your top shelf pricing, when their are others willing to work for less with the same perfection as you?
I have no issues with the prices you’ve set, I was pointing out that TN has no cap on Notary fees, when just about every other State does. This is an obfuscation of my statement and falls into the Red Herring category.
You are the owner of your business, you work as a contractor for TC and SS services and another entities, nne of them are supposed to provide you medical insurance, you are your sole boss, you have to buy your own insurance.
“You can buy a bag at Louis Vuitton for $5000 or you can go to TJ Maxx and get one for $50. Louis Vuitton continues to exist and sell, last time I checked…”
The next time you see a LV bag at TJMAXX on sale for $50 please let me know… lol
As a high end company they dont discount their product to bargin bins… they work hard to protect the integrity of the products they offer. It sounds like from what i am reading you hold steadfast to your pricing and strategies… if that works for you and you are indeed successful in doing so… the onward and upward I say.
Topic closed. The Notary Cafe forums are not a place to throw personal insults at each other. It’s OK to disagree, but when you do, remember to be professional.
