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.