Asking the right questions can help ensure success
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.
In this latest profile, MPA features AMP Bank business development manager Nicole Woodruff, who is based in Melbourne.
Woodruff has extensive experience in the financial services industry, including working in both credit and BDM roles. She says this has given her a deep understanding of risk appetite and the right questions to ask to be sure a scenario is going to work before brokers submit the application.
When it comes to determining what makes a successful broker or BDM, Woodruff says two of the critical factors are time management and setting customer expectations.
Full name: Nicole Woodruff
Job title: Business development manager, AMP Bank
Number of years in the industry: 24
Location: Melbourne
What did you do before entering the industry?
I started in the industry straight after completing high school via a temp agency in an admin role and worked my way up from there.
Please give a brief description of your role and how you support brokers.
My role as a lender BDM is to build relationships with key partners and mortgage brokers to help them learn and understand more about how AMP Bank can help their customers. I do this by continuing to learn and grow myself and being able to confidently provide first-class support and knowledge to every person I speak with.
What is a goal that you achieved this year?
The past year has brought both personal and professional achievements. After welcoming our son Jackson and taking maternity leave, I was excited to return to the workforce and to also join the AMP Bank team. 2024 has already been full of challenges and rewards, and I’m looking forward to what the rest of the year brings.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
No two days are the same, there are always different people to meet or catch up with, different scenarios and new things to learn.
What sets successful brokers apart?
For both BDMs and brokers alike, time management and setting customer expectations are critical to success. I’d also add that managing pipeline, being responsive and looking for ways to grow business as very important to our roles also.
What should brokers be demanding from a BDM and lender relationship?
Accessibility. Everyone’s situation is unique, and applications aren’t necessarily straightforward. The ability to workshop at both the scenario and credit assessment stage makes the difference between a “poor”, “good” and “great” experience.
What do you provide to brokers that makes you valuable to them?
I’ve worked in the industry for some time covering both credit and BDM roles which has given me a deep understanding of risk appetite and the right questions to ask to be sure a scenario is going to work before my brokers put their valued time into a submission.
Describe your ideal weekend
Although our coming Melbourne autumn-winter won’t permit this much longer, my ideal weekend would be spent by the beach, enjoying a few champagnes joined by my husband and our blended family of five kids and our newest addition, our puppy border collie Billie, too.
BDM in the Spotlight and State Manager in the Spotlight features a range of relationship managers and BDMs within the mortgage and finance industry.
Among those recently featured include: outsource Financial’s Sonia Diamante, BOQ Group’s Samantha Robinson, Mortgage Choice’s Ben Livera, SFG’s Amy Thorburn, Beyond Bank’s Tristian Cunningham, AMP Bank’s David Askew, Moula’s Gillian Paton, Aquamore’s Michael Riddiford, La Trobe Financial’s Waran Chandiran and Pepper Monday’s Harry Stewart.
Do you know a great BDM or state manager that deserves to be featured in MPA? Email [email protected] with the details
