It’s More Than Just a Loan

By Natalie Natalicio

“In this industry, it seems like every lender brags about their outstanding customer service. However, I find that amusing given that most of them fail to ever identify what customer service means to the customer!” says Ben Chenault Jr., President of MortgageBanc, LLC in Birmingham. “Meeting a client’s expectations starts with finding out what their expectations are. Once we have identified each client’s long-term and short-term goals, the loan experience begins. We keep those goals in mind every step of the way.

“We work as Mortgage Planners, not Loan Officers, because essentially what we do is more than just lending. From the beginning, we ask the questions that matter the most and take the time to understand what our clients want and most importantly, what they expect from us,” Chenault says. “In a business where most Mortgage Lenders are shamelessly distant and often cold, it’s nice to meet a Mortgage Team that bases their entire success on the absolute satisfaction of their past and present clients.”

In addition to Chenault, the team consists of co-founder Scott McFadden and nine other experienced Mortgage Planners: Brian Bauman, Donald Haynes, David Arnette, Kit Arrington, Brian Conlee, Walter Hunter, Steven Niven, Michael Bruno, and David Brown.

“We share a sense of combined effort that benefits each aspect of this company,” McFadden explains. “We work with REALTORS and our clients to ensure a smooth lending experience. We know that REALTORS and borrowers need straightforward answers, so that’s what we give them. We ask in-depth questions that enable us to match each client with a tailored loan program. Most importantly, we treat them as family, recommending only the solutions that we ourselves would use.”

David Arnette voiced another aspect of the team’s vision. “I want my clients to know I am watching out for them rather than just arranging a quick and easy loan that may or may not be the best option for their financial needs,” Arnette says. “I realize that when a REALTOR brings me business, it’s his or her paycheck I hold in my hand. Time is money in this industry, so I make sure I am well informed in order to create intelligent and beneficial solutions. Keeping that mentality brings the process home and makes each transaction meaningful.”

MortgageBanc’s business philosophy emphasizes the partnership between Mortgage Planner and REALTOR. “Agents have to juggle many elements in the process,” Brian Bauman said. “I make sure I point out to all borrowers the hard work their agents put in to bring them to closing. Happy borrowers not only come back, they recommend us to their friends and to their agents as well. Since our business is driven by referrals, we work hard to deliver results and provide outstanding service they remember.”

The MortgageBanc team feels they stand out as an island in a sea of cookie-cutter lenders. They genuinely care about exceeding their client’s expectations and the framed testimonials and client letters adorning their office walls prove it. As Chenault says, “Our customers feel, ‘Finally, a company that defines a customer’s view of customer service and delivers results!”