The Key to Borrower Satisfaction: Going Above and Beyond

1. Be transparent

Transparency was the number one request of potential homeowners, particularly first time homebuyers. The entire mortgage process can be confusing and even a bit intimidating — it’s has many steps, and can be full of legalese and industry jargon that your customers may not be familiar with. We read testimonials from clients who felt very stressed out by the process, until their loan officer made them more comfortable.

You can actually take this confusion from being something negative, and address it as a way to provide a more positive experience. Take the time to give your clients the details of their loan. Show that you’re both patient and knowledgeable by answering all questions that come up before, during, and even after closing. Always be clear and upfront about the costs and timelines associated with the entire process.

By offering total transparency, clients will also feel that you’re trustworthy — another oft-mentioned trait in positive reviews.

2. Offer speed and efficiency

No one wants the closing on their home to drag on forever. As a mortgage professional, it’s essential to be quick and efficient for your clients. In fact, almost every positive testimonial mentioned something related to speed! Some customers mentioned the overall speed of the entire process, but the majority focused on smaller details, such as prompt email replies. Keep the process moving swiftly by replying to all emails and calls in a timely manner and always following up when you say you will.

Additionally, make smart use of mortgage technology software to maximize efficiency for both yourself and your clients. Give your borrowers the modern and fast experience they crave by offering digital mortgage services, so they can complete some or all of the application and documentation process online. Plus, you can use automated mortgage software to your advantage in your own work. Modern software solutions can shave hours off your workload giving you more time to put an emphasis on customer service. From applications, document collection, task management and much more, they let you do what you do best — help people.

3. Go all-in on extras

If you’re transparent, trustworthy, tech-savvy, and efficient, you’re probably already an excellent mortgage professional. But truly going “above and beyond” for your clients is all about the extras! Small gestures are what cross the line between good and great customer service.

Extras are the most special when they’re personal to your clients, but just to get you started, here are some of the top ideas we’ve heard recently:

• Pick a day and provide a bulleted list of weekly updates — without the client having to ask for them.
• Interact with your customers on social media.
• Follow up once more even after the process is 100% complete.
• Offer to meet after traditional work hours for a busy client.
• Show up at closing with a big smile!

For more, check out our free eBook: “Happy Borrowers” — Driving Financial Prosperity with Borrower Satisfaction Here!