By Natalie Stacey, Head of EMEA Product, nCino

In today's competitive market, building societies face a fundamental challenge: how do you win with brokers when intermediaries account for around 85% of all UK mortgages written, yet there’s 100+ lenders actively competing for their business.

The answer lies not in rate alone, but in creating a seamless broker experience that makes intermediaries' lives easier at every touchpoint. And with the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) predicting broker market share will rise to around 90% by 2026, now is the time to get this right.

Making the Right First Impression

At the end of each mortgage is a borrower with home aspirations and brokers go on that journey with their customers. Brokers recognise that their job doesn’t end after they submit an application and borrowers depend on them for support across the end-to-end process to achieve their goal.

That is why brokers consistently channel business to those who deliver on four critical factors: speed to decision, ease of application, transparent case tracking, and responsive relationship support. When these elements align, the results are striking.

The cost of getting this wrong is significant. Poor broker experiences don't just result in lost applications, damage relationships and harm reputation. Ultimately, the brokers’ experience is an extension of the borrowers’ experience, with the risk of creating a negative first impression that can be difficult to shift.

Over 60% of building societies identified investment in intermediary-facing digital capabilities as a key focus area over the next five years according to Whitecap’s Building Societies Report. The opportunity is too big to miss, and those that do, risk being left behind by competitors who are investing.

The Three Pillars of a Seamless, Right-First-Time Experience

Frictionless Submission and Documentation

Few things frustrate brokers more than re-keying data, chasing documents, or receiving unclear requirements. The dreaded "one more thing" request midway through an application consistently appears as a major pain point.

The solution lies in pre-populated data, digital document upload with validation, and crystal-clear upfront communication about requirements. Platforms that support API integrations to golden source data and offer intelligent document management enable a more seamless end-to-end experience.

Having a broker portal that supports brokers to get their job done right first time is a win/win scenario. When a better-quality case is submitted by the broker it means lenders only need to spend time on higher quality leads and brokers are satisfied because it reduces the overall time spent on each case.

Transparency and Communication

"Where is my case?" should never require a phone call. Poor communication, slow responses, lack of clarity and repeated follow ups can damage trust.

Leading lenders provide broker portals that empower brokers with everything in one place, real-time application status and proactive notifications at key milestones. The secret? A single system of record that ensures consistent information across all channels: broker portal, BDM access, and internal teams. Brokers can self-serve through dashboards that enable them to handle and monitor multiple cases at once, giving brokers a holistic view of what’s in flight, status updates and next steps. When everyone sees the same real-time data, conflicting information becomes a thing of the past.

Speed and Decisioning Confidence

Brokers need fast decisions they can trust. The challenge? Traditional underwriting processes are fragmented and slow, often involve frustrating "back and forth" requests and unpredictable timescales. Research consistently shows that slow, inconsistent underwriting attracts the most negative broker feedback.

Investing in straight-through processing, automated decisioning and augmented underwriting capabilities allows lenders to provide brokers (and their customers) certainty sooner. And quick ‘no’ is as good as a quick ‘yes’. Which is why upfront eligibility checks and clear policy guidance can help save brokers the hassle of spending time completing a full application if it’s going to be rejected anyway.

This isn't about cutting corners, it's about using integrated technology platforms that connect broker submissions directly to underwriting engines, eliminating unnecessary delays and manual handoffs.

The Business Case Is Compelling

In a market characterised by competitive pressure and margin constraints, growing intermediary volumes efficiently is critical. The mathematics are straightforward: retaining and growing your share of wallet with existing broker relationships costs far less than acquiring new ones.

Building societies investing in broker experience technology report measurable improvements across multiple metrics:

• Higher application volumes from top-producing brokers
• Reduced time to complete applications
• Significantly improved Net Promoter Scores
• Greater operational efficiency through fewer manual interventions

With intermediaries now commanding a vast share of the UK mortgage market, the opportunity to capture their advocacy is significant. Brokers naturally gravitate toward lenders who respect their time and make the application journey smooth for their customers.

Where to Start

Begin by surveying your broker panel about their biggest frustrations. The research is clear: the three most critical areas are ease of application, underwriting efficiency, and speed of service.

Look for quick wins: manual touchpoints that could be eliminated or automated. Focus particularly on the issues driving negative feedback: slow underwriting, unclear requirements, and communication gaps.

Study what works. The highest-performing building societies share common traits: online systems rated above 87% for ease of use, speed to offer achieving 85%+ satisfaction, and communication scores exceeding 85% in Smart Money People’s Lender Benchmarks. These aren't coincidental, they reflect integrated technology platforms rather than fragmented systems.

Think holistically about your technology strategy. Point solutions create their own friction. Integrated platforms that connect the front-end broker experience to back-end operations deliver sustainable improvement. Partner with providers who understand lending, not just generic workflow tools.

A Seamless End-to-End Experience Isn't Optional

In today's intermediary-driven market, a seamless broker experience is a competitive necessity. Building societies that prioritise broker experience through modern, integrated technology, across the entire mortgage journey, will be best positioned to grow market share and build sustainable partnerships.

As borrower expectations for speed and transparency continue to rise, the broker experience will only become more critical to lending success. The question isn't whether to invest in broker technology, it's whether you can afford not to.

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Learn more about nCino’s Mortgage Solution.