RESULTS
Since implementing ACES, Cardinal Financial has achieved significant efficiency gains, improved compliance oversight and a more collaborative approach to QC. Key benefits include:
- 20% reduction in review time for compliance testing
- Decrease in moderate exceptions, suggesting stronger upfront QC and better workflow visibility.
- Immediate improvements in workflow efficiency and data visibility, helping resolve potential issues earlier
- Customizable document templates and enhanced reporting, streamlining the reverification process.
- Improved monitoring for regulatory requirements, offering heightened detection and documentation for deeper insights.
- Reduced potential for human error and increased overall consistency, thanks to automation replacing previously manual tasks.
- Spot servicing QC trends, address service gaps, and reinforce best practices with ACES Call Monitoring
- Increased collaboration between departments, ensuring all teams work towards a common goal and ultimately leading to smoother operations.
- Created a culture of transparency and quality, benefiting the entire organization.
Driving Efficiency and Smarter Decision-Making
One of the most impactful results of implementing ACES has been the ability to replace manual processes with automation, improving efficiency across the board.
“ACES reporting has been a game-changer, eliminating the struggle with spreadsheets and providing dynamic, insightful reports that actually help drive smarter decisions,” Holloway says.
“The ACES Managed Questionnaires have also been a huge time-saver, ensuring consistency and efficiency in our audits,” she adds. “Plus, having more access to our own data means we no longer have to rely on IT to pull and extract what we need. We can analyze information on our own terms.”
One of the biggest efficiency gains has been in monthly sampling for post-closing and servicing selections.
" With auto-loan sampling and auto-assignment features, our leadership team saved valuable time, allowing them to focus on higher-level strategic decisions rather than manual loan selections," Holloway says.
ACES Protect has significantly improved Cardinals' loan quality oversight by allowing them to test their Loan Origination Software settings, ensuring accuracy before loans reach the audit stage.
"We’ve seen a 20% reduction in review time for manual fee input once our fee import is fully automated, streamlining our processes. Additionally, ACES Protect enables us to expand the scope of our audits, making our process faster, smarter, and way more efficient!"
Seamless Implementation and Ongoing Support
The ACES implementation was a customized onboarding experience, blending expertise with hands-on training. Since Cardinal had a seasoned ACES admin on their team, they were able to hit the ground running by setting up their XML import, sampling and reports immediately.
“The transition was smooth, efficient and set us up for long-term success. Our go-live experience with ACES was a breath of fresh air,” Holloway notes. “We quickly saw the rewards of efficiency, with smoother workflows and faster processes right out of the gate. Overall, it was a stress-free launch that immediately delivered results."
To ensure continued success, ACES provided targeted training, allowing Cardinal’s team to expand their knowledge base and fine-tune processes to maximize ACES' capabilities. The ACES professional services team worked closely with Holloway and her staff, providing regular check-ins to ensure everything functioned just as it was built in the sandbox. This hands-on approach gave Holloway’s team confidence in the system and made the transition feel seamless.
"Every time we connect with the ACES implementation or support team, we’re met with creative problem-solving, deep industry knowledge and a genuine willingness to help us work smarter,” Holloway adds. “They don’t just offer a system—they work with us to design better workflows, automate data imports and create solutions that actually make a difference."
Enhancing Collaboration and a Culture of Quality
Cardinal has been an ACES client since 2020, and the collaborative partnership continues evolving.
"One of the biggest takeaways from working with ACES is how much the people behind it truly care,” Holloway says. “It’s clear they’re invested in helping us succeed, and that’s why we’d absolutely recommend ACES to anyone looking for a smarter, more connected approach to quality management."
Beyond technology, ACES has played a critical role in strengthening collaboration across Cardinal's QC teams and business units.
“ACES Connect has been a game-changer in bridging the gap between teams, ensuring that critical feedback and findings are easily shared,” Holloway notes. “Sampling and Reporting provide the insights we need to make data-driven decisions and prioritize risks, while Questionnaires help standardize our reviews, keeping everything consistent and aligned with regulatory expectations.”
By integrating ACES Connect, Managed Questionnaires, Reporting and Sampling, Cardinal has built a robust quality control process, enabling stronger oversight, streamlined workflows and more effective collaboration.
“ACES runs smoothly, giving our team faster access with fewer tech headaches while keeping our sensitive data secure,” Holloway shares. “We now have full access to our QC data, allowing us to analyze the information on our own terms, eliminating our reliance on IT. We also get to provide real feedback on upcoming features, ensuring the system keeps meeting the needs of those who use it every day."
Scalability to Support Changing Needs
As Cardinal Financial expands its servicing oversight and risk management efforts, ACES will continue to play a critical role:
- Enhanced Servicing QC – Leveraging ACES for state compliance, call monitoring, and loss mitigation reviews.
- Proactive Risk Management – Strengthening fraud detection and servicing oversight with ACES' automated risk assessments.
- Greater Operational Efficiency – Expanding the use of automated audits, sampling, and reporting to support scalability without increasing headcount.
Beyond its technical capabilities, ACES has fostered a collaborative partnership that helps Cardinal Financial navigate industry changes and scale efficiently while maintaining a strong quality control foundation.
“What really sets ACES apart is the community behind it. It’s not just about using a tool; it’s about working together to bridge the gap between production, manufacturing, and oversight,” Holloway says. “ACES brings tech-forward solutions with a human touch, making collaboration seamless and meaningful.”
