NextGen.Net has borrowed Molly Meldrum’s signature phrase to issue a call-out to brokers, lenders and BDMs. “Do yourself a favour” and devote an hour to becoming proficient in ApplyOnline’s efficiency-driving features, urges a
NextGen.Net training manager, Deniz Ertem.
The trade-off will be the maximisation of efficiencies and significantly reduced turnaround times. The value of the rewards resulting from a training session is far greater than the time invested, Ertem says.
NextGen.Net is focusing heavily on the worth of training, because some ApplyOnline features, including the new ApplyOnline App, are underutilised due to a lack of awareness and understanding of the technology’s capabilities.
“I regularly get feedback from brokers who say they are unaware of tools they can access within ApplyOnline,” Ertem says.
“Small things can make a vast difference. For instance, being able to validate an address or look up business details.”
Being better acquainted with ApplyOnline’s features, such as address file look-up and verification, ACN and ABN search and the ApplyOnline Supporting Documents service, is a huge advantage to both lenders and brokers.
ApplyOnline efficiency-driving tools are designed to make straight-through processing (STP) achievable, which is reason enough to become conversant with them, Ertem says.
But Ertem admits he understands why he and fellow NextGen.Net training manager Michael Tong have to sell the value of training to time-poor brokers.
“Taking an hour out of a busy schedule might seem like a big deal. But without exception, everyone who participates in a training session says how beneficial it was,” he says.
NextGen.Net director of sales Tony Carn believes the problem is that most people are familiar with ApplyOnline and therefore often assume they know how it all works.
“But there’s a lot of ApplyOnline functionality, and if you don’t know it’s there, you don’t even consider using it,” Carn says.
“For instance, brokers need to know how to maximise tools, such as address verification, ABN details, the metric service (serviceability calculations embedded in lender applications) and the supporting documents service.
“All of these tools were designed to eliminates reworks. Brokers need to understand that reworks are all preventable.”
Ertem and Tong engage with users on a one-on-one basis, in face-to-face groups and in webinar training sessions. All up the two of them have worked with over 600 ApplyOnline users in the past 12 months.
“One of the most satisfying things about my job is walking out of a session knowing that brokers now possess the knowledge to make their jobs easier and more productive,” Ertem says.
“They’ve got access to really cool tools to make their jobs easier. It makes sense that they know how to use them.”
Carn, who has sat in on many training sessions, describes it as “eye-opening” watching people’s reactions when they realise how much more value they can get out of the ApplyOnline lodgement, and how many more efficiencies they can build into their business.
Ertem generally begins his sessions by getting a handle on current behaviour and finding out what problems people are experiencing.
“I’ll then highlight the quality driving tools and show them how to do things such as split files, redact tax file numbers and so on – all things that help them with their day-to-day processes.
“Many brokers are unaware that they can upload supporting documents in a multipage PDF file through ApplyOnline. When I show them that function I almost always hear a ‘wow’ from someone when they realise how much time they can save,” Ertem adds.
Carn points out that it’s not just brokers who benefit from training.
“Lender BDMs, who constantly receive calls from brokers asking for assistance, can save themselves a lot of work by instituting a process that includes training.
“Prevention is better than cure when it comes to reworks,” Carn says.
