DDI partners with Virginia Bankers Association Management Services

Decision Dynamics Inc. is pleased to announce a new partnership with Virginia Bankers Association Management Services Inc. Read the full press release here.

DDI provides complete Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) solutions for Virginia banks through Premier eTitleLien®, a user-friendly, secure web-based software service which ensures VA banks are compliant with recently announced Virginia DMV (VA DMV) requirements. DDI appreciates the new partnership and expects an excellent collaboration with VA banks.

As of October 1, 2015, the Virginia DMV requires all financial institutions that process 50 or more titles in a year to enroll in the ELT program, in order for lenders to have the capability to exchange lien and title information with the DMV.

Image above is Virginia License Plate Map Art by Design Turnpike.

Continue reading DDI partners with Virginia Bankers Association Management Services

Decision Dynamics Endorsed ELT Vendor for NC Bankers

Decision Dynamics, Inc. is very pleased to announce that we have been selected as the endorsed Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) vendor by Community Bank Services (CBS) for members of the North Carolina Bankers Association. Read the full press release here.

North Carolina passed legislation requiring the Division of Motor Vehicles to implement an ELT system by July 1, 2014.  DDI is looking forward to working with the DMV and NC Banks and other lenders to provide ELT services.

For more information about Premier eTitleLien®, please visit www.etitlelien.com. For more information about the North Carolina ELT program, visit www.ncelt.com.

Image above is Bodie Island Lighthouse under repairs on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

Continue reading Decision Dynamics Endorsed ELT Vendor for NC Bankers

CU Times: Title Fraud Makes Case for ELT

Back in April 2013, the Credit Union Times published an article entitled "Digital Title Fraud Fight Makes Case for ELT" by Michelle A. Samaad. The article begins by discussing a vehicle title fraud incident: "If ever there was a case for moving from paper vehicle titles to an electronic system, advocates might point to a recent occurrence in Michigan."

Trying to reduce fraud has been a key part of our Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) solution, Premier eTitleLien™ from the initial design in 2005.  We've seen evidence of that with our customers, as the article quotes DDI's president, Glenn Thames.

Thames recalled how one credit union in South Carolina was able to uncover fraudulent title activity at a dealership. While the dealer was charged and ended up going to jail, the credit union lost $50,000 and another was bilked out of $200,000.

In the roughly 20 states that allow it, Decision Dynamics provides VIN inquiry access to its customers, Thames said. The company also does lien alerts so that pending lien holder notifications in a credit union’s system are flagged. Financial institutions can tell if scammers are trying to make the rounds to obtain loans.

For more information about Lien Alerts, Title Inquiries, and other fraud prevention measures in Premier eTitleLien™, please contact DDI.

Image above is a 1918 photo of Bobby the French Bulldog riding in an automobile.

Continue reading CU Times: Title Fraud Makes Case for ELT

What is ELT?

An ELT program (Electronic Liens and Titles) allows messages related to titles with liens to be exchanged electronically, reducing filing and mailing costs. For instance, instead of mailing a paper title to a lender with lien information, the state sends an electronic message - the electronic title or ELT - with the vehicle, title, owner, and lien information. Once a loan is repaid, the lender sends an electronic message to the state indicating they are releasing the lien.

There is an immediate appeal to a state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), who no longer have to print and mail as many paper titles.  Handling the current "status" of a title also becomes easier, since there are fewer pieces of paper that now must be considered obsolete.

Both large and small lenders benefit from reduced filing and handling of titles. Receiving an electronic title from a DMV allows lenders to compare the title data with their lien application to ensure accuracy.

Perfected titles arrive much quicker and mailing clean titles to customers after a lien is released is handled by most DMVs automatically.

Currently, DDI works with 18 state ELT programs: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. We are also actively working with a number of other states who will begin offering ELT in 2013 and 2014.

Each state implements their ELT program differently depending on state laws. Several states, including FL, OH, and VA no longer automatically print paper titles for vehicle owners, preferring to leave titles in "electronic" format until a paper title is needed.

Updated from our inaugural blog post What is ELT?

Image above is Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S. by Nam June Paik.

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ELT and You

If you live in a state that has an Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) program, benefits abound. Keeping track of a paper title or applying for a duplicate title to replace one that was lost is now an activity of the past.

Lienholders joining an ELT program will benefit from:

• Cost savings as the electronic records will not require the same handling, storage, and mailing as paper titles
• Reduced administrative burden for processing and filing paper titles
• Improved data accuracy
• Improved timeliness of data exchange
• Improved data and forms security
• Better customer service 

Learn more about the cost-saving benefits of Premier eTitlelien, Decision Dynamics Inc.'s (DDI) ELT system, at etitlelien.com.

Continue reading ELT and You

All About ELT

For the next month, follow DDI’s new blog series, “All About ELT,” to learn more about this cost-saving trend in vehicle title management.

 

What is ELT?

ELT stands for electronic lien and title, a paperless method that allows a DMV and a financial institution or lienholder to exchange vehicle title information electronically. To exchange this information in a secure manner, these institutions will contract with service providers like DDI.

These electronic titles are created and held by departments of motor vehicles in states’ motor vehicle databases. However, not all states have fully implemented ELT programs. Currently 18 states offer full ELT services, and ELT is growing.

 

 

States encourage ELT because it allows them to increase the speed at which liens are placed on title vehicles—benefiting lienholders and lenders. Lenders are able to reduce back-office operations up to 50%, and the consumer receives a clear copy of the paper title.

Learn more about ELT benefits in the next post in the series, “ELT and You.” Until then, visit etitlelien.com to discover the cost-saving benefits of Premier eTitle Lien™, Decision Dynamics, Inc.’s (DDI) ELT system.

Continue reading All About ELT

Record Growth and a New Look

A great press release about our company and Premier eTitleLien™:

Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) Reports Record Growth in First Quarter 2012 and Announces Premier eTitleLien™'s New Look for Electronic Lien and Title (ELT)

Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) surpasses 1,800 customers and introduces a new look to Premier eTitleLien™, a cost-effective, user-friendly, solution for streamlining vehicle titling.

Lexington, SC, May 04, 2012 -- Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) has unveiled the most recent version of Premier eTitleLien™, which introduces users of the electronic titling software to a fresh new look complete with innovative, state-of-the-art features, exclusive to the system. This news comes as DDI has surpassed 1,800 customers, and achieved record sales growth during the first quarter of 2012. The month of March alone brought growth at a rate of 30% for DDI. Glenn Thames, President and CEO of DDI remarked, "The record growth experienced by DDI is a direct result of the personal commitment to customer service that DDI offers lenders by providing a secure, user-friendly, web-based application utilizing the latest technologies, while only charging for the transactions a customer actually processes, and never locking a lender into a contract."

Premier eTitleLien™ is a secure, web-based application which allows lienholders to participate in a state's ELT program and remain in complete control of their title portfolio. Premier eTitlieLien™ offers lienholders a wide array of value add features, including: VIN Inquiry, Lien Alert, generating customized State Forms, NADA and other valuations. Lienholders are able to manage vehicle titles electronically, and receive an electronic record of a lien in lieu of a paper title. With Premier eTitleLien™, lenders have access to their electronic records and the tools needed to streamline the titling process. DDI also offers solutions for complete title management, including paper title services.

The electronic titling program benefits motor vehicle agencies, lienholders, and vehicle owners. Motor vehicle agencies benefit by providing more timely data exchange, improving data accuracy, and reducing and controlling the use of secure forms. Electronic titling benefits lienholders by reducing mailing costs, reducing physical storage requirements, and deterring the inherent fraud associated with duplicate titles and paper title releases. Vehicle owners benefit by receiving clear titles upon the release of the lien of the electronic title.

"A newly added DDI customer insisted that it was the service she received during the selection process that set DDI apart from other ELT service providers and drove her to choose DDI." Thames adds,

"Serving over 1,800 customers nationwide is a tremendous achievement for DDI, and I am confident that this number will only accelerate as DDI strengthens its commitment to being the Premier ELT service provider in the nation, delivering the most effective ELT solution with the highest level of customer service."

Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) is a software technology company that provides electronic titling services and software solutions for lienholders in the United States. DDI now serves over 1,800 lenders throughout the US.

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Continue reading Record Growth and a New Look

Florida ELT Program Questions

As we anticipate Florida's ELT program becoming mandatory, I thought it might be helpful to answer a few questions for lenders.

How will ELT change what we do today?
The primary change is that you will no longer receive a paper title. (There is a long list of reasons why this is good.) The forms you use today ("Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration" (FL 82040) and the "Application for Notice of Lien / Reassignment of Lien" (FL 82139)) and the fees and documentation required for the forms do not change.

How do I release an ELT lien?
All electronic liens must be released (satisfied) electronically. Florida provides this instruction to vehicle owners:

A title has an electronic lien, but the owner brings in a lien satisfaction from the lienholder. Can a paper title be printed for the $10 fast title fee at a Tax Collector's Office?
No. The ELT lienholder must satisfy the lien electronically.

How long will it take the DMV to print a title when a "release" is issued?
Florida normally does not print titles, preferring to leave them as electronic titles. Premier eTitleLien™ offers lenders the ability to request that a printed title be sent to the owner, they may leave it up to the owner to request a printed copy when needed. Once requested, titles "are generally mailed within two (2) days of receipt of the request."

What is required (technology-wise) for a lender to participate?
An ELT provider (such as DDI) will provide all necessary software for the lender. DDI's solution is Premier eTitleLien™, a web-based application that does not require any special installation.

Image above is Technology Quilt from the South Florida Fair 2011 by t.bosky.

Continue reading Florida ELT Program Questions

Very Happy Customers

A few weeks ago we received a very nice note from one of our newer customers:

Ann, just wanted to let you know that our Arizona title issues got completed and we are very happy customers. Please let Angela know also. Your company is great and your service (all of you) has been wonderful. Look forward to doing more with you.

This is a bank in Kansas who needed to work with the Arizona Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) program in order to accomodate a customer moving there. A very common story for us since Arizona requires anyone holding a lien to participate in ELT. We're always glad to help!

Image above is My Story Can Beat Up Your Story by Jeffrey Alan Schechter.

Continue reading Very Happy Customers

Called for Referral Part 3

Part 3 of the 10 questions answered about ELT by one of our customers:

7. What concern or issue has nagged you in the implementation or administration of the program? How was it overcome?
We were concerned that the members and staff would not adapt quickly to the idea of the titles no longer being a physical piece of paper and the program being user friendly. We have overcome this by educating our members and staff of the benefits of having the title as electronic vs. paper and teaching our staff of 30 lenders the program in person, over the phone, or over the computer.

We were also concerned about the flexibility of the program to interface with our core operating system but our IT Department has handled all necessary installations and updated releases with no problem.

8. What amount of time is required to manage the program?
A minimal amount of time is needed to manage the program. It has reduced the work load so much that we were able to eliminate a position.

9. What do employees feel about the program?
Our employees love the program and feel that it speeds up the loan process for all involved, and allows more than one person to finish the loan without having to wait on hard copies. We are able to pull title work from the system that another lender 30 miles away input a few minutes ago.

10. How is the program used in your organization?
The Electronic Lien Program is used in our organization by both front line and back line staff. We were able to customize the user’s rights to fit our individual needs. We have all aspects of employees using it from the Collections Department, Titles Department, Member Service Representatives, to Internal Audit.

All questions and responses reproduced as received from our customer. Also see Part 1 and Part 2.

Image above is Number 10 posted by Grover Sanschagrin.

Continue reading Called for Referral Part 3

Called for Referral Part 2

Part 2 of the 10 questions answered about ELT by one of our customers:

3. In retrospect, if given the chance to decide to enter the program anew would the same decision be made?
We would definitely make the same decision to enter into the Electronic Lien Program if given a second chance and highly recommend it to others.

4. Were you the person who championed the program's initiation or was it someone else?
Others in the Credit Union championed for the programs initiation and we officially went live with it 2 months after I started working for the Credit Union.

5. Do you feel the program promotes the credit union philosophy or does it have tones that may be counter to the CU philosophy?
The Electronic Lien Program promotes the Credit Union philosophy in all aspects. It allows our people to help the members in a timely manner. We make no profit off the fees required to use the program but at the same time have little to no expense for using the program as we pass the e-title fees along to the members and then send it directly to the service provider.

6.Have you changed your mind about that over time?
We have not changed our mind over time and encourage others to join the program.

All questions and responses reproduced as received from our customer. Also see Part 1 and Part 3.

Image above is 10 months.

Continue reading Called for Referral Part 2

Called for Referral Part 1

One of our customers (they are the BEST!) wrote us the following:

Thought you guys would like to see the questions that one of the Credit Unions asked us when they called for a referral about DDI. I answered them and saved them in word format so that this may be a reference tool you could use.

Here are the first of the 10 questions and how she answered them:

1. What has the program done to bring value to the staff and members?
The Electronic Lien Program has brought value to our staff by reducing the amount of time required to complete the paperwork needed to establish a lien. Corrections can be made much quicker and lien perfection time has been cut from 4-6 weeks to 2-3 days upon the DMV receiving the paperwork. We were able to eliminate a position and combine two jobs into one, thus saving the Credit Union money. Less time is needed for filing and there is less opportunity for errors to be made. The Electronic Lien Program has brought value to our members by enabling them to receive a clear title upon the completion of their loan and in the event that they lose the title they are no longer in need of contacting us to receive a lien release. A member therefore saves time and is able to go directly to the DMV to obtain another title. Everyone has also benefited from the ability to prevent fraud on liens. We saved over $300,000 thousand dollars because of the programs ability to help us locate titles and add our liens before one of the local dealers in the area was able to continue the fraudulent activity on our titles.

2. Given your length of time participating what has the trend in value been?
The trend in value over the past 3 years has increased and the Electronic Lien Program is one that our Credit Union cannot do without.

See Part 2 and Part 3.

Continue reading Called for Referral Part 1

We're in the GBA e-Bulletin again

The Georgia Banker's Association is again highlighting our ELT services as one of their strategic partners in the April 2011 e-Bulletin. They note:

ELT benefits banks in the following five ways:

1. Save Time and Money – You can expect a 50% savings in your loan operations processing – no more opening, scanning, or filing paper titles. When it’s time to release a lien, just click on the release button on the electronic title and the Georgia DOR mails a clear title to the owner of the vehicle or to the recipient you specify. You save on mailing costs and file storage costs.
2. Reduce Fraud – Premier eTitleLien™ has a built-in "Lien Alert" system and other safeguards so lenders and consumers benefit from the reduction in fraud inherent in any paper-based process.
3. New! Verify Liens with Georgia DOR – With the latest release of Premier eTitleLien™, you get real-time access to the Georgia DOR’s titling system to check on the status of any VIN – whether titled by paper or electronically – to verify your lien status.
4. Enhance Security – With electronic titling, your titles are maintained electronically, so titles can’t be lost, misfiled, stolen, or destroyed in the event of a disaster.
5. Go Green – Electronic titling is ecologically friendly. Titles are held electronically, instead of in filing cabinets, eliminating the use of paper and associated waste.

Click here for the full e-Bulletin.

Continue reading We're in the GBA e-Bulletin again

On Being an ELT Service Provider

Fairly regularly we get folks asking about how to become an ELT service provider. This happens especially when a state begins requiring participation in their ELT program. States are not generally interested in certifying every lienholder, so they require lenders and other lienholders to work with a third party that does get certified by each state's DMV. That is what we do: allow lienholders to participate in ELT.

Becoming an ELT service provider is not magic, it's just a lot of work. When we hear of individual lenders wanting to become their own provider, we wish them all the best. In reality, there is no way for even a large company to recover on-going maintenance costs to work with each state, much less the initial development (and material costs and state fees) to become certified.

And that gets us to why we like being an ELT Service Provider. We feel that we can offer a winning solution for everyone.

• We work with each state's ELT program, maintaining compliance.
• And on top of that, we keep a relationship with the staff at the DMV enabling us to get answers to questions.
• We save our customers frustration by providing specific answers or advice.
• We provide tools that help to reduce fraud.
• We make the most of the benefits offered by each state's ELT program to make title processing easier.
• And we add our own innovations to further improve tracking titles, preparing paperwork, resolving issues, and generally making titles as collateral work the way our customers need them to.
• Owners benefit too both in the reduction of fraud and the simplification of paperwork.
• Plus, ELT is a very green initiative!

We love helping our customers, and we think we offer a great product and great service at an unbeatable price. It is very gratifying to be in a business where everyone benefits.

The image is from a podcast series by Business Week. The sentiment "Making Innovation Work" really sums up our efforts with ELT.

Continue reading On Being an ELT Service Provider

Nebraska: Is New Electronic Liens and Titles Mandatory?

Are lenders required to sign up for ELT in Nebraska?

No. But you probably want to.

From the Nebraska Electronic Lender Guide:

Lender participation in this program is, at present, optional. However, upon implementation, Nebraska certificates of title that contain lien information will be stored electronically. No printed copy will be produced for mailing to the lender unless specifically requested.

Certificate of title and lien applications will continue to be filed at title issuing offices [local county treasurer office or the DMV, Division of Motor Carrier Services (MCS) for any common, contract or private carrier of property by motor vehicles in interstate commerce]. Upon the notation of a lien, the certificate of title record will be stored electronically on the DMV Vehicle Title and Registration (VTR) database and a participating lender will be electronically notified of the title issuance/lien notation.

At the time of lien satisfaction, a participating lender will electronically notify the DMV of the lien release and the DMV will print and mail the certificate of title to the owner (or other entity as directed by the lender).

To be clear: Lienholders will no longer receive a paper title or any other notification from the DMV when their lien has been recorded. The state "notifies" through the Electronic Lien and Title program.

What changes if a lender does not sign up?

• The lender will not receive a paper title with their lien.
• Lien releases will be handled through a new form (the Non-Participating Lender Lien Release application) that must be submitted to a title issuing office.

What about non-lender situations, such as bail bond companies or a mechanic's lien?

We inquired with the Nebraska DMV about non-traditional lienholders. At this time there are no exceptions for printing titles with liens.

What incentives are there for participating?

• Primo: Lienholders will receive notification that your lien has been recorded. This notification contains the information that normally appears on a title, allowing you to verify that the lien was recorded correctly. (Premier eTitleLien™ makes this very easy.)
• The DMV will assume responsibility for printing a clear title and mailing it to the owner at lien release. That eliminates situations where owners who have lost a title must come to you to request a duplicate.
• Lienholders who participate in the ELT program will release liens electronically. The state will not accept a paper lien release which helps protect the lienholder against fraud.

Book cover from "No Code Required: Giving Users Tools to Transform the Web" - an interesting book that parallels our goal for lenders: No More Paper Titles: Giving Users Tools to Transform Liens and Titles

Continue reading Nebraska: Is New Electronic Liens and Titles Mandatory?

Record Growth

Our latest press release (highlighting and links mine):

Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) Reports Record Growth in the Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) Marketplace

In the first six months of 2010, Decision Dynamics, Inc. (DDI) experienced record growth in the Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) market with its Premier eTitleLien™ product and services offering in the state of Arizona. DDI successfully added more client accounts in Arizona than any other ELT vendor. DDI's president and CEO, Glenn Thames, said "DDI's success is attributed to having the most cost-effective solution in the market, along with a dedicated staff committed to customer service excellence. Through this attention to customer service, DDI has grown to over 800 client accounts in just a few short years, having never lost a customer to a competitive ELT vendor."

Companies that place liens on vehicle titles in Arizona were required to participate in the state's ELT program beginning May 31, 2010. With DDI's Premier eTitleLien™ product and services, lienholders are able to participate in the ELT program and remain in complete control of their title portfolio. Premier eTitleLien™ is a web-based application that allows lienholders to manage their vehicle titles electronically and provides an electronic ownership record in lieu of a paper title. Premier eTitleLien™ interfaces with a state's motor vehicle titling agency's computer systems to receive electronic titles and transmit lien releases for the lienholder. With Premier eTitleLien™, companies have access to their electronic titles and the tools needed to streamline the titling process.

An electronic titling program benefits motor vehicle agencies, lienholders and vehicle owners. Motor vehicle agencies benefit by providing more timely data exchange, improving data accuracy, and reducing and controlling the use of secure forms. Electronic titling benefits lienholders by reducing mailing costs, reducing physical storage requirements, and deterring the inherent fraud associated with duplicate titles and paper title releases. Vehicle owners benefit by receiving clear titles upon the release of the lien on the electronic title.

"With the Premier eTitleLien™ product and associated services, DDI provides the most cost- effective solution in the market with no start-up costs, no monthly minimums, no per-user charges, and no installation or training charges. In addition, DDI's license agreements are lender-friendly, allowing for an opt-out without penalties. DDI is dedicated to continuing to provide the ELT solution of choice for lenders. We are continuing to expand our client base among the existing ELT states and look forward to providing services in the newest ELT state, Nebraska, later this fall," said Thames. DDI is a software technology company that provides electronic titling services for lienholders in the United States.

For more information on electronic titling, visit www.etitlelien.com.

For this Press Release in printable form and other news, please visit http://etitlelien.com/News.aspx.

Image from Wikipedia: "Cutaway of a nautilus shell showing the chambers arranged in an approximately logarithmic spiral"

Continue reading Record Growth

Changes Caused by Electronic Liens and Titles

Participating in a Electronic Liens and Titles (ELT) program (offered by several states) changes the way titles are managed, but not in the way most people expect. The biggest example of this is the title application (application + old title + fee + whatever other forms required by the state). Most people on hearing that an electronic title program is in place assume that the electronic title can be applied for electronically, since logically a "going digital" program means eliminating paper. Sadly, this is not the case with *any* ELT programs so far (mostly*). Title applications must still be submitted with physical owner signatures or limited power of attorney forms.

What ELT Does Not Change

• Liens are still recorded as part of vehicle collateral for loans.
• The lien is still recorded by the DMV.
• Applications for liens are still required (as mentioned above) since physical signatures are required to meet Federal odometer disclosure laws.
• Forms and processes for related actions (owner address change, vehicle reposession, mobile home de-titling, etc.) remain the same.

What ELT Changes

• Lienholders do not receive a paper title.
• Liens must be released electronically (in many ELT states).
• Titles are mailed to owners by the DMV.

Non-Obvious Improvements
I can hear you thinking now: "What good is that? That doesn't help nearly enough!" We've heard that before. This subtle change to a paperless title makes a big difference in business processes, greatly helping lenders, states, and vehicle owners. Titles cannot be misfiled. Owners who misplaced lien-released-on-the-face titles can request duplicates from the DMV. No title mail to open, no titles to mail out.

Premier eTitleLien™ Extras
Our solution allowing lenders to work with state ELT programs helps make the most of these benefits and more. Title applications are tracked until lien is perfected. Information on new electronic titles (owner name, odometer) is checked against the application for accuracy. State title inquiry services are used along with NADA or Blackbook values to verify vehicle status prior to issuing a loan. There's more at http://www.etitlelien.com.

* Ohio does allow lenders to electronically notate a lien for an existing title when no transfer of ownership occurs. Yay Ohio!

Image from Dalit Freedom Network

Continue reading Changes Caused by Electronic Liens and Titles

Premier eTitleLien Users Group Georgia Meeting

On January 21st we held the first meeting of what we are hoping develops into our Georgia Users Group for Premier eTitleLien™. (Our primary Users Group will have its fifth meeting on February 10th in Columbia, SC.) The Users Group President, Dara Biswell of Heritage Trust FCU, and Vice-President, Lisa Vandys of Carolina Foothills FCU, both attended along with several of our Georgia customers.

Prior to the Users Group, we held an information session for prospective customers about our ELT services with an emphasis on how the program works in Georgia. We reviewed a lot of the basics (cost savings, fraud reduction, fewer missed titles) and gave a brief demo of Premier eTitleLien™. We noted our experience working with lenders in the newly mandatory states of Pennsylvania and Louisiana and highlighted the ease of use of working with state ELT programs. Our attempt to demo the Georgia Title Check service didn't work. Live demonstrations are such wonderful things. :(

As part of this information session, and since we had several of our customers there, we offered a chance for them to share how they are using ELT and for anyone else to ask any questions. I was pleasantly surprised (as usually happens) by their praise. Two of our Georgia customers (Citizens Trust Bank and Augusta VAH FCU) also added their reflections about the program. I wish we had recorded it.

Lisa opened the Users Group meeting and Dara spoke about the mission, goals, and structure of the group. Ann Gunning (CIO here at Decision Dynamics, Inc.) gave an update on each state's ELT program, noting progress and goals for each of the states. I briefly (since I had given a full demo earlier) highlighted some changes users can expect in our next release. We also demonstrated the new GA Title Check (working this time!) confirming (with current Georgia titles) both an inactive lien and a lien correctly placed.

We then opened a discussion of support issues, problems, and suggestions.

• A suggestion came up that Premier eTitleLien™ could do a better job of highlighting which state issued the electronic title that was just received.
• I asked if anyone had any trouble with providing proof of lien to other companies. The only problems really seem to come from local entities, like local insurance agents, especially those not in ELT states.
• A desire for an ELT program in Alabama and North Carolina was mentioned.
• A question came up about Texas seeking approval to allow electronic signatures for title applications. We explained what we knew about the Federal regulation and Virginia's experience doing the same thing.
• We also briefly discussed the problem of customers claiming to have a duplicate title or of attempting to forge release documents, and the recent success in those areas due to the states' (SC and GA in this case) policies regarding ELT.
• We also mentioned that the new requirement that each state check incoming out-of-state titles against the NMVTIS database was slowing down the lien recordation process for those titles.

We'd love to have your feedback on any changes you'd like to see with ELT in your state or the Premier eTitleLien™ program.

Image: Oriental Poppies by Georgia O'Keefe

Continue reading Premier eTitleLien Users Group Georgia Meeting

Georgia ELT's best features

We're heading to Georgia today to host another "Open Forum" and participate with our users at the GA Users Group meeting (both are January 21, 2010 - missed them? Join us for our SC Users Group meeting on February 10, 2010). You can always find our upcoming events at http://etitlelien.com/events.aspx.

Our customers have been participating in the ELT program in Georgia since July 2008. Any state ELT program has significant benefits to lenders, but each state has it's own "specialties". We're working with each state to take their best ideas and get other states to incorporate those as well.

Georgia ELT's best features include:

• Requiring electronic release for electronic titles. This is not unique to Georgia (Florida and Louisiana also require electronic release) but is not a common restriction. This requirement is a significant fraud prevention measure.


• Conversion of Paper Titles to Electronic Titles. Georgia is the simplest program to work with by far, integrating this feature into their standard ELT process.


• *New* The GA DOR has made a title inquiry service available for lenders to inquiry on the status of their liens. This is an excellent research tool for lenders, helping to prevent fraud and reduce inquiries with the Motor Vehicle Division.

As with all other states, signing up to participate with Georgia is free of charge and an excellent way to making managing titles easier.

Image: Thronateeska Heritage Center, GA by Brown's Guides

Continue reading Georgia ELT's best features

Questions about ELT in Louisiana

DDI participated in a informational conference call with Auto Title Express (our tag agent in Louisiana). Around 80 individual members of the Louisiana Banker's Association "attended" the call and asked a number of questions.

How will ELT change what we do today?
The primary change is that you will no longer receive a paper title. (There is a long list of reasons why this is good.) The forms you use today and the documentation required for the forms do not change. Applying for a lien is the same process (title application with owner signature, supporting documents, and fee).

How do I release an ELT lien?
PTAs cannot release an ELT lien based on a paper request by a lender (or email, fax, etc.). Liens must be released electronically by the lender.

How long will it take the OMV to print a title when a "release" is issued?
Typically, titles will be printed and mailed the next day. Delays may occur during DMV audits and other situations.

Is there any way to get a printed title faster?
No. The OMV does not allow PTAs to print single titles and they do not have an alternate method of making titles immediately available. We believe that fast print is essential to the whole process and will be working with the Louisiana Banker's Association, Automobile Dealer's Association, and Senator Duplessis to propose and pass legislation enabling a fast print solution.

What is required (technology-wise) for a lender to participate?
The PTA (such as Auto Title Express) or Service Provider (such as DDI) will provide all necessary software. (DDI's solution is Premier eTitleLien™, a web-based application that does not require any special installation.) The software should handle secure message exchange and allow for releasing liens and requesting paper copies of titles with liens in place.

What do I do for situations that require paper titles, like floorplan financing, audits, or repossessions?
DDI's experience in other states is that auditors, finance companies, and insurance companies are pleased with the ELT program and accept printed reports authenticating the validity of the lien on the electronic title. In cases where this is not acceptable, a printed copy of the title can be requested.

Image: "Magnolia" (Louisiana State Flower) by Emily Brodnax

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