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Driven by his 24+ years in the finance industry, Stephane is obsessed with delivering exceptional outcomes for brokers.
How and why did you become a BDM?
I’ve been in the finance industry for 24 years and becoming a BDM was something I actively chased. Given my past roles in credit and customer-facing teams, I saw it as a natural evolution for my career. I’m able to understand what brokers need from their BDM and can confidently navigate the complexities of lending to resolve all queries. Brokers play such a pivotal role in supporting borrowers in their property journey, whether it’s home ownership or investment. I find it immensely rewarding to be able to positively impact the lives of everyday Australians, via their broker, to help them achieve their financial hopes and dreams.
Why did you join Athena?
I love the fact that Athena is challenging the status quo of how things are done in the mortgage industry! As the National BDM for Specialised Products, I’m incredibly excited to introduce Athena’s new Tailored product suite to the market and showcase the solutions it can offer.
Athena’s Tailored suite is unparalleled in market - delivering custom fit solutions without any compromise on rate or premium features, supported by dedicated Credit teams for workshopping and a best-in-class lodgement experience.
At Athena, we work collaboratively and fast! As a team, we ensure that both brokers’ and their customers’ experience is seamless and efficient. The opportunity to be part of this very talented team was a massive drawcard for me.
How do you work with brokers to ensure good customer outcomes?
Every scenario is different, so I work together with brokers to ensure we reach the best possible outcome for their customers. There are no cookie cutter solutions. I am easily contactable and understand that when a broker needs their BDM, it’s urgent! So put me on speed dial. No delays, our team gets things done fast here at Athena.
Having a deep understanding of lending policy and appetite is crucial in supporting brokers. In the past two decades, I’ve seen thousands of scenarios and applications – I tap into this knowledge to support brokers. We have direct access to our Credit team for workshopping and more, demonstrating our commitment to delivering speed, ease and expertise to brokers.
What are your top tips for brokers looking to work more efficiently with BDMs?
At Athena we’re all about getting brokers’ faster approvals, every time. Our innovative tech and broker support model are designed to make the whole process as seamless as possible, but here are some extra tips to help get the most out of your BDM and lodgement experience:
- If in doubt - reach out! A call, email or text with bullet points on the scenario is all we need to get started on workshopping a solution.
- Take advantage of the tech - Loan App 2.0 offers inbuilt guidance on your application, and will tailor document requirements to your customers' situation. Make sure you supply docs for all the categories that are requested.
- We exist to get deals done – even when it’s super tricky, we are here to find a solution, fast.
- Tell us what you think! We actively seek out broker feedback, as it helps us improve our service, product and policies.
About Athena:
Athena was founded in June 2017 by Nathan Walsh and Michael Starkey with a mission to change home loans for good. Athena gives Australians fiercely fair home loans so they can own their home sooner, or power sophisticated property portfolios with speed and ease. The company’s innovative digital home loan platform delivers savings to borrowers; and their mobile app and local home loan experts provide real time expertise. Athena is proud to have been certified as a B-Corp, recognising the importance of changing Australia’s $2 trillion home loan industry for good. Athena has been recognised by multiple innovation awards, including Australia’s Most Innovative Company 2021 and Australia’s Fintech of the Year 2021.
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