Turnaround times are a lingering pain point for advisers. Westpac BDM shares best practice tips for getting deals across the line
A good mortgage adviser does more than just match clients with products – they act as interpreters, negotiators, and often, troubleshooters. And behind many of them, quietly but critically, are BDMs like Nicky Skinner.
Based in the South Island, Skinner is a business development manager for Westpac NZ’s third-party banking channel. Her role sits right at the crossroads of policy, people, and pragmatism, and if there’s one thing she’s learned over the past year, it’s that advisers are carrying an increasing amount of pressure.
Skinner recently took home the Link Financial Group Best Bank BDM award at the 2025 New Zealand Mortgage Awards. She spoke to NZ Adviser about what makes a smooth application process, and why strong relationships make all the difference.
The shifting sands of credit policy
Ask any adviser what’s changed in the last 12 months, and they’ll probably tell you: nearly everything. Lending rules have been under near-constant revision, with banks fine-tuning credit policies and operational requirements in response to regulation and market pressures. For Skinner, that’s created a growing need for hands-on support.
“Things are always changing,” she said. “We’ve had so many tweaks and policy updates, especially off the back of the lending regulations. My role is about helping advisers stay on top of that so they can focus on getting good outcomes for their clients.”
Some of those tweaks have worked in advisers’ favour. For example, Westpac in many situations no longer requires full sets of bank statements across the board, a move Skinner said has had a positive impact on turnaround times.
“We’re aiming to be as clear and approachable as possible, so advisers know exactly what’s needed and why,” she said.
However, policy alone doesn’t always get the deal across the line. According to Skinner, there are five key elements that advisers should bear in mind when submitting deals – and a good relationship with your BDM is key.
Top tips for faster approvals
While every deal is different, there are several factors that can consistently help advisers to speed up the process and increase the chances of a positive result.
“The first is of course providing a clear, good quality application,” Skinner said.
“If you’re well prepared, accurate and have all the supporting documents upfront, that reduces delays and re-work from our end. Incomplete lending applications are probably the biggest cause of delays.”
The second is communicating the customer’s goals and giving us context around their circumstances. Skinner said that this helps lenders make an informed decision on whether they’ll approve things like exceptions.
The third is for the adviser to know and understand the lender’s policy, as this will help them to present deals in a way that supports the lending criteria.
“That makes the assessment process a lot smoother and more efficient,” Skinner said.
“That’s also where the BDM relationship becomes really important, because they can then workshop the deal with the BDM before sending it in. If there’s anything unusual, they can call it out and provide the context early so that we can mitigate any weaknesses there.”
She noted that setting expectations with clients early on is also vital, particularly around timeframes and the specifics of what will be required. On the adviser side, something as simple as putting finance dates into the subject line of an email can help lenders to prioritise and manage their workflow.
“Finally, there’s a lot happening in the market, and so sharing market feedback is really helpful for us,” Skinner said.
“Advisers are very close to their clients and our competitors, and they can offer offer constructive feedback on products, turnaround times and service. That all helps us to refine our own process to make it an easier and better experience.”
