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ยป VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM 11 We do have the capacity to move people because we've been around for so long. I have staff that are cross-trained and able to help out, whether it's in foreclosure or bankruptcy or on my civil side, or move from department to department, and we're always dealing with fluctuations from one week to the other. People move around all the time to ensure that we don't have any bubbles that fall behind. We're always doing special projects for our clients as well. Because our servicers' volume has dropped, we've been able to get in-house and work with them more and help with their procedures. We can help them evaluate where there have been more regulations put on them and more requirements, such as from the CFPB or involving monthly statements within bank- ruptcy. We've been involved with our servicers even more because, due to the lower volumes, they now have the time and ability to allow us to work with them more. In my experience, it's not going to remain at this level. ere are signs that things could increase, and I see an increase in Chapter 13s on the horizon. What are the recent or upcoming court cases that have the most potential to impact servicers on the bankruptcy front? e current wave of cases where Chapter 13 trustees and debtor attorneys are objecting to Notices of Post-Petition Fees and Expenses have the potential to dramatically impact services and their bottom line. I'm planning to work with the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees' Mortgage Committee in their formation of a working group on this issue. What are the biggest challenges of interacting with borrowers who are undergoing bankruptcy or foreclosure proceedings? e last thing my clients want is another REO in their portfolio. It can sometimes be challenging to work with debtors, especially pro se debtors, when they don't have any faith or trust in the process or their servicers. We often hear that many firms and companies use these low-volume times as an excuse to innovate and reexamine internal processes to optimize effi- ciency. Are there any areas where your firm is now working to advance as fas as your technological capabilites? We're not cutting-edge when it comes to things like that. We're somewhat conservative in that sense. Al- though we are highly technical in our system and what we do, we're not willing to jump into something before all the kinks have been worked out, because what we do is too critical. We try to communicate constantly and ef- fectively with our clients and with our servicers and management. We want to make sure everyone understands we're more than just a vendor; we're a partner for our clients. "When bankruptcy courts get slow, they look for ways to generate income. What's happening with Chapter 13 bankruptcies is that creditors need to file when they incur a post-petition fee and a notice of post-petition fees. e debtor attorneys and the trustees are objecting to what they believe is a fee that is not substantiated properly." THE LEADER IN DEFAULT SERVICING NEWS Help shape the next issue of DS News. Drop us a line at Editor@DSNews.com.