Using tech solutions and smart thinking to solve brokers’ problems

Kieran Pace, Connective Broker Support Manager in VIC, talks about how he helps his brokers overcome hurdles, eliminate complications, and offload some of the heavy lifting with technology.

What have you learnt about working with brokers over the last three years?

I’ve had a few different positions at Connective, but I’ve learnt that it doesn’t matter what your job title is, our purpose is always the same— we’re in the business of solving problems.

Whether you’re on the helpdesk team, assisting with a loan scenario, or training a broker on a new piece of software, we’re all here to help our members overcome hurdles so they can do their jobs with as little stress and resistance as possible.

As a BSM, I love being able to remove the complications, chip away at and resolve problems so that our brokers can focus on the business-critical aspects of their roles. Our brokers require and want to provide complete focus and attention to their customers and responsibilities. My job is to facilitate that by removing some of the chaos; it’s very satisfying.

When did you start working at Connective and what industry did you come from?

I started working at the Connective helpdesk in 2014. I previously held a similar role for an internet service provider right next door to the Connective office. Before that, I worked for Apple and IBM in Brisbane.

What do you think mortgage brokers are looking for in their tech tools?

In general, I would say brokers are looking for tech tools that eliminate time-consuming and tedious tasks, improve efficiencies and reduce disruptions in their workflow. When you have a loan to put through, a scenario to unscramble, or products to scrutinise, you don’t want to be bogged down by how to use the software. You want an uninterrupted transition from start to finish.

How do you think Mercury solves these problems and can help brokers grow and improve their businesses?

If you like a seamless process from start to finish, Mercury is what you’re looking for. The data collection for compliance is completely digital. All the heavy lifting is done before you’ve even submitted the application to the lender. Clients’ signatures for compliance documents can all be completed electronically using DocuSign. If you want a digital process to complete a task, Mercury will take care of it.

For business growth, Connective Property Tools and Digital Marketing Hub will take your business to the next level.

Connective Property Tools puts CoreLogic’s nationwide and local property data in the palm of your hand. It’s specifically designed to help brokers generate leads, increase conversions and improve retention.

Digital Marketing Hub allows you to create automated and personalised emails and marketing campaigns to send to customers, giving you an automatic edge over your industry peers.

How does Connective support its brokers with Mercury?

The Connective Wiki is a font of information. On that site, we have corresponding help articles to all of the frequently asked questions about Mercury. It’s a really helpful forum for brokers.

Our award-winning helpdesk team is also available through multiple channels, including online chat, to troubleshoot any problems or questions, and for after hours’ support. Whether you’re having trouble submitting a loan application or just want some advice about your workflow, the team is on hand to assist.

For even more assistance, our Broker Support Managers provide one-on-one and group training sessions on Mercury. Our goal is to help all our brokers be as comfortable as possible with Mercury, so they can leverage all its features to deliver great customer outcomes and drive their businesses forward.

What other tools can brokers rely on to increase their productivity?

The Connective Community, a private community platform for our members to engage with and learn from their broker peers which exists within Mercury, has become the last word for resolving tricky loan scenarios and lender appetites. In this forum, we have lender BDMs, Connective BDMs and Connective brokers finding answers for any lending scenarios, making it a goldmine of answers.

Another great tool to improve efficiencies in writing asset finance deals is Connective’s QuickAF multi-lender quoting and application processing platform, available to all accredited Connective members. The platform provides brokers with the option to submit full applications themselves or ‘tick and flick’ referrals to our processing team. It gives brokers CCESS to 35+ lenders without needing to have a direct accreditation. Whether the broker is new or experienced with asset finance deals, the platform enables them to create and grow new revenue streams.

What’s an emerging trend that you’re seeing in the residential property market right now?

First homebuyers’ demand is about as high as it’s ever been. We’re seeing a lot of lenders play heavily in the 80%+ space, including reduced and sometimes no LMI up to 90%.

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