I am still figuring out why it is not part of every company's annual plan to review their most critical business applications thoroughly. The idea that you would create something and then never go back to look at it a year or more later typically only leads to problems.

One of the services that I perform is a complete Encompass®️ platform review. When I do this, I am fully expecting to see plenty of work to be done. There are items that are important but not critical; however, invariably, there are critical items that must be addressed immediately to mitigate risk as well as mitigate wasted time and resources in the company’s workflow. The most common response when I ask why the setting is configured that way is, "They don’t know why the setting is the way that it is.”

This is why ongoing education and partnering with a resource who can help you continue to understand all of the most recent changes and how they could affect your business is so important. One of the biggest gaps I see repeatedly with companies that I work with is that the executive leadership, as well as the technical support teams, have yet to learn about the changes that have happened or are planning to happen. Fixing something that was broken by an update or an outdated setting should not be viewed as a success. It should be viewed as a relief with an eye on failure to see the change coming as it was announced.

Whoever you are working with to help support your ongoing education, please make sure they fill in all possible gaps to ensure you are properly prepared. Whoever is in charge of making sure that all of your business applications have current and appropriate settings annually should be identified and empowered. If you do not have either of these, please let me know so I can help you.

Whatever it is that you’re going to do, review your options, make a decision, and be prepared. The one constant in the mortgage industry, of course, is change.

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