Okay, here is the VM's take on it....at least from my perspective.
I handle the most difficult searches there are to do. The Cell Tower/Commercial Searches. There is a certain level of experience needed to do these searches. My company does have an internal abstracting division, but I DO NOT utilize their services. Here is why.
I feel much more comfortable have an abstractor go to the actual building where the records are indexed than trust a computer, where there are certainly mistakes and and misindexing. I am not saying that this can not and does not happen in the record rooms, just that there is less of a chance of that happening.
I pay my abstractors extremely well. My bosses have asked, and at times demanded, that I get my abstractor to lower their fees because the company is not making a big enough profit. I have come close to loosing my job because I have flat out refused to do this. I have actually raise my abstractor's fee over the last year and a half, because when I started doing these searches, I was in the residential mind set and paying $300 for a search, at the time was ridiculous to me. But now, I actually do a little happy dance when I get one that comes in under $300. I am not, however, a pushover when it comes to fees either. There are certain instances where I want my abstractor to give me a reason for why they are raising the fee on a search, especially if it is someone that I haven't been working with that long.
I am in a position that I need you to protect you, the abstractor at all costs, whether it is internal, at my company, or from my clients. With out you, I don't have a job. So be it fees, turn times or quality, I need to to be the line of defense that you all depend on to make a living.
I am not one of those "clients" that will stop using someone because I can get it done cheaper somewhere else. I know that I am paying for a quality search, not a faster search , and that is fine by me. I have taken it upon myself to build solid relationships with all of the people who work for me. I let them know upfront what I expect on every order done. This is my reputation on the line. You make me look good.
It took me a long time to learn that. When I started in this business, I was taught that you all work for me and that you are a "dime a dozen". Well, yeah, if you want an crappy search done in 2 hours, absolutely. But for a great, thorough, complete search, you have to pay for it. I have abstractors now, that will work for me, but not any other division in my company. Is it because of the relationship I have with them and the lengths I go to to protect them and their business? I would hope so. THAT is what makes me a good client. I know that my abstractor can trust that I will support and protect them.
Same as with payment. I have stated it in other threads, my abstractors are always paid for the services they provide. If there is a case of mis-billing on my part, I correct it immediately. Whether it be having a check cut and overnighted or adding the balance into an existing order.
Maybe I am the minority and take too much pride in what I do. This is not a job to me, it is my career. I have taken the opportunity to learn to abstract in one of the registries in Boston. It made me a better client. I KNOW what you all do every day. It is why I am on this site all the time. It helps me to better understand what you all go through. I am not naive enough to think that all VM's are this way, but I would hope that there are enough to make a difference.
I know I have rambled on, but I felt called out and had to at least support my actions . I hope I have explained myself well.
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