Established in 2006 as a Joint Venture with a Canberra real estate firm, the founding director recently bought out the real estate partners with Clarity now being fully owned and operated by Mark and Kristy Edlund.
From inception, the business model was to employ brokers on a fixed salary with the potential to earn bonuses that were linked to various metrics including compliance, customer satisfaction and overall production. At the core of the remuneration model was to ensure that brokers would earn the same bonus or income, irrespective of the lender or product recommended to the client, removing the potential bias inherent in the differing commissions paid by lenders. This concept was highlighted with each client at the beginning of an appointment and very rapidly became the key differentiator against competitor firms in the region, the model resonating strongly with the consumer in surveys and underpinned the year-on-year growth in volumes as a leading Canberra mortgage broker.
A key feature of the business has been to recruit and train “new to industry” brokers, with the selection process focussing on personal qualities and attributes consistent with the brand philosophy and corporate culture. The broker training plan evolves around a structured, core set of competency modules combined with the introduction to scenarios, conversations and client interaction that comes with an immersive and intense mentoring program. By training brokers internally, clients can be assured that the level of education they receive, product analysis undertaken, and the recommendations provided is uniform across the business. For the brokers, having a three-layered admin structure, significantly enhances their ability to service clients and over the years has been cited as the critical feature of the business that allows them to consistently achieve their individual targets.
When sitting back and assessing the overall business, the metric that deliver the greatest level of pride to management is the high staff retention rate, with a large portion of employees having over 10 years’ service. With a regular focus on maintaining a positive work environment combined with an intentional emphasis on the staff’s mental health, the overriding feedback is that staff “just enjoy turning up for work”. Whilst volume growth is always a part of Clarity’s strategic plans, it plays second fiddle to staff retention and staff satisfaction, with a firm, proven belief that greater loan numbers will be the direct result of the regular investment into the team.
Company Name:
Clarity Financial Group
Head Office Address:
Level 3, 33 Allara Street, Canberra City
Telephone No.:
02 6209 1990
Website:
clarityfinancial.com.au
