RON was developed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic but has become much more. Compared to traditional mobile Notary and loan signing assignments, RON eliminates time-consuming travel, fuel purchases, and the need to print documents for signatures.
It is also easier for notaries to evaluate a signer’s identity with the help of RON technology, like identity credential analysis and dynamic knowledge-based authentication.
Convenience
Online notarization is convenient for clients because they don’t need to find, schedule, and travel to meet with a Notary in person. They can meet with their notary via a video conference, which saves time and money.
RON is also convenient for notaries because they can perform more notarizations and earn more money without traveling long distances or logging miles on their cars. In addition to saving on gas, notaries can reduce other fees associated with their job, including notary course or exam costs, digital certificates, storage fees for journal and video recordings, and a notary errors and omissions policy or surety bond, to name a few.
In the post-pandemic work and life environment, a remote online notary will continue to offer convenience for people who need documents notarized for various reasons. This is especially valid for individuals who need to sign in their homes, those who are in quarantine or isolation, and those who live in remote areas that would make it difficult to get to a notary in person.
Security
Aside from its convenience, RON is a powerful security tool that reduces the risk of fraud. Using a reputable RON platform, documents are digitally signed and securely stored. Furthermore, biometrics and emotion recognition technology verify a signer’s identity. This provides higher warranties than the traditional identification process.
In addition, RON eliminates the need to find and meet a notary in person. This saves time, money, and fuel for both notaries and clients.
As a result, notaries can accept more assignments and increase revenue without traveling for appointments. Avoiding travel can double a notary’s assignment completion rate in a day. Additionally, notaries can work off-hours and cater to night owls. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, this was advantageous.
Time-Saving
Using a specialized remote online notarization (RON) platform, clients—individuals, law firms, banks, and others—connect with a notary over a video conference. This eliminates the need for clients to drive to and from appointments, saving both time and money.
RON also allows notaries to evaluate documents and verify identities without face-to-face meetings. During a video session, the notary can assess the client’s facial expressions and demeanor to ensure they sign off of their own free will.
Notaries who perform RON can work nights and weekends, which may be a welcome benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Many RON platforms strive to maximize availability, offering notaries a wide range of hours and notarization opportunities. This can help notaries increase revenue and supplement lost in-person business during the pandemic.
Flexibility
RON is a great way to add hours to your schedule as an independent contractor without being tethered to a full-time job. Most online notarization platforms strive to maximize your availability so that companies can book you for off-hours notarizations or during other times they aren’t available in person.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for RON increased as safety measures prevented people from traveling to in-person appointments. Notaries found that RON increased productivity because they needed help to handle time-consuming travel and fuel purchases.
Additionally, RON eliminates paper waste and increases security by verifying identities via dynamic knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis before a session begins. These methods are more rigorous than traditional ID verification and offer more excellent warranties that signers act of their own free will.
Increased Revenue
Revenue is directly linked to how many assignments you can complete daily when generating income as a notary. RON can help you maximize your productivity and revenue potential without the time-consuming travel to meet clients at their locations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many clients wanted to close on their mortgages but couldn’t meet in person due to state lockdowns and health concerns. During this time, online closings (eClosings) became more common, often with a RON.
Clients love this option because it removes the stress of scheduling and traveling to a physical location for their signing appointment. Ultimately, it saves them money in fuel and car expenses while also protecting their health. A state-approved RON platform can provide you with all the tools you need to conduct an effective and secure online notarization.
