Client deletes docs and uploads a new set… ❌ Doesn’t notify anyone Notary downloads the original set, completes the signing… ❌ Never sees the updated documents Signing service also doesn’t catch the update… ❌ No one flags the change Now the question is: Who’s responsible here? 👀 👉 The client for not notifying? 👉 The notary for not double-checking before the appointment? 👉 The signing service for not catching the update? 👉 Or all of the above? This is one of those gray areas where communication (or lack of it) can cause real problems. Quick reminder: Before heading to a signing, it’s always a good habit to do a last-minute check for any updates or new documents. It can save you from a big headache later. 👉 What do YOU think? Who’s responsible in this situation? Let’s discuss 👇

Today I want to share a real situation that taught me a very valuable lesson as the owner of a signing service. If you’ve been following along, I’m pretty sure you remember this case. I’m sharing this openly because I believe there’s value in being transparent about the decisions we make, especially the ones we would handle differently. We were handling a closing where scanbacks were required. The notary did not scan the documents and instead dropped the package. When Title informed us that they needed the scanned documents in order to fund the transaction, we immediately reached out to the notary. She went back to retrieve the package to scan it, but then told us her scanner was too slow and that it would take about two hours, which would miss the funding cutoff time. At that point, the notary offered to scan the documents at FedEx, with an approximate cost of $105, but only if we confirmed reimbursement. This is where I made the wrong decision. I chose not to approve that cost, thinking it wasn’t something we typically cover and that we could manage the situation another way. We informed Title that the package would be delivered without scanbacks. The next day, the package arrived… and the client was not only frustrated about the missing scanbacks, but also identified multiple execution issues, including incomplete documents, notarizations without proper signatures, and a missing witness that had been requested and paid for. The notary later communicated directly with my client and explained that:• The scanbacks were not completed because the $105 fee was not approved• She did have a second witness present but did not receive instructions on how to document their attendance• The assignment was time-consuming and costly on her end, considering paper, printing, scanning, gas, and mileage for a $100 fee At that point, my client was very clear with me: my decision had a bigger impact on the outcome than the notary’s mistakes. And you know what… they were right.

This is what happens when I try to help my scheduling team when they’re busy hahahaha.

You get docs… What do you do first? 👉 Print right away? 👉 Or take a quick look before hitting print? 👀 Because let’s be real… we’ve all seen: ❌ Wrong names ❌ Missing critical documents ❌ Mixed files ❌ Wrong dates And once it’s printed… well 😅 there goes paper, toner, and time 👉 What’s YOUR move? Print first or check first? 👇

A notary completed a signing and dropped the package at FedEx without sending scanbacks first and without notifying us or the title company. Why? 👉 She was trying to make the cut-off time so the original documents could arrive to title the next day. Sounds like a good intention… but here’s what happened: 👉 The title company was actually expecting scanbacks to fund the same day 👉 They couldn’t proceed without them 👉 The package was already shipped, so we had no way to review the documents 👉 This was also a newer notary, so we couldn’t confirm if everything was executed correctly She even tried to go back to FedEx to scan them from there… 💸 They quoted her over $100 just to scan the documents Situations like this can create stress, delays, and unnecessary costs, even when the intention was to help. Key takeaway: Before making a decision like this, always communicate first. A quick message can clarify priorities (scanbacks vs. cut-off) and prevent major issues. 👉 What would you have done in this situation? Would you prioritize cut-off or scanbacks? Let’s discuss 👇