Written by Nathan Thomas on July 6, 2004
Written by Nathan Thomas on July 6, 2004
We announced last week that we completed expansion of our Oklahoma City headquarters to accommodate a new data center and customer service department.
The new data center houses more than 100 servers dedicated to our Mercury Network; our Vault online appraisal backup and file storage service; our XSites websites, which act as hubs for appraisers, agents, inspectors and mortgage originators to do business with one another; and our other services for real estate professionals, like InterFlood flood maps, Microsoft™ location 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 our 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."