In our latest webinar, Brent Starrenburg, Head of Commercial and Asset Finance at Connective, joined asset finance brokers Giulia Polizzi from Acceptance Finance, Troy Webster from Dexter Finance and Sam Roby from JustFin to break down what actually helps brokers get through EOFY when things are at their busiest.
EOFY can feel intense because clients are carrying a lot at once. Cash flow is tighter, decisions feel heavier and the phone does not stop ringing, with suppliers, insurers, accountants and lenders all wanting something. By the time a broker finally speaks to a client, they are often already stretched, which is why how you operate through EOFY matters just as much as the deals you settle.
One of the biggest drivers of EOFY stress is timing. EOFY does not suddenly arrive on 30 June, even though many clients treat it that way, so the best outcomes usually come from earlier conversations as residuals come up for review and refinance decisions start surfacing.
From mid‑June onwards, lender turnaround times can slow and options can narrow, which means leaving conversations too late removes flexibility and creates unnecessary urgency. Starting earlier gives clients more choice and takes pressure out of the process for everyone involved.
Regular communication plays a big role here, especially when it is consistent all year and then becomes more EOFY‑relevant in May and June. Giulia’s approach is simple: keep it personal, keep it useful, and make the subject line do the work, so clients know immediately what they are opening. As she puts it, “Just an email with the subject ‘Vehicle and Equipment Finance update from Giulia Polizzi’… they know me… I just do the subtle touch.”
Doing this well also needs to be sustainable when things get busy, which is where tools like Mercury Nexus help brokers keep consistent touchpoints without trying to contact every client one by one. As Giulia notes, “You simply can’t reach that many clients individually and still do your job properly.”
EOFY has a way of making everything feel transactional, because clients are being pulled in different directions all day and very few people call just to check in. In that environment, it often only takes a small shift in approach to make things easier, such as acknowledging the pressure, agreeing on the next step, and setting a time that works rather than forcing a decision in the moment.
Sam Roby from JustFin captures it well: “Sometimes a five‑minute call outside hours reduces stress for everyone. You’re only human.”
This EOFY comes with tougher conversations than a few years ago. Clients coming off COVID‑era lending are now facing much higher rates, and many already know this, so what they need most is context on what is realistic and what is competitive in the current market.
As Giulia explains, “Our clients are smart business people. They know rates have changed. The value is helping them understand what’s realistic and what’s actually happening across the market.”
That honesty is shaping decisions, with some clients refinancing residuals instead of upgrading assets and others choosing to wait, which can be the right call when the numbers and timing stack up.
As June approaches, urgency increases and the late calls tend to arrive, which is why boundaries matter. EOFY is not the time for heroics, it is the time to keep it simple, communicate clearly and be realistic about what can and cannot be done in the final weeks.
As Sam puts it, “Be honest. Tell them the truth about what can and can’t be done. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.”
When things get busy, it can feel tempting to rush steps or take shortcuts to get a deal across the line, but that is exactly when discipline matters most. “You have to draw lines for yourself that you don’t cross,” says Troy Webster from Dexter Finance. “Once you cross them once, it gets easier to do it again.”
Brent made the same point “While it seems like you’re doing the right thing, that is definitely not doing the right thing, and you will come unstuck,” he warned, referring to small “fixes” made with good intentions that can create serious issues later.
Starting earlier, checking details properly and sticking to process reduces risk and protects your business long after EOFY is over.
EOFY often surfaces broader needs clients have been putting off, particularly around timing and cash flow. When uncertainty spikes, such as rising operating costs or fuel price shocks, clients often need someone to talk through options calmly and practically, even if the best outcome is adjusting the approach rather than rushing into a decision.
The opportunity might be a restructure, a refinance, or simply helping a client make a decision they feel comfortable standing behind.
You do not need to be everything to every client, especially at EOFY. What helps most is understanding the basics of your clients’ businesses, knowing where the pressure points are and being honest about what you can help with right now, while also knowing when to bring someone else into the conversation because that clarity builds trust and shows clients you are focused on the right outcome, not just getting a deal done.
That is where Connective fits in. We support brokers with practical tools, access to a broad panel of asset finance, equipment and working capital funders, and a broker community you can lean on when you want a second view or a sense‑check. Whether you write the deal yourself or refer it, you are not working in isolation, which makes it easier to stay grounded, stay human and keep looking after your clients properly through a demanding time of year.
If you’d like to see how Connective supports asset finance brokers, you can explore our offering here.
