Speaking on Mortgage Solutions Television in association with Accord Mortgages, the distributor noted advisers would need to continue adapting and adopting new technologies to maintain good customer relations.
SimplyBiz head of strategic development Richard Merrett said: “The key point, yes there’s embracing technology, but now more than ever, the consumer wants to speak to someone and be able to get advice – that’s absolutely crucial.
“It’s about good advisory firms utilising the tools they now have and layering them into a good advice business.”
He added that brokers would need to keep in contact with clients over the winter and spring.
“What we’ll see now is a bit more adoption of marketing-based tools, so, helping brokers stay in touch with clients,” Merrett continued.
“That’s going to be absolutely crucial going into the next six months of lockdown – being on top of all your clients, being able to speak to them and being able to service them.”
JLM Mortgage Services’ head of mortgage finance Sebastian Murphy agreed that advisers needed to make themselves more efficient and technology could help with that.
“With the volumes you’ve got, if you don’t change as brokers and start using those tools, you’re going to get left behind,” he said.
“You’re going to find your colleagues down the road using affordability and criteria tools will be far ahead of you in terms of choices, of lender spread and will be offering a much more professional service.”
And Accord director of intermediary distribution Jeremy Duncombe echoed that the threat of robo-advice had faded sharply.
“The last six months has shown there’s so much complexity out there that people want to have that conversation, but they don’t mind if that conversation is over video, face-to-face or on the telephone,” he said.
“So the value of advice has grown over the last six months and the value of an adviser is probably more important than ever.”
