How to Choose a Process Server (and be happy with that decision!)

Choose a process server on the basis of these six things:
1. Experience: How long have they been doing this? About 90% of the process servers currently in business today will be out of business within 18 months. You will usually find them as promising to ‘beat any rate’ or making extravagant promises they are incapable of making. Experience equals success in getting papers served.
2. Customer Service: Everyone talks about it. But few really have it. How quickly does your process server respond to an inquiry? How important does your piece of work seem to them? Do real, live people answer the phone? Can you check on the status of your process online? Is your process server responsive to the specific instructions you give them? In the event of a non-serve, do they offer advice or services that will help turn that non-serve into a serve? Do they file your affidavits on a timely basis? Heck, do they get to your work at all on a timely basis?
3. Systems: Organizing, tracking and staying on top of service requires the appropriate IT systems. If your server is staying in business with a ledger, pencil and old laptop computer and prefers you mail documents (not fax, email, FTP or stream material to you) you can be sure information currency and accountability is going to be low.
4. Due Diligence: As professional as the back office needs to be, the actual process server needs to be professional as well, with the process service agency continually monitoring and tracking process server activity. Ask the candidate for your business if they have any program of due diligence to ensure professional demeanor and timeliness of service. If the agency doesn’t know what you mean, they are saying plenty.
5. Pricing: Yes, they should be competitive. A select few will offer pricing on a “no-serve/no-charge” basis -- an additional impetus to get papers served. Most will offer flat fees for normal service, and all will charge additional amounts for rush service, out of state service, waiting time (i.e., at a state penitentiary) and filings. Some will offer courier services and investigative services. Don’t make decisions on the basis of $5 differences. Make them on the basis of all five OTHER drivers first.
6. Validation: Many servers fill out their serve information at their leisure, relying on memory as to who they saw, and the time and date of service. Ask whether your server uses PDAs that capture the exact time/date of the serve. This could be extremely valuable in a traverse hearing, especially if the claim is the server never showed up.


Work with your server. Whatever information you can provide that will increase the chances of success, provide it.