“One damn thing after another!” This image was copied from a newspaper published in 1909 and subsequently quoted by Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Eckard Tolle and others. It never changes.
But one thing you should NOT have to deal with in 2016 is unresponsive vendors hamstrung by technology roadblocks. The beginning of each New Year is a good time to both reflect back and look forward. As the CIO of your appraisal and title managed services provider, it is my responsibility to share with our valued clients how we performed in 2015. I believe one should measure service provider performance in 3 key areas – dependability, security and innovation.
Dependability
Consistently dependable service is the primary responsibility of your managed service providers. This is often easier said than done. We are pleased to report that Accurate Group delivered 99.99% system uptime in 2015 on client facing portals and client interfaces.
Compliance and Security
I recommend to all of our clients that they only partner with service organizations that can provide a certified SOC 2 / Type 2 independently audited compliance review. It is your duty to request the auditor’s report and be sure to read the executive summary section. Be wary of providers who take shortcuts. Verify that the entire organization, not just the data center have been audited. For your protection, our SOC 2 / Type 2 report is available on demand. Accurate Group had zero security breaches in 2015.
Nimble, Innovative Technology
A strong managed services provider is responsible for researching and implementing innovative technology that delivers business benefit to you. In today’s evolving world there is no way for your in-house teams to adequately specialize in and stay current on every technology domain that is core to your business.
Accurate Group prides itself on leading the appraisal management and title industries in innovation. In 2015, we released 204 enhancements to our software-as-a-service platforms as a result of our monthly deployment process. These enhancements consist of new interfaces, modifications to existing interfaces, new and modified client workflows, new products, process automation, expense reduction, analytics, regulatory changes, and many other enhancements required to support your growth and success. Here are 3 significant examples of our latest innovation:
- Archer® Managed Services Portal: Accurate Group recently released a completely new and enhanced version of our client portal. The new responsive interface provides complete transparency, analytics and dashboards reflecting key metrics, including turn-times, quality and revision rates. It reduces email, improves communication and augments all your automated interfaces. The site simplifies your ongoing requirement to monitor your services providers and analyze performance for continuous business improvement, and allows you to do it from any web browser or mobile device.
- Interior iValueNet Appraisals: The ValueNet™ platform continues to offer innovative, cost-saving alternatives to traditional appraisals. Our new iValueNet product delivers a compliant, internal appraisal developed by a licensed or certified appraiser – faster and for $100 less per appraisal than a 1004. This is a smart alternative that you should consider for your home equity and portfolio loan valuations in 2016.
- Groundwork™ Mobile App: A new modernized iOS version of the Groundwork™ mobile app was released last week. It combines a crowdsourcing model, localized expertise and automated process workflows to accelerate the delivery of more accurate property condition reports.
2016 will bring challenges, but rest assured that Accurate Group will be there to support you. Our ability to implement your strategic roadmap and our willingness to collaborate with you and your partners will help make your year a success. We are ready to interface with all platforms (internal and external) that make us, our appraisers and our clients more efficient and effective. Accurate Group’s expert development resources ensure these interfaces are in place and current for existing and new clients on timelines that far outpace the industry.
As always, our technology and process innovations focus on helping you shorten loan cycle times and improve profitability, while also maintaining compliance and improving accuracy.
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