Hello All!

To all title/settlement professionals, STOP ALLOWING ANYONE OR ANY COMPANY TO QUESTION YOUR INTEGRITY, DILIGENCE OR PROFESSIONALISM!!!!!

As the owner of Statewide Settlement, Inc., (a title company), I am often made aware of industry errors.  It always seems to be given with a smart ass snicker (ha, ha, told ya so) or some other finger pointing method.  The interesting thing is, however, it GOES BOTH WAYS!  Just last week, one of our title processors missed an entire line on a legal description (you ALL know what I am talking about...When you read a book, skip a line or repeat a line?!?!)...well, anyway, sometime during the "proofing" stage, another employee picked it up and brought it to the attention of her supervisor.  Sounds prudent right??  Well, when the employee brought it to the supervisor, there was a clear display of ha, ha, screwed up again!!! 

I FLIPPED OUT!!!!!  None of us are perfect.  Some of us are not cut out for this type of work.  However, NONE of us deserve to be belittled, degraded, picked on or spoken to like animals.  There is a professional way to bring to the attention of someone an error or oversight, then, there are those who find it stimulating to treat another human being, professional at that, like an ignoramus.  Needless to say, the reporting employee was sent home, by me for the day without pay.  She WILL think twice the next time she has the opportunity to assist a fellow teammate or tattle tale with a snicker or snide comment.

DON'T STAND FOR IT!!!!  As I wrote a week or so ago, Don't tolerate non-payment.  Hold the work!  If your service (remember, your product is pretty much worthless, it is your service that sells) is above average, sure, they may test the other side of the fence, but will soon learn how well they were served with you.  The same thing holds true in this case. We would NEVER allow anyone to belittle us, however, when they pay us, at times, we allow it.  DON'T!!!!  Tell them, professionally, that you will not tolerate that type of communication, nor will you associate yourself with anyone who does.  Explain your level of prossionalism and your willingness to correct or verify any potential problems.  

They will, at some point, appreciate that and hopefully move forward.  As I have written before, however, if they don't, YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE WORKING WITH/FOR THEM ANYWAY!

JT