Qualia recently hosted a webinar with leaders from three innovative title & escrow companies: BesTitle Agency, Inc., Bluegrass Land Title, and Guaranty Closing and Title Services, Inc. These companies shared their firsthand experiences of moving from legacy software to Qualia’s cloud-based platform. Their stories offered a candid look into the challenges that prompted their switch and the transformative impact Qualia has had on their operations, growth, and employee morale.
Fragmented Systems Drive Inefficiency
The common thread weaving through each company’s story was the mounting frustration with their previous software. The leaders described a landscape of cumbersome, outdated systems that created operational bottlenecks and escalating costs. For BesTitle Agency, Inc., the breaking point came during the company’s implementation of their legacy system. As Tim Jamison, Chief Operating Officer at BesTitle, recalled “The implementation didn’t go well. We had people crying at their desks. The two people who were supposed to actually build it out for us—our employees—quit because they struggled so much.”
This sentiment of struggling with clunky, inefficient systems was echoed by the other panelists. Aimee Lombard of Guaranty Closing and Title Services, Inc. highlighted the lack of basic functionality, stating, “There was no way to track where a file was. We spent a lot of time chasing paper files around the office.” For Bluegrass Land Title, the inability to easily facilitate remote work was a major pain point. Bluegrass CEO John Williams noted that, with their previous system, employees “wanted to work from home” but were hindered by the need for a VPN to access the on-premises software.
Beyond the poor user experience, the spiraling costs of maintaining these legacy systems were a significant concern. Lombard emphasized that “cybersecurity costs were just going up exponentially every year” to maintain their on-premises system, a cost that was eliminated by switching to Qualia’s secure, cloud-based platform.
An All-in-One System to Power Growth
The switch to Qualia proved to be a watershed moment for these companies, delivering significant improvements across their businesses. The move from disjointed, on-premises software to a unified, cloud-based platform created a ripple effect of positive change.
One of the most immediate benefits was the ease of use and the speed of onboarding. Jamison noted that with their old system, training was a major hurdle. With Qualia, he said, “the training on the software is now very minimal, and we can really focus on the meat and bones of title.” Williams added that with Qualia University, new hires can start training from day one and “have an idea how to navigate the system” before they even sit with the training team. This rapid onboarding process not only boosts efficiency but also improves employee confidence. Jamison observed that after the switch, “Everybody found that they were much more confident in their work because we had a strong backbone in Qualia.”
This newfound efficiency and confidence have been a direct catalyst for growth. Lombard shared that by eliminating the old architecture, they were able to “open two more offices really fast.” The ability to stand up new offices without the headache of networking issues has allowed her business to scale quickly. For Jamison, the operational efficiencies have been a game-changer, particularly in funding. He described how multiple people were previously dedicated to just watching for wires—a task now automated by Qualia.
Furthermore, the move to a secure, cloud-based platform has provided immense peace of mind. Williams described the fear of a system lockdown or ransom with their on-premises servers as his biggest fear for business continuity. The relief of “letting that go” to Qualia was palpable. Jamison echoed this, stating, “having the security that Qualia provides is not something that I lose a lot of sleep over.”
Making the Switch: Actionable Next Steps
For title & escrow companies feeling the pain of legacy software, the experiences of BesTitle, Bluegrass, and Guaranty offer a clear path forward:
- Evaluate your total cost of ownership: Don’t just look at software subscription fees. Factor in the escalating costs of cybersecurity, IT maintenance for on-premises servers, and the hidden costs of operational inefficiencies and employee turnover.
- Prioritize user experience and training: Consider how intuitive a platform is for new hires. A system with a steep learning curve can be a major drain on resources and morale. Look for a platform with robust, accessible training resources like Qualia University.
- Embrace cloud-based flexibility: The future of work is flexible. A cloud-based system is essential for allowing better collaboration on files, attracting top talent, and scaling your business without the geographical and technical constraints of on-premises software.
- Seek a partner, not just a vendor: Look for a technology provider that is invested in your success. A responsive partner who understands the industry will be invaluable to your growth.
- Lean into a Unified Platform: As Jamison put it, “In Qualia, you have one software that wears many hats that all work well together.” A single, integrated platform eliminates the friction and security risks of juggling multiple, disparate systems.
Conclusion
The decision to switch software providers is a significant one, but as the stories from these three companies demonstrate, the cost of inaction can be far greater. The move away from clunky, unsecure, and inefficient legacy systems to a modern, unified platform has a transformative effect. It improves employee morale, simplifies operations, enables growth, and provides the security and peace of mind needed to thrive in today’s market. As Williams aptly summarized, “Qualia has been good not only for our employees, but for our clients and it was really the only software that we ran into that made it a better situation for both.”
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