Harnessing AI to Streamline Internal Processes and Boost Efficiency

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the hot topic across many industries, especially in mortgage and finance. While AI is certainly not a new technology, since the launch of OpenAI’s Chat GPT in November of 2022 it has become more mainstream and usable. Generative AI, specifically, the type of AI that can create content such as texts, images, music, audio and video has become part of our day-to-day lives. For instance, now when you Google a topic or issue, the top searches are generated from Google’s AI assistant, Gemini.

At CSS, we are constantly seeking innovative ways to improve operational efficiency, and AI has proven to be a game-changer. I’ve seen firsthand how AI tools like GPT have helped our teams save time on mundane, repetitive tasks, freeing them up to focus on more complex, value-adding activities.

One of the key ways we’ve used AI is by empowering our employees to integrate GPT into their workflows. Rather than adopting massive, third-party AI systems, we chose a more organic approach. By giving employees access to GPT and hosting accompanying workshops, we’ve encouraged them to explore how AI can help streamline their daily tasks. For example, previously, our title examiners and property report teams had to manually retype legal descriptions into our system, a time-consuming process prone to human error. Now, they simply upload a PDF or screenshot into GPT, extract the text, and seamlessly transfer it into our software, reducing both errors and time spent. 

Similarly, our teams manage large vendor spreadsheets in order to determine who gets orders in various counties. We’ve been able to streamline this process by having GPT analyze the spreadsheets which provides valuable insights in far less time. The tool has also been instrumental in drafting professional, concise customer emails and summarizing meeting notes and next steps for our teams.

But we’re not stopping there. We’re also exploring the development of internal, custom GPTs tailored to specific departments, such as HR or underwriting. Imagine a team member asking a model trained exclusively on our specific HR policies for details about PTO, or our closers querying a specific state’s underwriting guidelines without needing to comb through pages of guidelines or contact senior staff. These GPTs will improve accessibility to crucial information and reduce time spent searching through lengthy manuals.

The potential here is enormous. While AI isn’t replacing our workforce, it’s helping them become more productive by automating routine tasks. This is especially critical as we move forward in a cyclical industry. By leveraging AI, we aim to boost employee productivity, allowing them to manage more work without the need for extensive rehiring during market upswings.

Security is also a top priority for us. As we develop custom solutions, we are mindful of the privacy and confidentiality challenges inherent in our industry. To address these concerns, we are working with thoroughly vetted, third-party tools that provide a secure environment for building custom GPTs.

Our AI strategy is not about revolutionizing the industry with bots but rather about making our existing teams more efficient and productive. Through practical applications, such as retyping legal descriptions or analyzing regulatory updates, AI is helping us save hours of tedious work, allowing our employees to focus on what really matters—providing best in class service and technology to the industry. As we continue to refine and expand our AI capabilities, we’re excited about staying ahead of industry trends and creating a more dynamic, agile workforce at CSS.