Executive on how brokerages can strike the right balance in their approach to clients
Utilizing tech innovations to make the broker’s work more effective should be a driving force for mortgage businesses, but ensuring a smooth and positive experience must remain the key motivation for deploying new technology in the first place.
That’s the view of Mission35 Mortgages founder Brian Hogben, who told Canadian Mortgage Professional during a recent video interview that it was important for brokerages to strike the right balance.
“I think everybody from consumer to mortgage agents to just people in general expect an amazing experience – and it’s very difficult to create an amazing experience without technology,” Hogben said.
The current reality is that the modern brokerage now bears the expectation of making things easier for every party involved in a transaction, according to Hogben.
“I think if you’re not in a brokerage, or you’re not somewhere that’s embracing technology on how to make the process easier, you’re going to get left behind, because customers are going to expect it,” Hogben said.
This also applies to agents, who have proven to be liberal, and quite effective, users of remote-work technology.
“You could have an agent in British Columbia working in Ontario, you might have an agent that’s on a holiday in Mexico, [but] they still want to be in the training, they still want to be in the loop,” Hogben said. “And to be able to participate [even when you’re] outside of the country is really important. So I think technology allows us to emulate an experience over and over again, for these people.”
At the same time, Hogben continues to encourage mortgage professionals to view tech as just another item in the toolbox, not a crutch.
“Anybody that you talk to is not going to answer the phone and ChatGPT calls; they want you to call,” Hogben said. “And I think the best way to build a relationship is still connecting with people to build trust. But we have to use technology in order to enhance the experience.”
For more insights on digital innovation in the mortgage space, click here.
