The ACI software is produced by a company that touts itself as an innovator in technology. They claim to have paved the way for the automation of mortgage servicing that was previously very paper intensive, through their technical advancements. In September 2014, they released a new software that allows real estate appraisers to access Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood maps in order to make it easier to identify flood determination areas. This is important because developments in these flood areas are federally mandated to purchase flood insurance when they are building projects using government grants. This is vital information for the group that ACI targets or caters to, which is the larger real estate brokerage firms, national appraisal companies and hospitality management companies.
ACI has a wide range of products and they are always creating new additions. Their main software, priced at $699.00 seems costly, but again it is not targeted towards individual real estate brokers, but more towards larger companies. Their main software is produced in an American and Canadian version, and has several applications that allow developers to do different tasks relevant to their profession. There is sketching software for drawing floor plans and assessing square footage. The software package also includes location maps created in conjunction with Google Maps to allow for better visual representation of geographic areas for reports. In other words, the software supports large scale companies doing business on a level higher than the individual real estate appraiser that is showing homes through open houses and working on a commission.
In contrast to the ACI product, A la mode produces software more suited for the individual realtor that is their targeted consumer. Like ACI, A la mode also claims existence as a technology company. According to their self-description on their website, they have a fast-growing, innovative real estate technology company for over 27 years, and they serve multiple real estate industry people including appraisers, agents, lenders, AMCs, inspectors and others. The company prides itself on being owned by the same owner since its beginning, and on being debt-free, which they say allows them to offer more to their customers such as Cloud storage. They are more geared towards the individuals as opposed to the companies. Their top-of-the-line Elite System is quoted at $1499.00, double the price of the ACI top notch product although geared to a smaller client.
A la mode offers several reasons that seem to justify the lofty price of their premier software on their website. Their software is compatible with several formats: iPhone, iPad, Tablet PC and Android devices can be used. They offer help when needed with the Elite-only support line, there is availability to 24x7x365, US-based tech support team. Users can also bypass everyone in the queue, including Platinum members, for priority support when it is requested. Members can also get a free ticket to live appraiser training seminars and Elite-only webinars. The company also offers an online training for one full day to assist new members to utilize the service effectively.
In conclusion, the two companies cater to different markets; ACI targets the larger companies while A la mode is more marketed to the individual professional or smaller real estate group. Their software products offer some of the same standard features like form-fillers and map sketching, but A la mode appears to take their technical support a little further with the training aspect. In September 2014, a la mode announced that it has reached an agreement with DataMaster, the leading provider of data specifically structured for appraisers, to integrate its data service with a la mode’s full range of appraisal form filling systems.
