Similarly, Premier Lending Desk allows Citibank’s Home Lending Consultants to be more productive. Since the nurturing and guidance of non-buyer ready consumers is being handled by the Premier Lending Desk team, loan officers at the retail level can fulfill mortgage loans more quickly for those homebuyers who are ready to transact—a win-win for Citibank and its real estate partners.
A Full-Circle Approach
Of course, the full extent of the advantages Citibank provides for its real estate partners must also be taken into consideration. Not only does Citibank bring to the table an effective lead management system with Premier Lending Desk, it also delivers the power to fulfill the financing for buyers at the retail level.
“I call it our ‘bookends’,” says Mills. “When you look at this business, the first piece is lead management. You have to have the people, processes and technology, not just the technology. We bring that to agents. The other bookend is dedicated fulfillment, and we bring that as well with our Home Lending Consultants in the trenches.”
Ultimately, says Mills, a program like Premier Lending Desk combined with Citibank’s national team of loan professionals who are able to deliver the right mortgage financing to buyer-ready consumers, supports sustainable homeownership. Prospective homeowners are nurtured until they are truly financially ready to buy a home, and Citibank provides them with the mortgage financing that’s right for their specific circumstances.
As Miller says, “Generally speaking, as a national lender, we tend to be viewed by the consumer as a valuable information source; consumers tend to listen to us—we’re able to keep them a little more involved and engaged. The value of this program lies in its ability to incrementally increase the productivity of the agent and the productivity of the Home Lending Consultant, giving them a higher conversion rate and much more stickiness in the transaction.”
To learn more, please contact the Citibank Retail Partnership Channel at 877-847-2484 or email retailpartnership@citi.com.
