The file that came back again
The broker finishes a case and sends it to the network for pre-offer checking. Two days later it comes back: the initial disclosure document is not signed, the reason why letter does not mention the client's preference for a particular term, the affordability notes are missing, and one applicant's ID is out of date.
None of it is difficult to fix. But each round trip adds days, the client is waiting, and the broker's reputation with the network's checkers is not helped by the same issues coming up again.
Why files keep failing
Network checklists are long and detailed, and they change. Brokers carry most of it in their heads and miss the occasional item under time pressure. Documents live in several places, including the CRM, email and the sourcing tool, so assembling a complete file is manual.
The same few issues cause most returns: missing signatures, dates out of order, notes that do not reflect the recommendation, and documents that have expired. These are presence and consistency problems, which are exactly what a machine can check.
- Long network checklists that change from time to time.
- Documents spread across the CRM, email and sourcing tools.
- Signature and date checks done by eye.
- Recommendation and notes written separately and drifting apart.
- Same return reasons repeating across brokers.
What returned files cost
| Return reason | Typical fix | Who the case waits on |
|---|---|---|
| Unsigned document | Send for signature again | The client |
| Missing notes or research | Broker writes them up | The broker |
| Expired ID or proof of address | Request a new document | The client |
| Notes and letter inconsistent | Rewrite one or the other | The broker, then the checker |
Each return delays the case, frustrates the client and costs the network checker's time as well as the broker's. For a brokerage with several brokers, the pattern of returns also affects how the network sees the firm.
The completeness check we build
- We turn your network's checklist into rules, working from the network's own documents, and your brokerage keeps them updated when the network changes them.
- When a broker marks a case ready, the check runs against the case in your CRM and its documents.
- It confirms each required document is present, dated in the right order and signed where needed.
- It checks ID and address documents against their dates.
- A language model compares the broker's notes with the recommendation letter and lists possible inconsistencies, such as a term mentioned in one and not the other, for the broker to review.
- The broker sees a short list of anything missing or inconsistent, fixes it, and runs the check again before submitting.
- Return reasons from the network are logged, so the rules can be improved where the same issue keeps coming back.
The check looks at completeness and consistency. It does not assess whether the advice was suitable. That is for the broker and the network's checkers.
What brokers notice
Files go to the network complete more often, and returns are for genuine questions rather than missing signatures. Brokers learn the checklist faster because the check shows them what it needs. The office can see the brokerage's return reasons over time. And clients see fewer unexplained pauses between application and offer.
Network checkers benefit too. A file that arrives complete lets them spend their time on the questions that genuinely need a second pair of eyes, and the working relationship between the brokerage and the network gets easier as a result.
Is this your experience with the network?
- Files come back from the network for missing items.
- The same return reasons repeat across brokers.
- Documents for a case are spread across several systems.
- Notes and recommendation letters sometimes disagree.
- New brokers take a long time to learn the checklist.