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Renee
Michigan
549 Posts |
 Posted - 08/04/2010 : 03:29:17 AM
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Hey Alex, that is so ironic - I understand the person YOU network with is amazing ...
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Alex Yvonnou
Michigan
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2010 : 9:11:44 PM
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| Wow Renee, this person you network with sounds awesome! |
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Renee
Michigan
549 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2010 : 03:24:44 AM
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Networking - years ago when I first started, I quickly learned who my primary competitor was - and we quickly became friends because apart from liking each other as people, we both share the same business sense & practices. From there, we organized a structured network for our state. It's most definitely a trust-based relationship. I'd never recommend anyone refer a job or a client to someone else unless you already had absolute trust.
If I went on vacation & there was a follow-up call about a prior closing, that client would A)already KNOW I was on vacation because I'd have advised them I would be and B)I would get the message on my v/m or e-mail, and could/would certainly respond. (For those who've never used e-mail auto-respond, you do still GET your e-mails.)
As for calls to schedule something after I'm back home, either that client would already know my schedule, or they would get the referral to my network partner. Works both ways - when my network partner goes on a trip, I'm referred to and it all comes out in the wash, as they say.
In our 5 years of networking/referring to each other, we've never had it result in anything but an added value.
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jbelmont
California
3106 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2010 : 6:32:24 PM
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I like the networking with other notaries idea. Make sure the "OTHER" notaries are reliable. I have heard my share of nightmares. One notary cancelled a networked job because it was raining. She cancelled at the last minute too when it was too little time to find someone else.
The bigger issue is that if John does a signing, and goes on vacation and networks with Jill. Jill will not know exactly what happened on Johns signing, so John better answer his email / phone messages just incase an emergency happened in conjunction with his work, or his clients will be teed off with him. Only John can ansewr questions about what happened on his signing.
The other issue that was brought up a few responses ago is booking future appointments. If you want work when you get back from Tahiti, better find a way to book that work with your regulars. Send everyone a postcard of a coconut too for good luck.
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Lisa T.
California
391 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2010 : 5:50:59 PM
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I answer my phone always. Callers may want an appt for next week, therefore, I have appts when I get back. If the caller needs immediate service, then I say "My calender is booked, may I refer you to a Notary colleague?"
Notary service calls never last more than a minute or two...and besides, I don't get enough calls to ever annoy or ruin any event so therefore, I answer my phone no matter what!
I don't use email "out of office" auto-responses. The emails get answered when I get around to them. If the email needs responding to, the sender (a close friend or family member) will text or call me to find out if I saw the email. |
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Renee
Michigan
549 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2010 : 10:38:57 AM
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Lynn - you're advertising your vulnerability!
Meaning this in the nicest possible way, this is precisely what you don't want to do - on ANY forum, any internet site, any profile. |
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n/a
North Carolina
2 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2010 : 08:12:24 AM
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| I am going to be in Europe for two weeks in August and it is going to KILL me to be away from work that long! My stepson is getting married in Bonn and we are going to do some traveling while we are there...Munich, Amsterdam and Paris. |
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Renee
Michigan
549 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2010 : 02:44:29 AM
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Thanks for pointing out the danger in advertising one's own vulnerability, Paul! I see that happening so often (particularly on FaceBook)!! I sometimes wonder what are people thinking?!
I have and would again use auto-responders for e-mail, and leave my network-buddy's name/number on my v/message - though I do not ever indicate I'm "on vacation".
For e-mail, I use the standard "I'm out of the office ...(insert network contact info)." This is such a standard that I don't think anyone blinks twice, and for whatever reason the general public always thinks I 'am' an office full of people anyway, so I just play into that.
For v/message, I simply state that I am "temporarily unavailable, please contact ...for all your notarial needs." My better/frequent clients are taken care of in advance.
It's not that there are many places we can escape to that we don't bring the ABILITY to stay connected with us - but I do believe in taking a break, and when I am on vacation - I am ON vacation! =) |
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PWinFL
Florida
469 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2010 : 05:11:44 AM
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I answer emails and voice mail as soon as possible, but hardly ever more than 48 hours later. Further, I NEVER advertise that I am on vacation using auto-responders or voice mail announcements. (Why? My neighbor was robbed while on vacation. As it turns out, the robber knew they were gone because of their voice mail announcement.)
I do let my major clients know that I'll be away from the office and offer alternatives for them, just as Renee suggests.
I always take my laptop with me and try to ensure that the motel that we stay at on the road has internet access. Most do and often they have a 'business center' where you can use their computers.
I also leave my office computer and server running while I'm away. From the field, I use a 'remote control' program to access my office system just as if I was sitting in front of it. (I also use that software supporting some of my clients.) So for most folks, it appears that nothing has changed and business is carried on as usual.
As has been discussed, stop mail delivery (or have someone you trust pick it up every day) and stop paper delivery, among other things. IOW, make you house and property appear that you're still there and nothing has changed.
Never drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly.
I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida,
and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice.
Visit us online at http://www.PAWnotary.com |
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Renee
Michigan
549 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2010 : 03:04:36 AM
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If you're going on vacation and intend to leave the world behind - you line up your frequent clients with someone you network with, rather than leaving them to find someone else on their own. Not only is that a better business model - it puts your clients in the hands of someone YOU can trust, so that you have clients to come home to.
You put that network person's name/number on your phone v/message and on your e-mail auto-respond message.
You can then take a real vacation ... |
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jbelmont
California
3106 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 9:40:29 PM
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This is an interesting point that has never been discussed on our site before. If you are on vacation, how often should you check your emails. I have lots of customers who need immediate help, so I try to login every day, or at least once in 48 hours. But, what if you are a notary? What if there is a problem, and a lender needs to talk to you while you are in Tahiti? My personal opinion is that if you are on vacation, 72 hours is the longest that you should be cut off from society unless you are in the hospital with dyssentary or trekking the bush with Crocodile Dundee or something like that.
What is an appropriate interval to check your emails?
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Vacation emails? How often to answer
