This week's ING Direct sales manager for Victoria has been in the business for three decades.
ING Direct commercial sales manager in Melbourne, Adrian Lee has been in the industry for 30 years covering roles including Bank Manager, State Manager, Regional Administrator in Credit Assessment, Home Finance, Commercial Finance, Third Party Distribution, and Equipment Finance.
BDM in the spotlight asks a different BDM the same seven questions – giving you a weekly insight into the lives of some of the top BDM’s in the country.
What you did before entering the industry:
I don’t feel like I have ever been outside the industry. My father – Graham Lee - was a HR Manager in Victoria, so I’ve grown up with banking ingrained into every aspect of my life.
How often do you see brokers in a week?
I think it’s important in my role to be not just available on the end of the phone or email, but also to be visible to my brokers through regular visits. I usually meet face to face with 3 to 5 brokers every day. Our brokers are the trusted advisers to our customers and are invaluable to our business so it’s important to be present to support them.
What do brokers want most from you?
Someone they can rely on to provide support and guidance in the moment. They want someone who sets realistic expectations and delivers, and a simple process with no hidden surprises.
What is your favourite part of the job?
I’m a people person so it would have to be talking with my aggregators, brokers and the staff that I work with on a day-to-day basis. It’s all about the relationships for me.
What distinguishes the best brokers you deal with?
I think the best brokers are those who look at their customers from a holistic viewpoint rather than simply taking an order. They’re the ones who ask:
- What does the customer really want?
- What does the customer really need?
- What are the customer’s immediate and longer-term goals?
- Has the customer thought about protecting their wealth?
- Are the customer’s current banking requirements suitable?
Describe your ideal weekend:
Not working on the house!
What’s the strangest lending scenario you’ve ever encountered?
In the late 80s I had an application from a customer to borrow a substantial amount of money to buy a new type of laser disc (CDs) technology from the United States to replace their current record player. It was a new technology back then - the discs looked like something you’d throw around the back yard, or hang in your tree to keep the birds away from the fruit! I thought it was the strangest request that I had ever seen. Who’d have thought CDs would take off!
How do you like your steak done?
By a chef, accompanied by a nice glass of red.
Adrian's contact details:
[email protected]
Mob. 0475941654
Every Wednesday we’ll feature a different BDM from across Australia. If you’d like to be included, please email the editor.
