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Countrywide Financial Relies on RightFax for High-Volume e-Document Delivery
Across the Enterprise
Starting with a single RightFax Server installation in 1995, Countrywide
has continuously upgraded and expanded the solution to include more
capacity and take advantage of advanced features. RightFax is used by both
business and functional units of Countrywide and has become an integral
part of operations. The enterprise has standardized on RightFax with more
than 40 servers and 1,300 channels. It processes in excess of 3.4 million
pages per month via RightFax e-document delivery solutions.
Background
Founded in 1969, Countrywide Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P
500, Forbes 500 and Fortune 500. It is a diversified financial services
company serving consumers and institutions, with mortgage origination and
servicing at its core. Serving millions of customers domestically and
internationally, Countrywide is headquartered in Calabasas, CA, and has
more than 30,000 employees and 500 offices.
The Challenge
Its name aptly describes Countrywide’s services and requirements. Since it
serves millions of customers in hundreds of locations, Countrywide needs
technology solutions that will meet enterprise demand. The organization
places a heavy emphasis on automation and technology as a means to
maximize operational efficiency. As a result, when it came to handling the
distribution of mission-critical documents, Countrywide required a
flexible solution that offered automated and integrated efficiency for the
entire enterprise.
In the early ‘90s, Countrywide still used paper-based stand-alone fax
machines. For example, the Real Estate Owned (REO) department within
Countrywide’s Home Loans unit relied on tedious, slow processes that
involved walking to fax machines and storing hard copies in large files.
At any one time, REO is managing or selling thousands of its investors’
properties. Busy fax machines, lost documents and the lack of immediate
positive feedback and tracking of communications were of concern. REO
managed properties via paper-based folders, transferring the entire folder
or parts thereof to each department that was involved with property. This
was both time consuming and increased the risk of errors and missing
documents. Part of the process also included sending the priority
documents overnight to escrow agents, resulting in additional costs to
Countrywide.
For all Countrywide departments, when a sale or financial transaction is
in process, brokers and customers want immediate answers and approvals.
Offers, quotes and other activities often need to be routed within minutes
and a response provided within an hour, something that was not possible
with the legacy stand-alone fax systems.
In addition, it was difficult for Countrywide to track and monitor
processes with this traditional workflow. Management needed an improved
method to generate metrics whereby processing efficiency and employee
productivity could be evaluated.
The Solution
Countrywide deployed Captaris RightFax e-document delivery solutions to
respond to needs across the enterprise. Working with Instant InfoSystems,
a California provider of technology communications solutions, Countrywide
started with a single RightFax server in 1995. After years of proven
reliability, the organization extended RightFax technology to all of its
business units and implemented more than 40 servers and 1,300 channels.
Each month, RightFax manages in excess of 3.4 million faxed pages.
Countrywide executives point to RightFax benefits that make the solution
valuable at the enterprise-level. “RightFax offers flexibility in its
use,” Russ Perdomo, Vice President of Network Faxing, said. “Incorporation
into other environments returns efficiency gains for every business unit.”
Flexibility -
“RightFax integration is a plus,” Perdomo said. “It is accepted throughout
the organization and entrenched in several different applications.” As the
foundation of Countrywide infrastructure, an AS400 system enables the
company to rapidly build automated systems that lower costs, enhance
efficiency and make the home loan process seamless. RightFax is one of
these automated systems: it fax-enables and leverages Countrywide
technology investments, including AS400, Microsoft SQL Server and IBM
Lotus Notes.
For instance, in REO, loan guidelines are faxed directly from Countrywide
to close to 10,000 brokers with contact data directly pulled from the
AS400 system and linked to RightFax. Overall, integration leads to
increased productivity and optimized workflow.
Efficiency -
In use across Countrywide, RightFax efficiencies include:
-
Elimination of paper-based processing
-
Minimization of the time it takes to process transactions and reduction
of errors
-
Support of security and reporting requirements as outlined by guidelines
such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
-
Cost-saving use of existing infrastructure
Using the RightFax Gateway for IBM Lotus Notes, Countrywide units manage
faxes from the Notes Inbox. As a result, transmissions are securely sent
to intended recipients via tamper-resistant methods. Electronic tracking
and storage is also automatic, helping companies fulfill Sarbanes-Oxley
five-year storage requirements. Overall, Perdomo reported integration
makes handling faxes part of employee workflow. “They like that,” he said.
“One of the approaches we’ve taken is to not change the workflow, but to
see where we can add value without changing the process.”
Results
Increased efficiency and optimized workflow lead to improved customer
service and reduced operational costs. For instance, just within the REO
department:
-
The near elimination of a physical real estate folder that required
interdepartmental routing has reduced both processing errors and time.
-
The large broker network receives response to offers, and other
communication in minutes, not hours or days, which allows Countrywide to
process more properties and provides a superior service to the broker
network.
-
“Productivity enhancements are inherent to RightFax itself,” Perdomo
said. “It improves response and reduces cost.”
About Instant InfoSystems
Instant InfoSystems is a leading provider of technology based
communications solutions for business. We provide fax servers and other
business communications solutions to organizations that value a
partnership with their vendors. We develop strategic solutions that create
value for our customers by improving efficiencies and optimizing their
operational networks. Instant InfoSystems solutions have been the choice
of top decision-makers at small, medium, and Fortune 1000 companies, law
firms and institutions.
Instant InfoSystems provides two in-house training facilities, a
full-service help desk and 24/7 technical support. We are headquartered in
Torrance, CA (Los Angeles area) and have offices in San Francisco and
Irvine, CA and Mesa, AZ (Phoenix area).
Instant InfoSystems is a Captaris Platinum Partner (“2002 and 2003 Channel
Partner of the Year“), Member of the Captaris Advisory Council, Microsoft
Certified Partner, and Brooktrout Premiere Channel Partner. Product
vendors include Captaris RightFax and Brooktrout Technology.
About Captaris, Inc.
Captaris is a leading provider of Business Information Delivery solutions
that integrate, process and automate the flow of messages, data and
documents. Captaris produces a suite of proven products and services, in
partnership with leading enterprise technology companies, delivered
through a global distribution network.
Captaris has installed over 80,000 systems in 44 countries with 93 of the
Fortune 100 using the company’s award-winning products and services to
reduce costs and increase the performance of critical business information
investments. For more information please contact Captaris at
www.captaris.com or call 520.320.7000.
SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA
Corporate
Headquarters
20000 Mariner Ave, Ste. 250
Torrance, CA 90503-1670
Phone: 310-750-7200
Fax: 310-750-7210
email: info@instantinfo.com
Orange
County Office
19000 MacArthur Boulevard Suite 500
Irvine, CA 92612
Phone:
949-955-1565
Fax: 949-955-1511
email: info@instantinfo.com
NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA
San
Francisco Bay Area
111 Pine St., Ste. 725
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: 415-393-9982
Fax: 415-393-9983
email:
info@instantinfo.com
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