He managed to generate a “steady stream of quality clients” despite starting out during the royal commission inquiry
Jonathan De Sensi, investment lending manager of The Australian Lending and Investment Centre (ALIC), does a lot of forward planning in his personal life, so it is hardly surprising his “approach to broking came quite organically”.
"Ultimately, it's not just about the product or rate, it’s about taking the time to educate clients on the importance of correct loan structuring to ensure they are going to be financially set for success in the future," the 2019 AMA Adelaide Bank Young Gun of the Year – Independent finalist told MPA.
“Through collaboration with business partners, I formulate tailored lending strategies that integrate the experts’ advice to deliver the best outcome for my clients, which in turn results in more referred and repeat business.”
ALIC gives little concern to marketing and does not provide leads to new brokers. De Sensi aligns himself with a network of experts and leaders in their respective industries to make sure his clients are surrounded by a core team of professionals.
Starting out in the middle of February 2018, right when credit was extremely tight and consumer confidence fell as the royal commission had just kicked off its probe into the financial services industry, De Sensi stuck to his core principles and made sure he had a point of difference.
He applied the knowledge he gained from his ALIC mentors with initial clients, which mostly had never dealt with a broker before or were used to seeing an “order-taker”, and they saw the added value he offers. De Sensi’s wife, during that difficult time, was expecting their first child.
Even though 2018 was a tumultuous year for the broking community, it saw De Sensi generate a “steady stream of quality clients and referrals solely through word-of-mouth and specialist business partners”.
"I absolutely love what I do, and I think that passion comes through in every client interaction. Providing a brilliant customer experience is something that comes quite naturally and has contributed to the early success of my business," De Sensi said.
"Having a customer-first approach to business is key. It’s so important to put their needs, objectives and requirements at the forefront of everything I do."
Having learned well from ALIC the importance of putting the right processes in place to grow a business, De Sensi relies heavily on a structured system to ensure a continuous flow of clients. This allows him to delegate tasks while focusing on high-level strategies and loan structuring.
When it comes to technology, De Sensi likes to keep it simple. He mostly just uses emails and Connective’s CRM Mercury to manage daily tasks, but still looks for ways on how digital resources can make him more productive.
De Sensi loves getting out in the middle of the bay to fish, especially during summer months. Although having a little boy, with another child coming, may soon strip away any spare time he thought he had.
Jonathan De Sensi was named as one of the Best Commercial Mortgage Brokers in Australia. Read the full winners here.
