Great abstractors are hard to come by.  Sloppy ones are a dime a dozen.  I'm an examiner.  I've seen them come and go and will tell my clients when they have hired a substandard abstractor.

We are in INSURANCE.  No mistakes allowed.  Not everything can be corrected in the courts easily.  Get out of the business if that is your attitude.  If the search is not 100%, your liability is what?  Usually less than $100.00?  But that translates in to $100,000's once it affects the sale/refi of the property.

If your clients ask for more services, like typing the search vs giving them a cover sheet and the raw date, CHARGE THEM FOR IT.

And, why on earth would you work on a Saturday?  The counties are closed.  You should be too.

I never understand why independent business people don't run their usually, home based businesses just like a store-front.  Post your hours, charge for extra services, provide the best product available and you will retain clients up the wazoo.

As for slow pays, cut them off if they don't pay on time.  My clients are billed monthly and their invoices due IN OUR OFFICE by the 10th of the following month.  If I don't receive payment on the 10th, they get a reminder emailed.  If I don't receive payment by the 20th, their services are suspended until payment is received.  I have never allowed a client to carry over from month to month.  Sorry, but I have bills to pay too.  

If I find a client to be unreasonable or difficult, I fire them.  I have no time to argue with people who may not have the same skills set as I do after being in the title business for almost 30 years.  During that time, I have never had a claim against a file I have examined because I have the luxury of knowing that the abstractors my clients use are the best of the best and I can rely on the quality of their work and their knowledge.

My current company is 18 years old.  We've morphed and changed with the winds of the real estate industry.  We added national closing services, interstate networking services and international services at the request of our clients, yet I have never raised or lowered my prices.  I know what the work is worth, the quality of our work, the benefits that my clients receive and what services I will provide as "value added" (free).

And, we have a 19 year old web presence with multiple dot com names and phrases that bring clients, (agents, buyers, sellers, attorneys, etc) to our site.

So, take a step back.  Take a hard look at your business and decide what really works for you.  Make the changes so you enjoy working for yourself.  Otherwise, go get hired and work for someone else.

Btw, I am responding from Baja, Mexico where I live 8 months out of the year.  Life and work, is what you make it.

Best of luck in your business

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