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jbelmont
California
3106 Posts |
 Posted - 06/14/2010 : 12:11:33 AM
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The OWL icon and 24 hour icons. Here is what happened.
We started out with about 3500 or more notaries with the 24 hour icon. I went through these listings one by one and looked at their hours of operation that were documented on a day by day basis. Those who's daily schedule wasn't 24 hours got the 24 hour icon removed. This seems reasonable. Currently about 800 notaries are considered 24 hours, and my hunch is that these 800 are very serious about late night work.
My issue was, are the notaries who claim to offer 24 hour service really offering it? It is bad for my reputation if 24 hour notaries don't answer their phone at night. It doesn't help the customer, the notary, or the reputation of my site.
Since I track people's calls, the notaries with a 100% track record for answering calls were not the ones I decided to call in the middle of the night. I figured, that if they were reliable about answering their phone during the day, I didn't want to bother them at night. I called the notaries with mixed results for answering their phones. The results were really good. I actually only bothered about 30 notaries. Roughly half of the notaries answered their phone after midnight which is great. Many were even coherent and ALL were polite.
In the future, I will only request to call notaries with a call average of less than 68%. I really don't want to bother people in the middle of the night. Its just that I want 123notary to be really reliable, so that the notaries get work. If browsers lose faith in us, then you will lose work. I am responsible for getting you work, so please understand that my methodologies are for the common good.
Also... If you are really 24 hours, why would you object bitterly to someone calling you in the early AM? This doesn't make sense. How can I take someone seriously who says, "I'm 24 hours, but don't call after 11pm"
OWL verses 24.
24 means you answer 24 hours a day whether you feel like it or not and you do jobs at all hours no matter how you feel. You can charge a bundle for it though.
OWL is ambiguous and means, please don't call after 11pm, but I might do a late job with advanced notice if I'm up to it.
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LindaJ
Illinois
77 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2010 : 11:10:43 AM
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| I have never been called between the hours of midnight and 6am for any type of notarization although I advertise 24/7. I guess I am lucky. However, if Jeremy wants to call me at 3am, its no problem for me but Jeremy has to realize how many other people this may affect like sleeping spouses and children. My husband works 12 hours days and is on call 24/7 as Fire Chief in our town. He, along with the rest of us are woken up with fire calls in the middle of the night all the time. The last thing he needs is someone to wake him up with a bogus "see if you answer you phone" call at 3am. Sorry Jeremy, not a good idea. However, if my phone rings at 3am, yes I will answer it. Might not be coherent, but I will answer it. |
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Shannon
California
360 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2010 : 09:26:05 AM
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On another note, even though I work 24 hours, I am a one-man operation most of the time these days and some calls go to voice-mail. (For example: I believe it is very rude to interrupt a client signing-at ANY time of day-to answer a cell phone call from other prospective clients. If they call when I am in a signing, they get a polite message promising a call-back). This happens at all hours of the day and night and frankly, I sometimes lose signings because we live in a "hurry up-right now" world where people do not wish to wait for a return call. I view this as a cost of doing business...though I am considering a "virtual office" where a live person will always answer when I cannot. I'm not sure that would be the answer either because even my family knows little about what signing work I have scheduled on any given day or night.
"A Quick Note"
www.aquicknote.net
Follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/aquicknote |
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Lisa T.
California
391 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2010 : 8:19:37 PM
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PAW is correct when he says not all are SAs first and NPs second. I am probably one of a few who's a NP first and a SA second.
I also agree with cnaylor's statement that I do not wish to be wakened in the middle of the night with no intent of hiring me. It's one thing when I cannot help the caller for reasons outside of both our control, such as the signer being in jail and unable to have visitors (per the lock up facility) - which is one call I received at 2am a few months ago. I would have referred that one out anyway as I no longer notarize at lock up facilities.
I agree with what Renee wrote regarding late calls are typically the result of someone who didn't take care of something they COULD'VE taken care of during business hours. However, (at least in my experience), they expect to have to pay a pretty penny for a graveyard hour house call. They know better than to even think the cost will be the same at 2am as it would be at 2pm.
I disagree with Jeremy's contention that a graveyard house call is an "exorbitant fee" and that the client is "preyed upon". Call a 24 hour locksmith or plumber and I guarantee you their charge for a 2am call is significantly higher than a call for 2pm service. If someone procrastinates to the point of desperation, that's on them. |
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cnaylor
California
32 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2010 : 9:11:13 PM
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Thank you Paul I agree with you.
I understand Jeromy's wish to verify information is accurate on HIS SITE. I disagree with the plan to wake me in the middle of the night, and interrupt my sleep, with no intent of hiring me... In 6 years I have been listed on this site, I have received less than ten calls between the hours of midnight and 6:00 am. Of those a few were wrong numbers, several just wanted to ask me questions, and exactly 1 (ONE) actually hired me. (Every quote was for $10.00 more than my normal travel fee listed on my web site.)
On other comments:
I applaud those who can make a living doing Loan Signings alone in this market. (Clap, Clap, Clap).
But I highly doubt more than a hand full of those those doing loans only are the primary bread winner in their home, and this is their primary source of income.
For those of us who are/do, I'm going to guess a vast percentage of their income comes from "general notary" (as some one below put it) work.
The web site isn't named 123notaryloansigners (or some other variation). It's 123notaries. That to me means if I need a notary this is a place to find a NOTARY, not just a Signing Agent.
just my $.02
Craig/CA |
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PWinFL
Florida
469 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2010 : 05:21:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by NCLisa
Maybe this site needs a disclaimer stating that we are signing agents first and general notary publics second.
But not all of us are SA's first and NP's second. Many general notary assignments have been sent my way because of this site. I really don't think that 123 listings cater more to one than the other, even with their specifics for things like printers and on-line capability. Just my observation.
(As an aside, the correct plural of Notary Public is Notaries Public, even though Notary Publics has been accepted because of the blatant misuse over the years.)
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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NCLisa
North Carolina
14 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2010 : 7:55:08 PM
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It kind of irks me that I paid a huge sum of money for a listing on this site as a signing agent, not a general notary, and yet I don't get a owl symbol!? I am 24 hours for loan signings, and I do take calls after 11. Maybe this site needs a disclaimer stating that we are signing agents first and general notary publics second.
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Edited by - NCLisa on 06/08/2010 7:55:41 PM |
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PWinFL
Florida
469 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2010 : 04:56:03 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Renee
I would LOVE to see the listing sites provide a distinction for those who want to advertise to the general public, and those like me who prefer to remain 'business-to-business'.
I agree, but need to add for those who do both. IOW a symbol for signing agents and a separate symbol for general notaries. Either have the ability to show both symbols or a third symbol for those who do both.
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 - 06/07/2010 : 03:02:20 AM
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I agree with Lisa, and with others who'd discussed this elsewhere. The distinction of 24/7 seems to be in need of some clarification between loan signings & general notarial work, I think.
I am flat-out not interested in 3 a.m. calls from someone for general notary work - the type of calls I get from the public are almost always someone who didn't take care of something they COULD'VE taken care of during business hours, and they want my services as close to 'free' as possible. 9 times out of 10, they want copy certification, which we can't do in MI - so I then have THAT whole conversation to tip-toe through. No thanks.
Loan signings - I'm all over it. THAT is my chosen profession. I would LOVE to see the listing sites provide a distinction for those who want to advertise to the general public, and those like me who prefer to remain 'business-to-business'. |
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NCLisa
North Carolina
14 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2010 : 2:06:33 PM
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I am available to close loans 24/7. I am available for general notary work with an appointment only and only within a 10 mile radius of my home unless it is a special circumstance. People in hospitals do not call me at 3am because Duke, UNC, and Wake Med all have several 24 hour notaries on staff. My experience with general notary work is getting calls at 3am for a car title because they all got drunk and forgot before the owner was moving back to where ever he was from. I also now require general notary work to meet me at a public place and pay in cash. I do make exceptions for handicapped persons, but I do take someone with me, because you never know if the call is legitimate or not.
I've never felt threatened or scared at a loan closing in someones home, but with the general notary work, it does not always go well. Especially if it turns out I can't notarize it because it is incorrect, etc.
Also, some of us do have lives. We may be out of town at kids sporting event some weekends, or on vacation, or some may take a day off on occasion. 24/7 unless you are more than one person, is not always 24/7. Many of us do need a few hours of sleep a night to function. Some actually opt not to answer the phone when in the shower, etc. Sometimes when you need to put the dog out at 2am you don't think to take your cell phone with you!
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jbelmont
California
3106 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 3:59:42 PM
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Many notaries advertise as being 24 hours, but if you call after hours, will they answer their phone? Some notaries will only work late at night if you book the appointment ahead of time. Some notaries will only answer the phone if they are awake. If a notary is a night owl and goes to sleep at 2am and you need a 3am signing at a hospital for a dying person, call that notary early. Of course, you can not predict when each notary goes to sleep, but its better to call as early as you can, even if the notary claims to be 24 hours. Other notaries who advertise 24 hour service only work late at night if they feel like it which is very little of the time. A few notaries will charge an exorbitant fee and prey on desperate clients as a source of easy money.
In short, claiming to offer 24 hour service can mean many things. It seems reasonable to claim 24 hour service if you really accept most jobs offered late at night, even if you don't take all of them, or sleep through a few phone calls. Even if you are not perfect in this regard, if you are causing good to people on a regular basis, you are helping the universe to be a better place.
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