As a large majority of Title Agencies and Escrow Companies continue to streamline their processes to keep up with Lenders who are also streamlining their processes it is important to understand what that boils down to for your reputation at the signing table when hiring a Notary or a Notary Signing Agency. When it comes to the closing table (and the use of a Professional Notary Signing Agent) streamlined processes can actually hurt your reputation more than help it. Often, the notary you send to your clients is the last impression you'll get to make whether you be the Title Agency or the Lender and streamlining a process that in nearly impossible to streamline can come back to bite you harder than you think.
Unlimited Ink Notary works with a great deal of Title and Escrow companies around the country. Some of these clients are small and have very traditional methods of working with their clients. A larger part of our Title and Escrow companies are high volume and are consistently working to become more streamlined (including with the services we provide to them). Our company works hard to stay ahead of the game by partnering with notaries who have two years experience, a background in the industry, customer service skills, and even train notaries to carry mobile printers and scanners to handle the streamline needs Title and Escrow Companies need today. We offer a secure portal for document exchange notaries can access on the go and integrations through NotaryLoop for the most popular Title and Escrow software, like RezWare. We are proud of the services we provide in our sector of this industry but we do have some very valuable feedback to any Title Agency, Escrow Company, or Lender who wishes to become more streamlined.
#1- Most signers do not care about your processes (if they are streamlined or not).
Your processes as a company are only valuable if they are executed properly. Customer service is a real thing and as processes become more streamlined the key component that is the backbone of every business, not just Title and Escrow can be lost and your reputation can be affected drastically.
#2- The signing table is not an area of Title and Escrow that can be streamlined.
All of the moving and shaking behind the scenes are great. If you niche is re-finances then your clients may appreciate your processes more if things are, again, executed properly. Otherwise, you need to consider who you are doing business with. The average consumer only buys one to two homes in their lifetime and their signing experience (documents being correct, having a properly scheduled appointment, and a professional Notary who actually knows how to conduct a signing) really matters. It is often overlooked that the Notary Signing Agent is one of the most critical parts of a signing when you can not be at the signing table. And good notaries are hard to find in a last-minute pinch.
#3- Closings are not the time for your friends or family to be involved (Big Mistake!)
A Notary Signing Agent is to be an independent third party to the transaction- that is a fact. Their role is to explain the documents to the signers and make sure they are willing to sign after properly ID'ing them. Having friends or family conduct your signings give the Notary a borderline vested interest in the transaction taking place. Lots of people do it but it doesn't make it right.
Furthermore, if you are playing favorites with your friends or family to help them out get more signings you are jeopardizing your relationship with your clients even further unless they've also had professional training from a reputable company like Notary2Pro.com or receive continuing education from other reputable companies NotaryStars.com. Just because you have a friend with a stamp does not mean they should be conducting signings for you, even in an emergency.
#4- Relationships with your Notary/Signing Agencies is extremely important!
Communication is key to any workplace. Taking time to go over your expectations and how to handle situations is essential for a successful partnership. When we work with clients we work hard to create client-specific instructions as we all know every Title Agency and Lender's Documents are different. And, you marry various Title Agencies with various Lenders and it can become hard to keep track of expectations. Regular meetings with your Notary/Signing Agency can help you avoid a headache and make sure good reviews keep coming for your company.
#5- Attitude is everything, and we mean a good one!
We train our notaries to be polite, courteous and have a yes attitude with our client's signers. We have found that our higher volume clients tend not to have the same view and this doesn't do well for their reputation in the long-run. Yet, we see them wanting the notary to express these attributes. Understanding that your clients rely on your notary but the notary is providing a service to your signers and for you is extremely important. Being available to answer questions and willing to participate at times is necessary and will increase your client relationships. Word-of-mouth travels further and faster these days with the Internet and how you treat your clients is just as important as how you treat your notaries.
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