3.3 Phone Etiquette & Borrower Contact Scripts
Key Takeaways
- Open every call by identifying yourself as an NSA and confirming you are speaking with the named borrower before discussing the appointment.
- SPW Principle 4 applies on the phone: never interpret loan terms, advise on rates, or tell a borrower whether to sign.
- Confirm ID requirements during the call and ask the borrower to read the name exactly as printed on their ID.
- A repeatable script keeps calls consistent, professional, and compliant across every borrower.
- If a borrower pressures you for loan advice, politely decline and redirect them to their loan officer.
Phone Etiquette Principles
The phone call is the borrower's first impression of you and, by extension, of the lender who hired you. Phone etiquette is not optional polish — it is a core professional skill tested in Lesson 2, and it directly affects whether borrowers show up prepared and on time.
The Five Rules of the NSA Phone Call
- Identify yourself and your role. Open with your name and that you are a Notary Signing Agent assigned to conduct their loan signing. Do not say you are "from the lender" — you are an independent contractor.
- Confirm you are speaking with the borrower. Ask, "Am I speaking with [borrower's full name]?" before discussing any appointment details. This protects privacy and avoids disclosing loan business to the wrong person.
- Stay professional, not casual. Use the borrower's surname unless invited otherwise. Keep tone courteous, pace unhurried, and language free of slang or oversharing.
- Do not discuss loan terms or give advice. SPW Principle 4 draws a hard boundary: you may explain the purpose of a document, but you may never interpret the interest rate, advise whether to sign, explain loan terms, or opine on whether the deal is good. If a borrower asks, redirect: "That's a great question for your loan officer — I'm here to verify identity and witness signatures."
- Confirm ID requirements. Tell the borrower what ID to bring and that the name on the ID must match the name on the documents.
What to Say and Not Say
| Say this | Not this |
|---|---|
| "I'm here to verify your identity and witness your signatures." | "I'm here to walk you through your loan." |
| "Please bring a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID." | "Bring whatever ID you have." |
| "Your loan officer can answer that rate question." | "The rate looks a little high to me." |
| "The signing should take about 45-60 minutes." | "It'll be quick." |
Confirming ID Over the Phone
During the confirmation call, ask the borrower to read you the name exactly as printed on the ID they will present. Common ID types that satisfy notary law: a state-issued driver's license, a state non-driver ID, a U.S. passport, or a permanent resident card — acceptable ID is governed by your state's notary statute, not the lender. If the name does not match the loan documents, flag it to the coordinator before you drive out. A mismatch discovered at the table is a failed signing.
The Borrower Contact Script
A short, repeatable script keeps calls consistent, professional, and compliant. Adapt the wording to your voice, but hit every beat: greeting, identity, purpose, confirm time and location, what to bring, what to expect, ID check, and a polite close.
Sample Confirmation Script
"Good [morning/afternoon], may I please speak with [Borrower Full Name]?
[Once confirmed:]
Hi, [Mr./Ms. Last Name], this is [Your Name]. I'm a Notary Signing
Agent, and I've been assigned by [Lender/Title Company] to conduct your
loan signing on [Date] at [Time]. I'm calling to confirm the appointment.
We'll be meeting at [Signing Location]. Does that time and place still
work for you?
[Confirm:]
Great. A few quick items so the signing goes smoothly:
1. Please have a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID ready -
a driver's license, state ID, or passport works. The name on the ID
must match the name on your loan documents.
2. All signers named on the loan must be present.
3. Plan on about 45 to 60 minutes.
4. If anything changes or you need to reschedule, call me at
[Your Number] as soon as possible.
Do you have any questions about the signing process itself? For anything
about your loan terms or rate, you'll want to reach out to your loan
officer - I'm not able to advise on those.
I'll see you on [Date] at [Time]. Thank you, [Mr./Ms. Last Name]."
Why the Script Includes the SPW Boundary Line
The sentence redirecting loan-term questions to the loan officer is not boilerplate — it enforces Principle 4 on the phone, before you are at the table and under pressure. Borrowers routinely test the waters on the call ("Is 6.5% a good rate?"). Practicing the redirect until it is reflexive protects your commission and your hiring company.
Handling a Borrower Who Pressures for Advice
If a borrower insists ("But you've seen hundreds of these — just tell me if it's bad"), stay in your lane: "I genuinely understand the question, but I'm not authorized to interpret your loan terms. Your loan officer is the right person, and I'd be doing you a disservice to guess." Polite, firm, and final.
Leaving Voicemails and Handling No-Answer
Borrowers do not always pick up. The discipline of the confirmation call does not end when you reach voicemail — it changes form.
Leaving a Compliant Voicemail
If the borrower does not answer, leave a message that is professional and disclosure-safe. Never leave loan-specific details on a shared voicemail; you do not know who else can access that inbox. State your name, role, callback number, the appointment date and time, and a request for a return call — nothing more.
"Hi, this is [Your Name], Notary Signing Agent. I'm calling about your signing scheduled for [Date] at [Time]. Please call me back at [Your Number] at your earliest convenience to confirm. Thank you."
The Follow-Up Cadence
A single voicemail is not a confirmation. Set a reasonable cadence:
- First call: leave the voicemail above.
- Second attempt: call back later the same day at a different hour.
- If no response by the day before: email the borrower (if you have an address) and notify the coordinator that you have not been able to reach the borrower.
- Day-of: one final attempt before you decide whether to drive out. Coordinate with the hiring party before treating the signing as a no-show.
Bilingual Borrowers and Relay Considerations
If the borrower prefers another language, do not attempt to translate loan terms yourself — you are not a certified translator and Principle 4 still applies. Confirm the time and location (logistics, not terms) through a family member relaying, and note on your file that the signing may need an interpreter. The lender, not the NSA, is responsible for ensuring the borrower understands the loan.
The Through-Line
Whether the borrower answers on the first ring or the third voicemail, your job on the call is the same: confirm logistics, protect privacy, decline to advise, and document that you tried. Every attempt logged is evidence that you did your part if the signing later fails through no fault of your own.
A borrower on the confirmation call asks, "The rate on my refi is 7.25% — don't you think that's too high?" What is the correct NSA response?
Before discussing the appointment with anyone who answers the phone, what must the NSA confirm first?