Lenders need to treat their relationships with brokers as brokers treat their clients, says IMFS’s Janine Carpenter.
Lenders need to treat their relationships with brokers as brokers treat their clients, says IMFS’s Janine Carpenter.
“Just like our clients want to have a conversation with us, I want to have a conversation with the lender, I want to speak to a credit person, I want to have that discussion and I don’t want to send copious numbers of emails,” she says.
Lenders that rely too much on automated systems risk losing key relationships and broker business, says Carpenter.
“My insistence in dealing with lenders is that you get the opportunity to talk and meet the person that made the decision. Lenders that we don’t get that same sort of visibility from I struggle to deal with.
“I love it when deals fly through and no one has to pick up the phone, but I also know that if I’m going to have a difficult deal then for me that’s going to go to a bank that I know I can talk to in person, it’s not going to go to the bank that is very much about doing everything via email and the internet.”
Carpenter admits her attitude might be “old school” but stresses that good relationships with credit assessors, and not just relationship managers, can help to save time in the long run.
“If I pick up the phone it’s because I’ve tried to solve the problem first myself and haven’t been able to, I’m not out to waste anybody’s time, but being able to have that conversation is paramount for me.
“Sometimes email communication can get lost and you can spend three days going back and forth clarifying that last point – or you can clear it up in a two second phone conversation.”
“For me you can’t have a great relationship with someone you’ve never met. You can have a great phone relationship, but if it becomes too automated and it’s all online then you’re never going to have that same sort of relationship where you can just pick up the phone and have a great conversation.”
Look out for more thought leadership from some of the nation’s leading female brokers in the next edition of MPA, out July 22.
