Brokers should expect BDMs to be responsive, accurate and knowledgeable
BDM in the Spotlight and State Manager in the Spotlight is a regular series, giving brokers insight into the lives of some of the country’s leading relationship managers.
MPA spoke to Julie Saliba (pictured above) Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s Victoria-based business development manager about how she supports brokers, what sets successful brokers apart and what brokers should expect from a BDM and lender relationship.
Saliba has spent her whole career in the finance sector, however, only recently joined the team at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and since then has been on a mission to meet as many brokers as possible in person.
According to Saliba, while emails and phone calls are a necessity, having a coffee and a chat goes a long way to cementing relationships.
Full name: Julie Saliba
Title: Business development manager Bendigo and Adelaide Bank
Time in the industry: 28 years
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Give a brief description of your role and how you support brokers?
My role as a BDM is quite broad, but my ultimate aim is to help my brokers as much as I can. This may vary from helping them with loan scenarios, structures, policy assistance, and training.
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is Australia’s most trusted bank, according to Roy Morgan – that is no mean feat, and requires everyone across the network, including BDMs, to build trust with the people they are working with.
My motto has always been to build trust by doing what I say I will do and answering and returning phone calls and emails within a timely manner – this is vital in how I best support brokers.
A goal that you aim to achieve in your role this year (2023)?
Given I’ve only recently started working for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank in the middle of this year, my aim has been, and continues to be, building relationships and speaking to as many brokers as possible. While this is usually over the phone or via emails, I’ve also made it my aim to meet with as many brokers as I can, in person. It makes a huge difference to relationship building when you can get together, have a coffee and chat.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
Finding solutions, I like problem solving and working with brokers to achieve an acceptable structure or approval. I also enjoy building and strengthening relationships. I genuinely value the relationships I have with my brokers.
What sets successful brokers apart?
I think this comes back to the relationship-building piece. Brokers that know their clients well, who have asked questions, particularly the difficult questions, I find submit better loan scenarios or one- touch applications.
I’ve also found that brokers who want to learn credit policy, who seek it out, attend training sessions and ask for training, are generally more successful.
What should brokers be demanding from a BDM and lender relationship?
Responsiveness, accuracy, knowledge and being able to have an influence.
What do you provide to brokers that makes you valuable to them?
My time, I treat every broker the same, regardless of how long they have been in the industry. I’m happy to help workshop scenarios, look at calculators, seek higher credit authority for exceptions to policy and I also understand urgency and I’m happy to become involved when applications need an extra helping hand.
Describe your ideal weekend.
Spending it with my young daughter. Regardless of what we’re doing it’s always fun.
What sort of attributes do you think a good BDM should have? Share your thoughts below.
