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Stop blaming brokers for poor conversions: Connective

8 minute read
The Adviser

Jessica Darnbrough

One aggregation head has issued a strong warning to Australia's lenders: stop blaming brokers for poor turnaround times and look at your own servicing levels.

Speaking to The Adviser, Connective principal Mark Haron said while he recognised that there was still work to be done brokers had made a significant improvement in their loan application conversions and efficiency.

As such, he said the onus is now on Australia's lenders to pick up their game and improve broker service.

 
 

"Brokers at Connective and across the industry have really improved their conversion rates," he said.

"The onus is now starting to turn back on to the lenders. They are the ones that threw down the gauntlet and said brokers aren't very efficient. I challenge those statements. We are now very efficient and it is up to the lenders to improve their servicing levels."

Mr Haron said lenders should also be forced to improve their servicing levels across the board and not just to their top brokers.

"NCCP has gotten rid of any part time brokers that were in the industry. So lenders should have complete confidence in the brokers they are dealing with now. They should enhance their service across the mass market."

Mr Haron's comments came just days after CBA's executive general manager, third party and mobile banking Kathy Cummings said there had been little overall improvement in the quality of broker submissions in recent years.

"If you want sustainability in this industry then the economics have to work," Ms Cummings said.

According to Ms Cummings, the level of rework required on broker originated loans remains unacceptably high, with more than 60 per cent of all applications having to be re-worked up to 10 times.

Moreover, just 34 per cent of all CBA funded loans go through to settlement without being touched or re-worked.

Westpac's general manager mortgage broker distribution Tony McRae said broker loan applications often required re-work.

"The brokers need to be careful when filling out loan applications. They must take the time to ensure every 'i' is dotted and 't' crossed," he said.

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Comments (32)

  • <p>Haron is right and Connective know my thoughts on this well and truly. Fortunately they support their brokers better than the past agg BDMs I've had. Fill in the blanks here - X bank has to do so many reworks because their back office is hopeless &amp; continual val shortfalls. Then their BDMs have absolutely no power or authority in dealing with the processing centre as a power to iteself. Ring up and the conversations you have to get things sorted out are totally different to what happens. This isnt just limited to one.&lt;br /&gt;If a state manager actually came and worked in an office for a week they'd soon see. Never seen this happen</p>
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  • <p>Well (CBA) the solution is easily solved. Have all brokers obtain a Doctorate in application completion (a CPA may not be enough)A classic example of "off the top of the head" statements that can be taken literally by the MFAA who could easily rubber stamp it ASIC where are you?</p>
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  • <p>So I will ask the question that no one has asked: "Why do brokers continue to support these lenders?"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are 2 major lenders that constantly blame brokers for all sorts of things. They both are at the lower end of service, remuneration and respect, yet whenever I look at the figures run out by aggregators at PD days or conferences those 2 lenders are always at the top of the volume charts. Why? I feel brokers are very much like the 2 lenders.."it's not my fault it must be yours....quick look over there don't look at us!"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you keep giving them business and they keep blaming you then take responsibility for YOUR actions, you are encouraging this behaviour by supporting them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If your wondering I cancelled (yes I wrote to them) my accreditation with both these lenders 3 years ago and have not missed a deal since because of that decision.</p>
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  • <p>How refreshing to hear an aggregator stick up for their brokers. Well said Mr Haron and the guy (sorry, I have forgotten his name) from AFG does it also.</p>
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  • <p>And one last thing. Did you know that at most processing centres, their staff must "touch" a certain number of files per day. If a processor does anything to a file (a quick look and send an email to a broker asking for anything) it looks good on their stats, and makes the broker look bad. Nobody checks this, and it does happen, ask anyone who has worked in one of these centres. Stats are a funny thing, you can make them say ANYTHING you want and Westpac and the CBA sure know how to make them say what THEY want.</p>
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  • <p>Well said Garry, Warwick, Will &amp; Mark C. I have never heard of a lender even offer to train a broker on how to process a loan. All they want to do is tell us how good they are. Warick is spot on with his suggestion "Pick up the phone", we all have them and if it is a lender calling, we will answer and most likely fix the problem on the spot.</p>
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  • <p>If you have issues with poor quality submissions then go out and talk to the brokers concerned. Just one bit of advice. make sure you have all the facts. Because as you can see here you will be challenged. 10 reworks. Might be a little exaggerated I think.</p>
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  • <p>The people running these lender departments are looking at others to blame for their own inefficiencies. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Most all times my loans are re-worked it is because the lender's staff have stuffed up. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Like last week a big 4 lending assessor actually did not know the difference between a liability and an expense .. *shaking my head in utter disbelief*</p>
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  • <p>Perhaps in the never ending quest to appease shareholders with greater profits and such the outsourcing of positions overseas, perhaps the lenders need to review their internal training. I always supply a loan narrative with submissions to clarify any issues, concerns, structures etc but I sometimes think that as a loan narrative is not on lenders checklists trhey are ignored.</p>
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  • <p>I wonder if CBA, Westpac et al ever actually audit the file as orignally submitted by me, and the requests for information I then receive??? Would be interesting to see how man times I have to retouch a file due to assessor error (i.e. failing to read notes and or simply not paying attention to what's already been provided.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is a human run business - of course, there will be errors made on all sides, but these banks don't endear themselves with these proclamations...</p>
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