Innovation continues apace at e.surv. Building on our technological improvements, we continue to create new ways of doing things, to enhance our service for clients and their customers.
Self-booking
Our self-booking system provides a new way for us to communicate with customers, enabling remortgage homeowners to book their own appointments via their smartphones. The service offers both convenience and speed to lenders and applicants, reducing the time taken to book appointments and improving the speed to offer. We plan to roll it out to other types of instructions in the coming months.
Client Portal
The Client Portal will enable clients to directly access job information and raise Post Valuation Queries (PVQs) against specific jobs for e.surv to action. Once raised, PVQs are automatically routed to the relevant surveyor, who can respond promptly from the field, directly via their iPads.
New Build/First on Site
‘New Build’ is the latest development in our Smart Survey technology platform. As this is further enhanced it will use information captured by our surveyors on site, we can manage new build exposure limits for our lender clients. Today, key data gathered by the first e.surv surveyor to visit a new build site is uploaded to our system via the surveyors’ iPads. When a subsequent inspection is generated for the same site, further data is available to be shared across the business, improving insight and consistency of reporting for this growing niche sector.
Remote Valuation
e.surv is acknowledged to have led the industry by developing a Remote (desktop) Valuation solution which bridges the gap between the Automated Valuation Model and Drive-By. Launched in September last year, the iPad-based technology is used by our valuers across the UK, and has already helped us achieve Mortgage Surveyor of the Year at the Money Age Mortgage Awards. With many mortgage lenders looking to improve the speed to offer, we have developed a valuation solution that combines accuracy with efficiency. We have developed bespoke technology and processes to support a distributed model which combines our nationwide coverage with local market knowledge, and is underpinned by industry-leading technology and risk controls.
Survey Hub/Smart Survey
In 2016, e.surv made a substantial investment in a leading edge process platform. Working with property risk software specialists, eTech. Survey Hub and Smart Survey have generated process efficiencies for our clients and customers, and helped improve work/life balance for our surveyors. Both are independent from, but interoperable with, Quest. This flexibility means we can operate directly with lenders using Survey Hub, or via Quest and Xit2, ensuring continuity of service in the event of a Quest outage.
The future
Following a major contract win to provide valuation services to Lloyds Banking Group, circa 200 Colleys surveyors will be joining e.surv in September. This will further increase our scale and efficiency which will in time bring benefits for all clients. We will further invest in innovative technology and practices, taking advantage of an enlarged pool of subject matter expertise – the largest in the industry in fact. Our increased scale will bolster our capacity, increase our national coverage, strengthen our back-office functions, and in turn, enhance our operational flexibility.