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May 23, 2017

How to negotiate signing fees like a pro!

Filed under: Business Tips,Comprehensive Guides,Popular on Facebook (very) — admin @ 10:43 pm

There are several ground rules when it comes to negotiations.

1. The first offer rule
The person who makes the first offer will never get an optimal price. If you start the bidding first with a high price, you might just get declined without being given a chance. If you ask too little, you will miss out on more pay. If you let the other person make the offer, you will end up with more on average.

2. Whining ruins your image
Notaries are notorious for whining. “You only pay $70….. OHHHHHHH, why can’t you pay more?” Who needs this behavior? If you are such a great notary, you would have plenty of people offering you $125 to $150, and you would just hang up on these low-balling fools. But, if you whine like a baby, nobody will want to work with you even if you accept their pathetic offer. Most notaries are so bad, they are probably not even worth what the low-ballers offer them. Most notaries refuse to study to become fastidious professionals.

3. Take it or leave it
Sure, nobody likes fax backs, but don’t complain. You either accept the job or you don’t. If the signing has 300 pages per set of documents, don’t complain. You either say yes or no. When I do my billing, people always ask me, “What did I pay last year?”. My comment is that it doesn’t matter because last year is over, and that doesn’t effect what this year’s price will be. They want to waste my time looking something up for their emotional gratification which affects nothing. What a time waster. Don’t behave like this. If someone makes you an offer, you take it, leave it, or negotiate. If someone wants to politely negotiate with me instead of whining, they will get a lot farther. First of all I will value them more as a long term client. Second, I will know that they will behave professionally with the people who use my site — and I value that much more than how they treat me. Third, it is not a headache to deal with them. If I ask for $200, and you want to offer a polite counter offer, then go ahead. $100 would be rude because it is out of the ballpark. But, what about $150? Try it. I will probably say no, since my prices were computer generated using six inter-connected formulas. But, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

4. Getting companies to up their fee by $35 is possible
But, I know some very fancy notaries who are at the top of their game who get $50 companies to pay $85. These smooth operators get close-by jobs for $85 that are only a few minutes away. They have fast printers that print 45 pages per minute, so the double set of documents takes less than 10 minutes. They buy their toner or ink wholesale. They don’t whine — they PLAN, and they negotiate! So, in a little more than one hour, these seasoned Ninja Notaries get the call, print the documents, go to the job, get it signed, and get back home, and send the invoice. After expenses they probably made almost $70 per hour. Not bad! So, how do they do it?

5. How to impress the client
A seasoned notary will explain calmly how they are famous for doing clean-up jobs after notaries who didn’t know what they were doing ruined a loan. Why not start with a pro and get it done right the first time? How much did you say you offered again? $60? I understand that you are on a tight budget, but my minimum is $100. I can help you out for $85 today though, since I have a little more extra time than I normally do. Wouldn’t it be worth it to you to hire someone who has signed 4000 loans, and who is meticulous? I have state of the art machinery such as an HP 250,000 printer with quadruple trays, and I can explain all of the documents. Would you like to drill me and ask me a sampling of your hardest loan signing questions to see if I am up to your highest standards?

6. Ask them to ask you their toughest question
Most signing companies don’t ask notaries questions. They should. If you ask notaries questions, 90% fall on their face because they don’t have a clue what they are doing. So, if you do know what you are doing, tell the signing company to shop around, but to ask each of the notaries they talk to how they would explain the APR to a non-borrowing spouse. If you don’t get a good answer after 45 minutes, then call me back! No notary with fewer than 5000 signings can do a graceful job of answering this question even though it is ridiculously simple. It requires study, and most notaries are opposed to that idea!

7. Don’t say anything that sounds phony
Please notice that all of the points I made sound real. None of this, “I’m professional and accurate and do error-free signings.” That sounds phony. Make real selling points because you are selling yourself to people who have been in this business for years and have dealt with thousands of notaries — most of them bad ones at that. Figure out what to say that proves that you are the logical choice to hire, even at an inflated rate. After all, the extra pay translates into less aggravation after the fact. How much aggravation and potential re-drawing fees is the $20 savings worth to you anyway, you tell me?

8. Having a pricing formula sounds impressive
If you don’t like to negotiate, but like to use pricing formulas, that will make you look good. People who understand distances, time involved and other expenses are true professionals who know their business inside out. You might not always get the highest possible fee with formulas, but you will get respect and repeat business.

9. Negotiation points summarized:
I do clean-ups for other notaries who make mistakes; 5000 loans signed; ask me your hardest loan signing question and then ask the other notaries who you are calling; I have an HP (name) printer that prints 45 pages per minute. I have a mobile office — beat that. I’m ready now — let’s do this! All work guaranteed or your money back!

A comprehensive guide to Notary pricing
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16504

Can you negotiate prices with SnapDocs?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16236

Negotiating with aggressive callers
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16278

Notary Marketing 102 – Negotiating Fees (a thorough guide)
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19784

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September 19, 2016

Do you negotiate fees correctly over the phone?

Filed under: Marketing Articles,Popular on Facebook (A little),Popular on Linked In — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:54 pm

Most Notaries study from loan signing classes, but never study the art of negotiation. Negotiating is not hard, but it is an art. Turks, Persians and Indians seem to excel at this while Americans haven’t a clue. In negotiating Notary fees, the secret is to make sure the other person makes an offer first. If you offer first, it might be too low in which case you’ll lose money. Or it might be too high in which case they’ll think you are too expensive and might not want to bargain. If they offer first, you can raise the price by $15 or $20 and still be in their ballpark or just agree if they are being reasonable.

On the other hand, if you want a reputation of charging fair fees for solid work, you can have a pricing formula based on time spent or even have fixed fees, or mileage fees. If you charge $110 per signing, that seems reasonable. They can always bargain you down to $85, and if it’s not too far, you might say yes and make some fast money.

I remember talking to a sub teacher who made $90 per day. Making $85 in two hours including driving and printing is better than $90 in a day. So, you are making more than teachers who are supposed to be the pillars of education in society today.

The other thing to remember is that you have to get your facts and terms straight before you quote a realistic price. If you don’t know how many pages, fax backs, signers, and notarizations there are, you might not give a true price. If you don’t know if the company is fibbing about the # of pages you’re in trouble too. If you don’t know if you get paid if the loan doesn’t fund, you’re in trouble too. Terms are as important as price or anything else. You can negotiate a $500 price, but if the loan doesn’t fund, you might get zilch.

So, put all the cards on the table before you quote your rate. You can quote first, or wait for them to make an offer. Additionally, most Notaries prefer phone offers to emails or texts because they can bargain more easily. You can bargain in any medium. Just state your rate and state your terms by text, email or phone. It is the same — just more delays in feedback.

You might also like:

A comprehensive guide to Notary pricing
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16504

Can you negotiate prices with SnapDocs?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16236

Negotiating with aggressive callers
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16278

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November 22, 2020

How long does it take to get through a signing?

Filed under: Best Practices — Tags: , — admin @ 11:52 pm

Most Notaries allow around an hour for a signing. But, for a HELOC, Reverse Mortgage, or other longer packages, the timing can be unpredictable.

I did a huge construction loan for someone. I was in and out in 20 minutes with a 180 page package. He was a business professional and knew the drill. He didn’t read. He just signed. There are others who read all day at your expense.

One Notary claimed her average signing is 45 minutes. But, it depends on the lender and the type of package, type of borrower, number of pages, etc. Another Notary on Linked In claimed 45 minutes to an hour. A third Notary claimed 45 minutes as well. A forth Notary kept track of her signings over the course of a year and came up with the figure or 45-75 minutes unless there are multiple signers in which case it might take 15 or more minutes longer.

Older clients (the kind that leave their left blinker on for half an hour in Florida) might need 90 minutes for a signing. They can barely see their pen, so how can they possibly know what they are signing?

Summary
The considerations for how long a package will take to complete should be thought about in this order.

Age
Age determines how long a package will take to complete more than any other factor. Elderly people cannot see well, can’t hold a pen well sometimes, and get very tired. Allow a lot of extra time for Reverse Mortgages, Hospital signings, etc.

Experience
Professional businessmen can get in and out of a signing quickly, unless they make you wait for their busy partner to arrive which might take an additional ninety minutes without waiting time unless you negotiate well.

# of Signers
If you have five signers, you might be there for a while. They will have more bathroom breaks, more showing up late, and if even one doesn’t have proper ID, that throws the whole game off.

# of Pages
A fast signer can get through a long package quickly. But, a “reader” will take forever. The type of sign(er) is more important than the type of sign(ing) as a professional signer can whip through a 300 page loan faster than a nit-picky suspicious “reader” can get through an 80 page signing, especially if they have to call their lender.

Prepared Lender
If the Lender on the loan prepares his borrowers well, the signing will go fast. But, what if you get a Lender who waits until the last minute to fill in the blanks. You will be at the signing over an hour with a Lender like that. I had a best client who never prepared his borrowers well. The money was not bad, but they really took advantage of my time. Most Lenders have a few screws loose, and the Notary is the one who pays for that.

# of Notarizations
I was a fast Notary and could do 11 notarizations for two people = 22 notarizations in less than half an hour. But, it is a lot faster to do one notarization especially if the signer whips out their ID quickly (use a stopwatch for measuring that.)

Ending Joke
Here is a Maine joke for you guys.

TEXAS NOTARY: I once had a signing so big it took me three hours to complete

MAINE NOTARY: A-yup, I once had a printer like that

.

You might also like:

Following directions is more important than you think
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19608

The grace period after your signing
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19465

10 ways female notaries can protect themselves
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19196

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October 13, 2020

10 rules for negotiating Notary fees

Filed under: Comprehensive Guides,Marketing Articles,Popular on Linked In,Popular Overall — admin @ 10:29 am

Originally published in Nov 06, 2017

Many Notaries complain about how little they get paid. And then I complain about how little they know. The two tend to go together and the pay is not going to go up before the knowledge does. However, there are negotiating techniques that can help.

1. Let them name their price first
In a bargaining game, it is better to let the other person bid first. You can always raise your ask price if they don’t offer enough. But, if they offer far too much, you would never get it if you asked first and asked too low.

2. Start with a high ask price
If you ask for $125, you can always go down on your price, especially if the job is close or fast. You can ask how many pages, fax backs, and notarizations are in the package. If it is quick, then give them a quick price.

3. Never whine
If you whine about the condition of the industry or how low the fee was, people will think you are a low life. Professionals don’t whine. Professionals operate! So, if you are offered $60, ask for $85 and see what happens.

4. Decline the low-ball offers
If you spend all day working for peanuts, then when the good jobs come, you won’t have time. Decline bad offers so you are free for good offers.

5. Answer your phone
If you only offer when you are not in a signing and not driving or cooking or thinking, you will miss 80% of your calls. How can you negotiate a good fee if you don’t take the call in the first place?

6. Act professional
Try to impress them without trying to impress them. Most Notaries try to do a snow job and brag about how great they are. Seasoned operators don’t do this. Smart professionals will engage you in an intelligent conversation about the job, the industry and the state of the union. Ask them questions about the job, where it is, who it is for, what type of loan it is, and about their career and industry working in title or escrow. But, whatever you do, don’t talk about your zero percent error rate and how reliable and experienced you are — nobody can verify your claims and nobody wants to hear it.

7. Never say hello
Unless you work for an aloe vera companies, don’t answer the phone saying “aloe?” Answer stating your company name and personal name. It sounds professional. If you have screaming kids in the background that sounds horribly unprofessional. Have a quiet place to answer the phone and if you are in a noisy place, try to go to a quieter place and apologize about the noise. Just because you don’t mind noise doesn’t mean the title company enjoys barking dog and screaming three year old.

8. Talk about real life
Sometimes I talk to Notaries who tell the Title company that you can call me to clean up the mess after you hire one of those $50 signers. Over half my work is clean up work. That sounds real to title companies unlike all the nonsense about how experienced and knowledgeable you are which just sounds like fluff. Tell real stories about how you handled complicated situations that others might have goofed. Mention that split signing where you did some complicated manouver on the Acknowledgment certificate and how you went out to sign the wife at 3am because she could only see you at that time due to her busy schedule as a nurse. This is impressive and much better than fluff.

9. Negotiate timing
You can offer a better rate if they get you late after rush hour. They might prefer to just offer you more and get the job booked.

10. Double book and get a bad review
Yes, you’ll get bad reviews from this, but double booking makes sense. People cancel jobs all the time when they hire you, so why can’t you cancel a few jobs. If you book jobs tightly, the other person will cancel 20% of the time — at least. So, if you book a job for $60 and someone else offers you $150, you can ditch the first job and take the other. You will probably get a bad review that will last for three years, but you will have $90 extra in your pocket. It’s a dirty technique. Not recommended, but food for thought and great blog material.

11. Never let them see you sweat.
Appearing calm and collected are the way to go. If you seem flustered, that is bad. Oops, that was eleven rules and I promised ten. Okay, disregard point eleven and just use antiperspirant.

You might also like:

How to negotiate fees like a pro
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19198

Can you negotiate prices with SnapDocs?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16236

Notary Marketing 102 – Negotiating Fees
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19784

A complete guide to getting paid
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19794

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May 21, 2020

Are you frustrated with Snapdocs?

Filed under: Signing Company Gossip — Tags: , , — admin @ 9:53 pm

After reading more and more comments from Notaries about Snapdocs, I realize that your ability to get jobs from them is very unstable.

Instability
First of all, many Notaries have indicated that they got many jobs at one period of time and then the texts abruptly stopped. What probably happened is that someone gave them a thumbs down, or that their average response time was too long and they got bumped down on the pecking order to the point where nobody would text them or use them. It might make sense to be more equitable in the way business is distributed, but that does not seem to be the way Snapdocs functions — it’s winner takes all. Or if you think people being low-balled are losers, then loser takes all.

Distance
Many Notaries complain that they are only offered jobs far away at low-ball prices. This is a common complaint and I don’t know how to answer it other than — negotiate your fees and ask for more.

Pricing
Low-ball fees are a pain. People offer low-ball fees because there are plenty of other Notaries who will take them. If you can prove you are substantially higher quality as a Notary than the rest, there is a chance people will pay more. But, in this highly refined technology driven marketplace, if you are not better, then you can only get a low-ball offer. (Sorry)

Ranking
You can only get better rankings by accepting more jobs and getting a good review. And your reviews and rankings are hidden from your eyes for better or worse. If you are too picky about jobs, you won’t get any, and your ranking might go down. Sometimes you have to do a few low paying jobs to get the ball moving. But, in the long run, I suggest renegotiating prices if you use Snapdocs in the long run.

Summary
I am uncomfortable with a portal that will phase you out on a whim, and that refuses to take phone calls. But, then I have not been a Notary since 2005 so my opinion doesn’t matter. Also, my generation is more personable and more sensitive to being phased out. It seems that the Snapdocs algorithm keeps Notaries in the dark. At 123notary, we will tell you how you do on our algorithm although we don’t publish the actual results. We can also offer tips to help you do better. Snapdocs is good for those who like them, but I am not comfortable with their business model. On the other hand they seem to continue to grow despite all of the complaining so I guess they have something!

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April 2, 2020

How Much Can I charge for a mobile notary assignment and be sure that I will get the job?

Filed under: Other Guest Bloggers — admin @ 8:48 am

There is no easy or definite answer but based on my experience over many years, I have the following suggestions.

First and foremost, don’t immediately say YES when you are asked if you are available to do a notary signing.

The first question should never be, “how much are you paying”? Instead ask informative questions.

When (day and time) do they need it, what type of signing is it (Loan, refinance, POA etc), where is it and how many signatures are being notarized?

If you are comfortable with the answers you get on the above questions even if you don’t get all of the answers, then proceed with getting further details.

Who has the documents? If they are going to email them to you, when is the latest you can get it? Do you need to print one or 2 sets? Do they want you to fax or scan & email them back or drop it at a FeDex or UPS office? I always tell them to email the borrower a copy of the loan documents so they can review them ahead of time and not waste your time reading all of it and ask you questions when you get there for the signing.

After going through your questions, now is a good time to ask them how much they pay for the notary signing and for you to negotiate. You know the distance, date, time and hopefully number of signatures to be notarized. You need to know how much your time is worth and is it worth driving 1 hour for $75 or $150. Be prepared to let them know your reasons for your fee. In Los Angeles, the traffic can set you back 2 to 3 hours depending on where and what time you are traveling. What revenue are you giving up during the travel time otherwise known as Opportunity Cost?

I was recently blindsided when I accepted a notary signing for $250/-. On the surface it seems like more money than the average signing. The two critical mistakes that I made are not finding out definitively if the loan signing is for California or out of state and total number of signatures to be notarized. Out of state loan documents especially New York require more notarizations which require that you prepare California Acknowledgments or Jurats. Never assume that the number of signatures notarized are generally the same at around 4 or 5 for loan signings. The number of signatures I notarized was 30, not including numerous signatures and initials. Without the traveling fee alone, I could have charged up to $450/-. The signers wanted me at their house on the west side of Los Angeles at exactly 6 p.m. because it was convenient for them. That is rush hour and I spent an hour and one half on the freeway and only got there at 6:30 p.m. and offered my apologies to the signers.

As I drove back at 8:30 p.m., I reflected on how I can avoid repeating my mistakes. Although I asked for the number of signatures to be notarized, they told me that they did not know. Going forward, if I was told that they did not know the number of notarizations, then I would confirm via email that the mobile fee is good for up to 6 signatures and anything more they will be charged an additional $15/signature notarized. Next, I will not accept any assignment that will force me to drive during rush hour. If they insist, I will charge an additional fee depending on how long I expect to be stuck in traffic. If they don’t want to pay, that is fine. They can find another notary but at least I am valuing my time and they will know it.

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September 15, 2019

5 Undeniable Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Filed under: Other Guest Bloggers — admin @ 11:24 pm

Accidents are inevitable no matter how careful you are. You get out of some encounters without a scratch while some can end your career and even life. Whichever is the case, experts recommend getting the assistance of a lawyer to deal with such scenarios. Olympia Injury Lawyers is one of the most successful law firms in Washington that offers free consultation to anyone who needs their help. You can also visit their website for counselling and take advantage of these benefits.

They Take Your Stress
If you just faced an accident, you wouldn’t be in the condition to deal with legal matters. People don’t easily give up where there is money involved. You will most probably have to fight in order to get your right from the insurance company. Many get overwhelmed by the stress and don’t proceed further. An injury lawyer will take your stress upon himself.

You Get Better Offer
Even when the company agrees to pay you, they will do everything they can to minimize that amount. Unless you know how to negotiate with them, you won’t get your due right. A professional injury attorney would know every trick and how to encounter them. They will ensure that the company can’t trick or distress you into taking a small amount. Not only that, they are likely to get you more than what you expect. It is a part of their job to condescend the opposing party and force them into the settlement of your desire.

No Legal Issues
One wrong word can cost you the entire case. There are many trivial legal matters one has to take into account when dealing with an insurance company to get a settlement. An attorney will make sure you complete all legal requirements and don’t say anything you’re not supposed to. He will plan everything from the start and prepare you for the worst. He will be there to protect you from their tricks and stop you from getting overwhelmed.

Case May Go to Trial
Most injury cases are easily settled, but it doesn’t mean these cases never to go to trial. A layman tries his best to avoid a trial, especially when he doesn’t have a lawyer. The other party may take advantage of this fear and force you into agreeing to its terms. There won’t be such a case if you acquire the assistance of an injury lawyer in the beginning. The insurance company also wants to avoid trial and may offer a better settlement. If push comes to shove, you know you are more than ready to face trials with a professional lawyer by your side.

Save Your Time
You will find yourself surrounded by a lot of work when you file for a claim. You have a personal and professional life to maintain even with issues the accident may have caused. On top of that, having to deal with more paperwork and meetings could be too much for you. A personal injury lawyer will take care of everything giving you time for yourself and other matters.

Please also see:
Olympia Injury Lawyers

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November 20, 2018

123notary’s Index of Popular Notary Articles

Filed under: Loan Signing 101 — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:34 am

I am not sure how this is going to go, because there are more than a thousand articles on our site. So, wish me luck and I hope this post is valuable.

COURSES
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20276
Beginner Notaries 103 Course – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21112
Notary Etiquette 104 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21132

TECHNICAL POSTS
Journals — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20272
Certificates — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20268
Notary Acts — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20280
General Notary Information — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20264
Documents — http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20258
Law Suits & Legal Risks – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20478
Credible Witnesses – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20414
Index of posts about Power of Attorney – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20255

MARKETING
Notary Marketing 102 Course – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19774
Index of Marketing Posts – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20284
Snapdocs Compilation – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21531
Phone Etiquette – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20505
Compilation of certification posts – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16264
10 rules for negotiating fees – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19620
How to write a notes section if you are a beginner – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16698

PUBLIC INTEREST
Find a Notary – http://blog.123notary.com/?tag=find-a-notary
Posts about fraud – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21527

GUEST BLOGGERS
String of guest blogs – http://blog.123notary.com/?cat=230
Compilation of guest blogs – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22472

HUMOROUS & DRAMA POSTS
Best comedy articles 2010 to 2014 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20288
Stories on the blog – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21898
Posts about Notary & Politics – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20357
Compilation of mafia related posts – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20352
Best Virtual Comedy Posts to 2018 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17693
Notary Restaurant Post Compilation – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17442
Notary Dating & Romance – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17451
Compilation of Notary Sit-Com Episodes – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15949

GENERAL
Best blog posts since 2010 – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21650
Posts about 123notary – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20648

COMPREHENSIVE GUIDES
12 questions to ask for hospital notarizations – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20519
How to make more as a signing agent – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20418
Notary Public general info – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20075
How to negotiate signing fees like a pro! – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19198
When to refuse a notarization – a comprehensive guide – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18974
10 things a notary can do to screw up a notarization – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18864
A comprehensive guide to notary organizations – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17088
A comprehensive guide to notary pricing – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16504
123notary’s comprehensive guide to getting reviews – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16290
Everything you need to know about writing a great notes section – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16074
10 tight points on loose certificates – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15449
Notary journals from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=8348
Notary Seal information from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=8337
Signing Agent best practice 63 points – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4315
Borrower Etiquette from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2995
Backdating from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2424
Mobile Offices from A to Z – http://blog.123notary.com/?p=535

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September 3, 2018

Opinions about Snapdocs in the forum & blog comments

Filed under: Signing Company Gossip — Tags: — admin @ 12:03 am

Here are some comments we got about Snapdocs in the blog and forum. I organized them in to positive and negative.

.

POSITIVE

.

1. Good information is kept in the database

Pam likes the fact that Snapdocs keeps quality information in their database about mileage, year to date payments, and a lot more. There is no doubt that Snapdocs has the most comprehensive computer database system for Notaries ever created.

.

2. This Notary sets her fees and has no trouble.

A.C. Dye has never had a problem with Snapdocs other than a quick login issue.

.

3. Some Notaries happily get good service & jobs from this platform

Craig is happy with Snapdocs. He gets 33% of his work from them and would not trade them.

Bruce claims he has had only good service from Snapdocs and that Snapdocs does not set your fee. You can just hold out for jobs that meet your fee or specifications.

Cindy loves Snapdocs and has had no trouble. She counters bad offers with her fee and I’ll guess that she often gets it.

.

NEGATIVE

.

1. You have to answer every text request or be penalized.

Debra is upset that she has to answer to all jobs otherwise she will be penalized by the algorithm. You lose points if you ignore requests and then you perhaps go down and down on the pecking order. It sounds like being handcuffed to the back of a train which is how my life has been running 123notary for the last few years.

.

2. You have to respond within seconds.

Linda claims that she responded to a text within one minute on at least 15 requests, however, never got a single job. Hmm. I never would have guessed. Glad I am writing this article. I am learning as much as you guys are.

Bob also is complaining that Snapdocs is a speed contest. You have to answer fast or you don’t get the job.

Dennis claims that the text blast demeans the profession and resembles a “feeding frenzy.”

Pam also says that you have to respond to texts within 20 seconds if you want to get hired. When they say jump, you say, “It’s more like diving for the phone, and how high?”

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3. Low-Ball Fees

Alfred feels that Notaries who have not calculated their after-expenses hourly rate might like to work for Snapdocs, but that he does not.

Lyle on the other hand says that initial offers are low-ball, but that he holds out and usually gets his fee.

Jeanne feels that Snapdocs offers insulting fees. She tries to negotiate, but it is hard when initial job specifications are not stated in their entirety.

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4. It’s hard or impossible for some Notaries to actually get work from them.

Sandy claims that she never got a signing from this platform. That is surprising.

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5. Data Entry Requirements

Lee says that there is a lot of information you have to input, and it seems to be far more than he enjoys inputting or downloading.

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6. Demeaning animal type treatment

I will refer again to Dennis’ comment above about how the Snapdocs job dispatch seems like a feeding frenzy that resembles the way animals are fed in a barn and the animals all swarm around the food troth. He is right. This is demeaning. But, high paying title companies are doing the same thing sending out emails to a dozen people for a job and seeing who answers first. I am also tired of sluggish Notaries, but requiring responses within seconds turns Notaries into the slaves of their mobile phones.

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7. Block Call List

Ken doesn’t work for cheap, and he blocked calls from SnapDocs. I’m surprised he was on their list to begin with.

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You might also like:

I’m a high end notary in a low-ball world
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22263

10 rules for negotiating notary fees
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19620

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July 9, 2018

How do you handle these phone situations?

Filed under: Etiquette — admin @ 9:43 am

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Notary Situations

and how to handle them.
Notaries should know how to handle these situations, because you can lose clients very easily. Clients do not want to know about your problems or your family. They want you to get a job done professionally. Here are some scenarios Notaries typically screw up.

Screaming kids in the background
You might be used to your kids, but your clients do not want to hear them in the background. If your kids are screaming, train them to be very quiet when you answer the phone or leave the room if they can’t control themselves.

Relatives answering the phone
When you use the, “Hullo???” method of answering the phone, it is impossible to know if you are talking to the correct person. This is unprofessional and makes a horrible impression. Of the Notaries who have lasted on 123notary for ten or more years, very few say hello. The ones who say hello are not professional and generally do not last more than a few years. Everyone who answers your phone has to announce themselves, otherwise get a mobile phone that only you answer. If your three year old answer the phone, this is very unprofessional, however, if they say, “Rutherford residence, this is Brandon” then it becomes more tolerable.

Answering the phone with an alias
If you answer the phone, “Hi, this is Kathy” but your 123notary profile says Andrea and the person says, “May I speak to Andrea.” and you say, “This is her.” This creates a very annoying confusion. The point of having a name is so people know who you are and what to call you. If there are twelve people named John in one home room class at school it becomes confusing. And if you have multiple names that you go by that is confusing. Stick to one name or use an AKA when you answer the phone. “Hi, this is Kathy AKA Andrea.” That way no more confusion.

Answering the phone at a restaurant
If you answer the phone while at a noisy restaurant, it is best if you are able to step out within seconds of answering the call. The first thing you must do upon answering is say, “I am at a busy restaurant and I apologize for the noise. I can step out if you need to talk to me.” If you don’t keep in mind that nobody wants to hear the background noise and have you continually saying, “what, what what?” every time they ask you something, then be considerate and professional and either don’t answer the call, or step out quickly upon answering. Or text the caller and let them know your situation.

Having a bad phone
If you have a bad phone with bad reception, don’t keep making the other person repeat themselves and then yell at them telling them they are breaking up. That is unprofessional and rude. It is YOU that have the bad phone and it is YOU who is breaking up, not the caller. So, invest in a better phone with better reception otherwise you will lose a lot of clients and will have nobody to blame except yourself.

In a signing
Don’t answer the phone only to tell the other person you can’t talk. That is just plain rude. If you can’t talk, don’t answer. If you do answer, give the other party 90 seconds before you get short with them — hear them out, and be considerate. After the clock strikes a minute and a half, then let them ,know that you cannot talk any more because you are at a signing.

Between signings
If you just got out of a signing, are between signings or are on your way to a signing and refuse to talk to someone, that is rude. If you are at a signing, there is a reason not to talk long. But, if you are between signings and someone calls about business and you tell them you are busy — then, they will have to call you back, but they will reach you at another signing when they call back. If you are impossible about talking to people you will lose half your business.

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You might also like:

Notary Marketing 102: Phone & Communication Etiquette
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19764

How do you negotiate fees correctly over the phone?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16757

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