a la mode completes headquarters expansion; new data center, customer care department

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — a la mode, the nation's largest provider of software and technology to the people who power the mortgage transaction, has completed expansion of its headquarters here to accommodate a new data center and customer service department.

The new data center houses more than 100 servers dedicated to a la mode's Mercury Network, which delivered more than 5.6 million appraisal reports in March, April and May; its Vault online appraisal backup and file storage service; its XSites websites, which act as hubs for appraisers, agents, inspectors and mortgage originators to do business with one another; and its other services for real estate professionals, like InterFlood flood maps, Vicinity street maps, and CertMail secure, virus-protected e-mail with no file size attachment limits.

The data center is supported by seven full-time MIS staff. A 485 horsepower turbo diesel-powered backup generator protects a la mode customers from downtime in the event of a local power loss. The generator powers a la mode's entire 25,000 square-foot headquarters, including servers, when necessary.

Server storage capacity is more than 40 terabytes (TB), with 27 TB dedicated to the Vault. A terabyte is 1,024 gigabytes. Forty TB would store digital copies of all the books in the U.S. Library of Congress – and a backup copy of each; or about 50,000 four-drawer filing cabinets' worth of paper.

Recent expansion also accommodates a la mode's new customer service department, headed by Sean Shiplet, VP of Customer Care. The new department brings sales, 24-hour technical support and customer retention under one umbrella, focusing on the needs of all users of a la mode services. "Our group initiates or receives around 4,800 calls a day," Shiplet said. "Customers who have come to us from other providers of appraisal technology, real estate websites or mortgage websites are used to hit-and-miss ‘callback' support, on their provider's schedule instead of theirs. Instead, we are committed to minimizing hold times and addressing each customer's needs as soon as they arise.

"Our recent expansion and reorganization is testament to that commitment," Shiplet continued. "As many vendors in the industry hunker down in anticipation of a receding refi boom, we continue to expand and devote resources to making sure our customers are productive and profitable."

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About a la mode

Founded in 1985, a la mode develops desktop tools, mobile tools, web sites for real estate professionals, mortgage brokers, and appraisers. a la mode's flagship product, WinTOTAL form-filling software for appraisers leads the residential appraisal industry. a la mode's Mercury Network, a vendor management platform for lenders, provides the most experienced local appraisers in an HVCC-compliant, easy-to-use loan ordering and management application. a la mode's mission-critical products are used by hundreds of thousands of appraisers, agents, inspectors, and lending professionals to complete the nation's real estate transactions. The company's state-of-the-art offices are located in Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, and Washington, DC. To learn more, visit www.alamode.com.