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TGS1985
California
208 Posts |
 Posted - 02/26/2012 : 11:09:10 AM
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Well I considered them a so-so customer. I had done several signings for them but there were stretch over many months. That's why I charged them for the fix, but not my full travel fee. Middle ground if you will...
I'm not against doing favors for customers. For example I notarize a whole construction crew on site twice a month for an Electrical and Plumbing company. It's an easy $150-$200 twice a month and I love it, and they love it too because I saving them money as every worker doesn't have to take time off to find notaries on their own. I have been doing notarizations for them for several months now and just recently they forgot to cancel an appointment. Because I was already in the area I went ahead and waved my travel fee, but even then, they had the right attitude going into it. They didn't expect me to do that and even ask if I was sure, acknowledging it was their fault.
I think notaries need to be very careful when doing favors for companies. We don't owe any company any favors and a company should never expect favors from us. I think every situation need to be considered individually so when we do do favors we come off as heroes to the companies that matter instead of pushovers to the ones that don't.
Appreciate all the feedback on this one everybody.
- Tyler -
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CopperheadVA
Virginia
420 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 6:25:45 PM
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| Tyler, it sounds like you are trusting your gut instinct with this company. If they are a once-in-a-while client and are lowballers to boot, then yes I agree that I would be less inclined to acquiesce to their request. You are correct that some of these companies will take total advantage of us if we let them. |
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jbelmont
California
3106 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 4:08:07 PM
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If the signing company is a regular and good client, I would fix something for free once in a while since it is good for the relationship. If you are going to charge for fixes, don't be too cheap, because it will take you a lot of labor to collect for the fix. Maybe 45 minutes for all time regarding the fix, and 80 minutes trying to collect. You have to figure collecting odd fees into your formula, because it is five times as hard to collect miscellaneous fees that people didn't necessarily agree to or that are not standard.
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TGS1985
California
208 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 12:39:59 PM
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I gave it further thought and I decided to stick to my guns even if I lose their business.
It was just a copy of the notarization, not a new one so I did not have to meet with the signer again. The closest UPS is clear on the other side of town so I do not feel like $10.00 was an outrageous amount to ask for my traveling and printing expenses. Furthermore they were requesting I get it done ASAP so it could close on time.
I'm not against doing small favors for companies that provided me a large amount of work and I've been working with for a long time, but I don't think it should be expected of us. Also this company has provided me with only a hand full of jobs over the past year. Furthermore I been already giving them a hell of a deal on their loan signings and they know it. Their documents are always over 150 pages and include 12+ notarizations and I haven't charge them extra. I have companies paying me more to do less.
One thing I failed to mention was the rep kept making a fuss how she was going to have to pass on the cost to the customer, which doesn't make sense to me. If she made the mistake, she should eat the cost. Just like I would if I failed to notarize a document. I wouldn't charge her again to go out fix my mistake. That alone seems like a red flag.
I think it was important I stood my ground on this. Last thing I want is a company I work with to think I'm a push over and start taking advantage of me. As it was pointed out to me, you do favors for friends and she's not a friend, she's a business associate and when comes down to it, it's just business. We all make mistakes and we sometimes have to pay for them. If I lose their busines then sure it'll hurt but I recover and I think I'll have better self esteem as a business owner in the end. Copper brought up a good point, I don't think I was really happy to be doing business with them otherwise I would have been more willing to bend over backwards.
- Tyler -
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Edited by - TGS1985 on 02/22/2012 12:41:35 PM |
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CopperheadVA
Virginia
420 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 10:53:29 AM
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I think that $10 was a bargain if your offer was to go out again to meet with the signer and get that document re-signed and notarized. But if all you were doing was replacing a notary certificate and putting it into UPS with a label that the company provided, then I can see why they would balk at that. There has been much previous debate about whether it's proper to provide a replacement certficiate without meeting with the signer again and I don't want to rehash that. But putting that aside, I think you were just talking about duplicating a notary certificate and sending via UPS? UPS is only 1.5 miles from me so it would not be a big deal for me to drop something off there, and if it was a company that was sending me repeat business then I don't think I would have even thought to charge them to drop something at UPS.
I'm not saying that *I* would provide a replacement certificate if requested, but from your post it sounded like you were not meeting again with the signer. Now if it's a significant trek to UPS and you would not be going there anyway to drop other packages, that would be a different story. |
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TGS1985
California
208 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 09:23:30 AM
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Well my attitude is 50/50 with this company. But my concern at the time was wouldn't I be opening the flood gates for them to take advantage of my services in the future? Didn't want a trip to a UPS store to mail a single page turn into requests to revisit signers to have them sign documents they forgot the first time, free of charge. I know there are many signing companys out there that would take advantage of signing agents and I just don't want to be one of them. So far I been very careful and as a result I have yet to have company not pay for my services. I like to think that's do to myself taking the steps to protect myself and make smart choices.
I understand what you're saying Renee but if I were to make a mistake, which I have before and probably will again, I would expect the signing company to say you need to fix on your own time and dime asap. It's what I agree to in every contract I sign and I feel is reasonable request. So in my eyes I was treating the company as I expect to be treated by them. If they choose to wave it and let it slide, that their option and it would appreciated but I can't assume a signing company would.
Maybe I'm a little too defensive being a new business and all. I'll chalk this one up to learning experience. Maybe wright an apology email and offer to discount the amount on their next signing.
- Tyler -
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Edited by - TGS1985 on 02/22/2012 09:24:31 AM |
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LindaH
Florida
1754 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 07:57:44 AM
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If it were allowed by law for us to provide a new cert, and as Renee said if it was a client I seriously wished to continue to work with, then I'd have gone ahead and accommodated them with a new cert - stuff happens and we help them get a complete package to fund the loan.
Now, that being said, in FL I could not have accommodated - our laws are clear that there are to be no changes, amendments, deletions or corrections to certs after the fact - meaning I could not have replaced that one even if I wanted to - I would have had to go back out and see the people to re-notarize...with the current date. If this was for a company I had a good working relationship with I'm sure they understand this and we'd work something out - a VERY small fee for my gas and it's to be done at MY earliest possible convenience.
As Renee said...if you like the company you'll accommodate. They admitted they had you confused with someone else. Let it go...
Linda
http://www.columbiacountynotary.webs.com |
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Renee
Michigan
549 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2012 : 07:02:29 AM
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Sometimes you have to change the perspective, I think. When you have a client that you like, that you want to keep working with and that you want to nurture a great relationship with - would you pay $10 to keep it? It's not always about being "right" or someone being "wrong".
Bear in mind, unless you are perfect - and trust me, nobody is - you'll be on the other side of this situation. |
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TGS1985
California
208 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2012 : 5:09:56 PM
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I'm little annoyed right now and just need to get this off my chest.
I get an email from one of the companies I work for about a notarization I did back at the beginning of the Month. Apparently one of my notarizations was damaged by their copier and they want me to provide another one for their records. I more than willing to so but I explain I will be charging $10.00 extra for additional time/gas/paper/ink that it takes to fix THEIR mistake (note I charge $30.00 regularly for travel and time expenses so I still giving them a discount).
The signing rep gets all defensive and tries to make it something personal. I try explaining that if this way an error on my part I would be expected to put in the time and dime to correct it, so why I shouldn't I hold them to the same standards? She goes on to explain that I had made mistakes on doc before and they never hold me to it.
Thing is I've NEVER heard anything about errors on the seven previous signings I've completed for them and I doubt they would continue to use me if I continuously made mistakes on signings. Even if I did I would've fix the mistake ASAP at my own cost. So I tell the rep show me where I made these previous mistakes and I'll wave the fee. Turns out they're thinking of another Notary with my name up in Washington (and in my head I thinking damn right you are). But turns into a big argument over email and the phone and I just have to ask, am I the bad guy here? Am I wrong to expect a signing company to pay the extra for me to correct an error on THEIR end when they expect me to pay for a error on my end? Technically I don't have to do jack squat because it was their mistake, but I willing to because I appreciate their business. But at the same time gas doesn't grow on trees and I'm a busy person, not to mention I trying to get a business off the ground and I'm sorry but favors don't put food on my table nor pay my rent. Not to mention I'm already giving them a pretty good deal on refi's that are 150+ pages and include 12 - 13 notarizations every time.
So yeah am I being the unreasonable one here?
- Tyler -
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Signing Comp makes error,but I should fix it free?
