123notary.com – what customers are saying
123notary has been around since 2000 which is a bit unusual for a notary directory. Notary Rotary and the NNA have been around longer, not that it is a competition. Each customer has a different opinion of 123notary, and in this article we wish to articulate who thinks what and why.
The Pros of 123notary
(1) 123notary is a directory that promotes competitiveness.
Carmen is the dedicated salesperson at this company and is very helpful answering technical and marketing questions of notaries. Some people take this for granted, but no other notary agency has someone who is so willing and available to answer questions.
(2) Many notaries get most of their business from 123notary.
Many notaries high in the search results for 123notary claim that they get most of their business from 123notary. Yet, other notaries claim they get more business from other directories. So, which directory is better? 123notary is feast or famine. If you have a high spot, are certified by 123notary, have a few reviews, and a well written listing, chances are you will do well. Otherwise, you might be paying a hefty listing fee without the accompanying results. But, whose fault is that anyway?
(3) 123notary offers two tiers of certification.
Many other sites have a certification exam or product, but there is no other site with Elite certification. Only about 200 notaries so far have passed the sophisticated Elite test, but those notaries are by far the cream of the crop. If you air to be in the top 2%, 123notary caters to you in more than one way.
(4) 123notary shows up well on Google & Social Media.
123notary generally shows up well on Google and has an intensive social media presences on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Linked In. Some people like the staff while others don’t, but few can claim that they don’t show up online. Some people say that 123notary shows up everywhere they look!
The Cons of 123notary
Keep in mind that the negatives of this site are not objectively negative, but only cons in the minds of particular individuals based on their personal prejudices.
(1) Staff can be tempermental
The staff of 123notary work long hours, and help many people all day long. If you get them on a bad day, they can be irritable. Keep in mind that 123notary hires staff based on their knowledge, and not based on their customer service skills. 123notary staff are generally helpful, but if you are rude to them, they can sometimes be rude back!
(2) Not everybody gets lots of business
Notaries who are low on the list or who don’t get the 123notary certification often complain that they don’t get much business from 123notary.com. The fact is that there is limited business going around these days, and that business normally goes to the best qualified notaries. Many notaries argue that if they are not getting much business now, why should they invest further in a site that doesn’t deliver? Those notaries will never learn if 123notary delivers or not simply because they are not trying hard enough to create an attractive profile.
(3) Refund policies are tough
123notary has never liked the idea of giving refunds. 123notary will give refunds if you bought the wrong item by accident and return it right away. But, if you simply didn’t like a course you purchased, or if your listing didn’t pan out, then 123notary doesn’t normally refund money. Unfortunately, this return policy has lead to various negative reviews on the internet which were bad for 123notary’s reputation. Additionally, many notaries try to contact Jeremy on his cell phone which is NOT a 123notary designated business number. They rarely get a return call simply because he is flooded with nonsense calls and doesn’t answer most of them unless he knows who you are. However, those who contact the designated 888# on 123notary get Carmen who is very helpful and will explain 123notary policies to any callers.
(4) 123notary is nosey
Many notaries don’t like the idea that 123notary asks questions. 123notary doesn’t ask questions for their health, but for quality control reasons. 123notary.com wants to know if you have a laser printer, how many loans you have signed, what languages you speak, as well as your starting and ending hours of operation. Many people are very evasive about divulging this information which results in 123notary asking the same questions repeatedly until getting results.
(5) Listings can be terminated for not logging in.
Many notaries get very upset with 123notary for removing their listing as a result of not logging in. This has been a policy for over ten years, but notaries still don’t like it. Many notaries argue that they have been in the same place for 30 years and therefore don’t need to confirm their information. However, 123notary can’t differentiate a 30 year veteran from someone who died yesterday. If you don’t login, 123notary will assume that you might be out of business, might have moved, might have died, or just don’t care about properly maintaining your listing. 123notary.com doesn’t remove everyone’s listing for not logging in, but if you generally don’t maintain the listing well and additionally don’t login for a long time, you are a prime candidate for removal.
In short, 123notary seems like a good directory for notaries who are very motivated and serious. For those who don’t like maintaining their listing, and don’t like being asked questions, or like purchasing and returning items on a whim, perhaps it is not the best notary directory for them!
Jeremy Belmont has every right to run his business any way he chooses. He will make a personal call to a notary just to touch base and introduce himself. This action should be considered to be a ‘nurturing’ of his site and creating a good rep-wore with his members.
If you, as a member notary, do follow his advise, you will benefit with more business.
I watched this for years and then finally relented to this, my own advise. It really does work the way he says it will. Just do it!