Before I carried a notary stamp, I spent 21 years as an NYPD 911 Platoon Commander. People are sometimes surprised by the career change. I am not. The work is different. The discipline is the same.
Confirm everything. Assume nothing.
In emergency communications you do not send help to "somewhere on the Grand Concourse." You confirm the address, the cross street, and the callback number, and you repeat them back. A wrong assumption costs time nobody has.
A signing works the same way. Before I leave for an appointment I have confirmed the address, the time, who is signing, what ID they are bringing, and whether anyone else has to be at the table. Most signing problems are confirmation problems that showed up late.
There is a procedure for a reason.
Under pressure, people skip steps. Procedure is what keeps the step from being skipped. Every loan package I handle gets the same treatment: read the instructions first, flag every signature and notarization, run the documents in order, and check the whole package again before anyone stands up.
It is not exciting. It is why packages do not come back.
Write it down while it is happening.
A 911 operation runs on records made in the moment: what was reported, when, and what was done about it. New York now requires notaries to keep a journal of every notarial act for ten years. For me that was not a new habit.
Stay calm when the room is not.
Closings come with stress. Money is moving, deadlines are tight, and sometimes the signing is happening in a hospital room during the worst week of a family's year. The most useful thing I can bring to that table is a steady pace and a clear voice. People sign more carefully when the person guiding them is not in a hurry.
On time is the job.
In a command center, late is not a scheduling issue. I carried that standard out the door with me. If I confirm a time, I will be there at that time, and if something on the road changes that, you will hear from me before you have to wonder.
Why I built SheerForce Notary this way
When you call, you reach me. I take the appointment, I show up, and I am the one accountable for the package. For a title company or an attorney, that means one name and one phone number behind every signing. For a family, it means the person who answered the phone is the person at the door.
If that is how you want your signings handled, call or text (845) 237-4645, or read more about me.
Was this worth your time?