A logical pro forma may lay the foundation for a great retail branch business plan, but the numbers alone will not guarantee success. Other issues play a critical role in mortgage company growth. Moving to a new company is not something top originators frequently do. According to the 2019 Originations Consensus Study by Stratmor, the most productive originators (top 20%) stayed at their jobs for an average of 5.3 years.
Originators in the top 20 to 40% stayed at their companies for 4.5 years, and originators in the 40 to 60% stayed put for 3.2 years.
As the data show, originators who generate the most revenue for a company are likely to stick with their company longer. It would be safe to say that they are given privileges and support, which helps them decide to stay.
During my decades in the business, I have learned exactly which supports you need – in addition to a great pro forma – to achieve extraordinary results in today’s competitive mortgage market. Finding a company that delivers on all six items on the list below will give you the backing required to bring your business vision to life.
1. Onboarding Support
Proper onboarding of the branch and infill hires set the tone for the entire relationship with your company. It is essential to have the offer, application, background and other processes laid out in an understandable format. The more of those tasks a company does for you, the more you can focus on the on going operations with your team.
At a minimum, companies should have a department that coordinates onboarding and a dedicated person to support new branches. Good onboarding teams set expectations early on and make sure key management leaders stay in the loop. They discuss issues proactively to make sure the onboarding candidates do not feel any pain.
Recruits should be seen as family members you want to impress and keep happy. That process does not stop once they join the company. With the right mindset and support, a company can have confidence that new employees will become seasoned originators who attract more people to the company.
2. Training Support
After the initial onboarding activities are completed and you have your direct deposit set up, branch personnel need training. I believe that in-person training is the best when it is safe to travel. If you think that this costs money, I agree.
A company that views a branch as a long-term investment will acknowledge that in-person training is best. You can board employees with consistency and quality. You can make sure their technology works and minimize distractions. Most importantly, you can buy your new partners dinner after a hard day of work.
