Brokers say administrative staff are the backbone of the business
Across the mortgage industry, the vital work of administrative staff in broker firms often goes unnoticed. Yet their role is crucial to keeping brokerages running smoothly. A couple of industry professionals recently interviewed by Mortgage Introducer have highlighted the breadth of responsibilities handled by admins and the significant impact they have on both business efficiency and client satisfaction.
Michelle Lawson (pictured top left), director of Lawson Financial, described the varied nature of admin duties, noting that these can include “keying cases, case progression, compliance, sourcing, booking appointments, fielding calls and queries, insurance quotes, accounts – all the backbone tasks to keep the cases running along.” She emphasised that admins are “very much the backbone of most businesses picking up the laborious tasks as well as liaising, diary management and keeping an eye on the business levels and diary.”
The skills required for effective admin support are equally diverse. Lawson highlighted the importance of adaptability and attention to detail: “The ability to multi-task and switch on a sixpence but remember where you were!”
She also noted that admins often take on responsibilities similar to paraplanners, acting as a crucial support for both brokers and clients. “Many can be like a paraplanner role but a supporting role to answer queries to all parties and be the glue to hold a transaction together and get a case to offer or clients covered with appropriate protection products,” she explained.
Simon Upton (pictured top right), director at Independent Mortgage Solutions, echoed these sentiments, particularly regarding the skills essential for an effective admin. “For the admin, obviously, attention to detail is paramount,” he said. “They’ve got to get the information correct because the minor of omissions or inaccuracies could have a negative impact on the outcome of the application. So attention to detail is the most important, and then being able to communicate.”
He added that admins are also responsible for keeping clients informed at every stage: “My admin will tell them when the application has been successfully submitted, what the next stage is, what the time scales are, and communicate that stage, along with the progress of that transaction.”
Both Lawson and Upton acknowledged that administrative tasks such as form filling and case packaging can be quite burdensome. However, the support provided by admins enables brokers to focus on client-facing activities and business growth. “Admins enable more business to come in at the front end via the broker and then they pick up at or post submission when the advice elements are essentially concluded,” Lawson said.
The absence of administrative support can seriously disrupt a brokerage’s operations. Upton described a recent period without admin help as “the worst six weeks” he had experienced while running his broker firm. “It was horrendous, I was literally working those 12 hour days,” he recalled. “I was working weekends and it was not enjoyable. It really did make me appreciate the support of a good admin.” Upton credits his admin assistant, Katie, who joined his brokerage in June, with immediately helping to restore efficiency and balance to the firm’s operations.
Lawson, meanwhile, noted that admins can also provide a pathway for business growth by moving into advisory roles: “Some admins also progress into advisory roles due to their knowledge gained along the way, so it can be an organic way to expand the brokerage if desired, as you will have someone knowledgeable and knowing the systems and processes.”
Lawson and Upton that while a sole practitioner may cope without admin support in the early stages of a startup broker firm, the demands of a growing client base soon make such support indispensable. Upton concluded: “There is absolutely no way I could manage my existing client book without an admin. I couldn't manage the pipeline, I couldn't submit the cases, chase the cases and write the business without that admin support. Absolutely no way!”
Want to be regularly updated with mortgage news and features? Get exclusive interviews, breaking news, and industry events in your inbox – subscribe to our FREE daily newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
