From the head of client service at a mortgage company known for its industry leading policies
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Mortgage Professional America had a chance to speak with Tereze Gegaj, VP of client service at United Wholesale Mortgage, about how the company goes above and beyond to win – and retain – clients.
MPA: It’s known that Client Service is a top priority at UWM, and a big part of what makes the company so successful. What is the mindset that goes into that, and how do you put that mindset into action?
TG: We want to be the Disney of the lending industry. We try to break the typical stereotypes that may come with the banking industry. It’s all about genuine care; I think how we put it into action is it starts with Mat (Ishbia, president and CEO of UWM) at the top. When it comes from whole leadership team from the top down, it’s a lot easier to create that kind of culture we strive for.
MPA: What is the number one key to exceptional client service?
TG: Caring about the people. That genuine wanting to help someone, looking at them as if they’re a friend or a family member and not just a person or a client.
MPA: The mortgage business is obviously one in which issues can arise every now and then for whatever reason. Brokers sometimes need to deliver bad news to borrowers. How does UWM handle those situations where you want your clients to have a great experience, but at the end of the day, you have to deliver bad news?
TG: Delivering bad news comes with our industry. I think for us it’s coming up with solutions; we need to have the mindset of here’s at least what we can do. We’re big on the "yes" mentality rather than focusing on what we cannot do for you and focusing on what we can do. When you deliver it that way it makes the bad news a little bit easier to hear.
MPA: How does UWM effectively measure success when it comes to client service?
TG: We’re huge on feedback. As an institution we crave it. We survey our clients, we have a feedback tag button at the end of every single email so they can tell us what we’re doing well, what our opportunities are and we share that with all the leaders of our company so they can take action and make changes based on that feedback.
MPA: What are some tips you can offer originators that will help them better serve their clients?
TG: Go back to the basics. When you’re thinking about client service, do the little things; a lot of times it’s the little things that become the big things. Communicating along the way. Find a lender that supports that communication and gives you transparency and keep the parties involved along the way.
Celebrate the little wins. Celebrate the smaller moments with your clients.
MPA: With client service being such a big focus at UWM, you guys are pretty frequently seeking feedback from your clients. What are some of the biggest initiatives or ideas you’ve implemented that stemmed from client feedback?
TG: Some of the big initiatives we implemented based on client feedback was our marketing toolkit. Giving the brokers the ability to use all of our marketing resources so they can market themselves. Two other big ones are our Processor Assist, which is going to make processing more efficient and take over the little things (our brokers) won’t have to worry about anymore. Also our client loyalty manager which is going to be a CRM tool for our brokers so they can manage their clients; know when their birthdays are coming, give them a way to communicate changing interest rates -- just little things to keep them in front of their clients at all times.
MPA: It’s known that Client Service is a top priority at UWM, and a big part of what makes the company so successful. What is the mindset that goes into that, and how do you put that mindset into action?
TG: We want to be the Disney of the lending industry. We try to break the typical stereotypes that may come with the banking industry. It’s all about genuine care; I think how we put it into action is it starts with Mat (Ishbia, president and CEO of UWM) at the top. When it comes from whole leadership team from the top down, it’s a lot easier to create that kind of culture we strive for.
MPA: What is the number one key to exceptional client service?
TG: Caring about the people. That genuine wanting to help someone, looking at them as if they’re a friend or a family member and not just a person or a client.
MPA: The mortgage business is obviously one in which issues can arise every now and then for whatever reason. Brokers sometimes need to deliver bad news to borrowers. How does UWM handle those situations where you want your clients to have a great experience, but at the end of the day, you have to deliver bad news?
TG: Delivering bad news comes with our industry. I think for us it’s coming up with solutions; we need to have the mindset of here’s at least what we can do. We’re big on the "yes" mentality rather than focusing on what we cannot do for you and focusing on what we can do. When you deliver it that way it makes the bad news a little bit easier to hear.
MPA: How does UWM effectively measure success when it comes to client service?
TG: We’re huge on feedback. As an institution we crave it. We survey our clients, we have a feedback tag button at the end of every single email so they can tell us what we’re doing well, what our opportunities are and we share that with all the leaders of our company so they can take action and make changes based on that feedback.
MPA: What are some tips you can offer originators that will help them better serve their clients?
TG: Go back to the basics. When you’re thinking about client service, do the little things; a lot of times it’s the little things that become the big things. Communicating along the way. Find a lender that supports that communication and gives you transparency and keep the parties involved along the way.
Celebrate the little wins. Celebrate the smaller moments with your clients.
MPA: With client service being such a big focus at UWM, you guys are pretty frequently seeking feedback from your clients. What are some of the biggest initiatives or ideas you’ve implemented that stemmed from client feedback?
TG: Some of the big initiatives we implemented based on client feedback was our marketing toolkit. Giving the brokers the ability to use all of our marketing resources so they can market themselves. Two other big ones are our Processor Assist, which is going to make processing more efficient and take over the little things (our brokers) won’t have to worry about anymore. Also our client loyalty manager which is going to be a CRM tool for our brokers so they can manage their clients; know when their birthdays are coming, give them a way to communicate changing interest rates -- just little things to keep them in front of their clients at all times.
