For all the talk about technology reshaping the mortgage and conveyancing world, advisers know that what you often need is some good, old-fashioned support.
Not flashy dashboards or smooth sales pitches, but someone you can trust, who rolls up their sleeves, picks up the phone, and helps to get cases over the line when something inevitably goes wrong.
In a market where clients are increasingly impatient and transactions still drag on far longer than anyone would like, it’s the presence or absence of that support which can often decide whether an adviser feels confident about using a particular distributor, and/or recommending a particular conveyancer.
It’s not hard to see why. Brokers spend their time nurturing relationships with clients who want reassurance at every stage of the home-buying process. They already shoulder the responsibility for keeping things on track, so the last thing they need is to be left hanging when a law firm hits a roadblock or an underwriter delays.
NEED FOR A PROACTIVE PARTNER
Advisers can’t afford to be the ones constantly chasing with no progress to report. What they need is a partner who will own the problem, find a solution, and come back with something concrete they can share with their client. That is where real loyalty is won.
Many brokers will tell you they still remember the best BDMs they ever worked with. Not because they were the most charming or the most talkative, but because they were the ones who could take an issue, however messy, and get it sorted.
They were the people you could call after being left on hold for hours, and who would pick up the case, escalate it, and return with an answer. That’s the benchmark advisers still measure by.
UNSUPPORTED
And yet, while many lenders have at least maintained some kind of field-based support structure, the conveyancing sector too often leaves brokers to fend for themselves.
We hear it again and again: brokers who haven’t seen a conveyancing distributor BDM in a year, who feel their business is taken for granted, who are offered nothing beyond a generic e-mail address and a portal login.
At a time when brokers are expected to demonstrate Consumer Duty compliance, to prove they are acting in the client’s best interest, this lack of support feels particularly galling.
Advisers are left carrying the can for delays, unable to hold law firms accountable without jeopardising a working relationship they need for the next case. And all the while, the client is chasing the adviser for updates and wondering if they made the right choice.
Contrast that with the firms who invest in support. They recognise it is not about flexing muscles or throwing volume around, but about taking ownership and delivering solutions. They know brokers need someone who can be the ‘bad cop’ with the law firm when necessary, allowing the adviser to maintain a positive relationship with their chosen conveyancer.
They provide a clear escalation path, a named account manager (even two) who understand the broker’s book of business, and a culture that values resolution over blame. That is the kind of support that turns a one-off instruction into repeat loyalty.
There’s also a smart recognition that one person cannot do it all. The old model of the travelling BDMwho shakes hands and disappears until the next visit simply doesn’t cut it anymore.
The better approach – and one we have followed at conveybuddy – is pairing field-based relationship builders with diligent account managers who handle follow-ups, ensure systems are updated, and keep brokers in the loop. By sharing credit for the business, those teams remove internal competition and focus on delivering for the adviser.
When there’s a monthly review of every brokerage, when issues are logged and tracked, and when progress is measured by cases completed rather than promises made, brokers notice the difference.
The result can be really powerful. Advisers who feel supported don’t just send the odd case across; they move their book. They remember who helped them when they were under pressure, and they don’t hesitate to shift volume to partners who made their lives easier.
Technology will continue to play a role in streamlining processes, but advisers should never lose sight of the fact that it’s people who solve problems, not platforms. A client who is stuck waiting for exchange doesn’t care how slick the onboarding system looked three months ago. They care about moving into their home.
The adviser who can say, “Don’t worry, I’ve spoken to someone who’s on it and will update me this afternoon,” is the adviser who builds trust and earns referrals. That reassurance is only possible when support is built into the relationship, not bolted on as an afterthought.
So for advisers looking ahead, the question isn’t which conveyancing distributor/firm has the smartest tech or the lowest headline fee. It’s who will pick up the phone when you need them, who will take responsibility for resolving an issue, and who will help you keep your promises to clients. In other words, who will support you. Because in the end, it’s support that makes the sale, saves the case, and secures the client relationship. Everything else is just noise.
