Updated 7-25-22. Good customer service is essential to a successful Notary business. Here are some basic tips — along with mistakes to avoid — from experienced Notaries:
Three customer service practices recommended by Notaries
1. Be on time for every notarization. “I think the most important thing is being on time and accurate. You want the signer to tell people that you arrived on time and the notarization was quick and fast — that goes a long way.” — Lana Brown, Los Angeles, California
2. Show signers and clients that you know what you are doing. “Make sure your commission and training stay up to date, and pay attention to what’s going on in your industry,” — Shannon Ziccardi, Lake Forest, California
3. Keep your schedule flexible. “Whatever the client needs, give them top-notch service. Be available above and beyond what signers may need. If they ask you to be there at 10 p.m., you do it." — David Green, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Three customer service mistakes Notaries should avoid
1. Don't complain about your situation or take frustrations out on your signers. “Don’t badmouth companies you work for or criticize your competition in front of signers. Your job is to conduct the notarization and make sure everything goes smoothly. Never talk about negative stuff with customers.” — David Green, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
2. Don't neglect letting people know if a scheduling issue comes up. “If you are going to be late, it’s important to let people know. It’s a big frustration for signers and companies when Notaries only call after the fact.” — Sonita Leak, Greenville, South Carolina
3. Don't ignore mistakes or expect other people to fix them for you. “Don’t say ‘I screwed up, I’ll just send the document in and hope it’s not an issue.' If you catch your mistakes and take a proactive approach to fixing them, that’s really appreciated.” — David Krause, Seattle, Washington
David Thun is the Assistant Managing Editor with the National Notary Association.