BDM in the spotlight: Graeme Norris

Our new BDM Q and A series travels to Victoria for the third edition, to talk about managing expectations and mushroom sauce

Our new BDM Q and A series travels to Victoria for the third edition, to talk about managing expectations and mushroom sauce

BDMs can make or break a broker-lender relationship. In our new series we ask top BDMs the same eight questions, ranging from the serious to bizzare.

This week we talked to Graeme Norris, Better Mortgage Management's Melbourne BDM. Norris has been in finance for 30 years and was previously a broker himself, which he says helps him understand frustration and the importance of managing expectations.

What do brokers want most from you?
Brokers need and want a BDM that understands them and their business. A BDM should be an extension of that business to help them not only settle deals, but to potentially engage and help grow their business. Brokers don’t want to be sold - it’s all about knowing what their business does and what clientele they engage and then adapting what niches you have to help them grow.

What is your favourite part of the job?
Best part of the job is building long lasting relationships that benefit all and exceeds expectations.

What distinguishes the best brokers you deal with?
The best brokers have a set plan, know where they are heading, what goals they need to achieve, what market they are targeting and offer professional products & service. The key element is knowing what niche they play in and then going after that niche.  

Describe your ideal weekend:
Well I have 4 kids so any weekend without the kids is great….no just kidding…I spend a lot of time running them around to different sporting activities but really enjoy sitting down having a few cold ones watching the footy or cricket.

What’s the strangest lending scenario you’ve ever encountered?
Well as we cover a range of Full Doc and Alt Doc funding I get my fair share of crazy and wonderful scenario’s. We get a lot of requests for cash out; the weirdest was a customer wanting to obtain cash out to purchase some exotic animals, which we agreed to as they had a permit for this type of purchase!

How do you like your steak done?
I like my steak well done with a nice mushroom sauce and chips, I can see some of you cringe right now thinking “how you can spoil a good steak by having it well done….”

Every Wednesday we’ll feature a different BDM from across Australia. If you’d like to be included, please email the editor.