Self-motivated manager thrives on delivering for brokers
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.
Paras Jones (pictured above) only joined the Bendigo Bank team in January but is soaking up as much information as possible and calling on her depth of experience in the banking and finance industry to assist brokers and explore new opportunities.
Having notched up more than 16 years in financial services working for banks, lenders and aggregators, Jones is now looking after more than 600 brokers as a Bendigo Bank business development manager for NSW and the ACT.
Jones says she enjoys the variety of the role, which includes being out on the road, and training sessions, liaising closely with brokers as well as Bendigo Bank’s credit, operation and risk teams.
“I thrive on getting things done that other lenders can’t,” says Jones. “It feels great to win for the broker and their customer and make genuine impacts on people’s lives.”
One of her key aims is to grow Bendigo Bank’s presence among broker businesses in Canberra.
Full name: Paras Jones
Job title: Business development manager NSW/ACT
Company: Bendigo Bank
Number of years in the industry: Almost 17 years
Location: Sydney
What did you do before entering the industry? Insurance sales – but not for long, I’ve always worked in lending and banking.
A brief description of your role and how you support brokers:
At Bendigo Bank, my role is to drive new to bank lending growth as well as support the inflight loan pipeline within my portfolio of over 600 brokers across NSW and ACT. I manage pricing, scenarios, credit exceptions, training and support for all new loans from brokers and aggregators that I support.
No two days are the same – between being on the road, meetings and training sessions – I also work with our credit, operation and risk teams to identify new business opportunities and navigate our credit policy and the lending landscape.
What is a goal that you aim to achieve in your role this year?
Being seven months in with Bendigo Bank, I have a huge drive to become an expert in everything we do. I am self-driven and spend a lot of time building my knowledge and making sure I get it right first time. In addition to that – my aim is to grow the bank’s presence in Canberra – there are some incredible businesses in the nation’s capital.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
My brokers and the conversations we have are the reason I get up every day to do this role. I thrive on getting things done that other lenders can’t. It feels great to win for the broker and their customer and make genuine impacts on people’s lives.
What sets successful brokers apart?
Brokers that have a clearly defined focus with their customers and know who their customer base is, is key. I also think it’s important to utilise your panel and diversify your lender choice. Putting all your eggs in only a few baskets exposes you and your business to greater risk.
What should brokers be demanding from a BDM and lender relationship?
Delivery is key. A good BDM delivers on what they say they’re going to. It’s also imperative a BDM has a strong knowledge of policy and process and isn’t afraid to fight for an application and customer if it makes sense to do so.
I know it sounds strange as well, but a BDM that answers their phone and calls brokers back is the bare minimum – if you love what you do, you’ll be available.
Are there any industry-wide changes that you think would benefit brokers?
I think there’s a need to do more work around channel conflict. At the end of the day, we’re all supporting the market and working together is achievable.
What do you provide to brokers that makes you valuable to them?
I like to say I offer everyone the “opening night routine” and I make sure every interaction is the same. I don’t treat brokers or their customers differently based on loan size, business size or knowledge level. Everyone gets my time and support 100%.
Describe your ideal weekend.
Friday night movie night. Cooking up a storm with family or friends on Saturday and then brunch or lunch somewhere on the coast or hinterland on Sunday with the family and our beagle, Max. Perfect!
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: Liberty’s Belinda Ng, SFG’s Joel Ganino, BankVic’s Paul Meilak, Red Zed’s Mitch Shaw, Pepper Money’s Bettina Lumsden, Assetline Capital’s Jason Lucas, Mortgage Choice’s Matt Bocking, AMP Bank’s Nicole Woodruff, outsource Financial’s Sonia Diamante, and BOQ Group’s Samantha Robinson,
Do you know a great BDM or state manager that deserves to be featured in MPA? Email [email protected] with the details.
