What a banker learned from going to a broker

Brokers and bankers are often portrayed as butting heads, but that’s not always the case

By Otiena Ellwand

29 Jun 2018

Sarah Willsallen’s broker has been part of her life for 17 years— from her first property purchase in 2001 to four others thereafter. He’s seen her navigate many different stages of her life.

The Westpac Group state general manager for NSW/ACT turned to a broker, John Williams from Castle Hill, for her first home purchase because of his depth of experience, strong reputation and customer focus. She was not disappointed.

“I really value the ongoing relationship I have with John,” she said. “[He’s] been there as a knowledgeable and reliable trusted advisor.”

While both brokers and bankers have copped some negative headlines of late— and as a result are often portrayed as butting heads— that’s not always the case.

Early on, Willsallen recognised the appeal of working with a broker who could efficiently shop around and survey the market on her behalf.

Working with a broker in her personal life has given her a much greater appreciation for the customer journey and the importance of choosing the right solution, she said.

“It also highlights the wonderful relationship a customer can build with a broker based on the reliance and trust built over the time you work with each other,” she said.

When asked what brokers and bankers need to understand about one another, she said it’s that they have the same goal— “to responsibly help Australians on their journey to home ownership. As long as we all remain firmly focused on that, we’ll continue to see good outcomes for customers and for the industry”.

As for how they can work better together— that’s a page she takes from her personal history with Williams.

“As the mortgage broking landscape changes, as it does in any industry, I think the most important thing for brokers and banks is to keep communicating. Keep talking. Keep learning from each other. Keep asking questions. And together, keep finding the best way to get the best outcome for the customer.”