"There are lots of challenges with changes of routine and people working in different ways. I’d be amazed if people aren’t worried or anxious at some point."
Whilst the current lockdown has forced many people to work from home for the first time, there are advantages and the resulting benefits, such as increased collaboration, will help rebuild the industry much faster according to Jane Benjamin, director of mortgages at Sesame Bankhall Group.
Speaking on the first in a new series of Accord podcasts on how industry figures have adapted to lockdown, Jane says one of the most refreshing things she’s seen is the industry working together and hopes the sharing of ideas and information continues well beyond the current lockdown.
Jane also stressed the importance of communications and the “golden opportunity to contact every customer and demonstrate the value of your advice”.
Jane added: “People’s health is our priority through this crisis and we are doing everything we can to support the physical and mental wellbeing of our colleagues and the partners we work with. There are lots of challenges with changes of routine and people working in different ways. I’d be amazed if people aren’t worried or anxious at some point. That’s why we’ve increased our adviser communication and signpost support for advisers through our new Covid-19 adviser support hub.”
Nadine Edwards, corporate account manager at Accord Mortgages, who interviewed Jane, said: “With so many of us now working from home we felt sharing experiences from our community was important, not only to bring us all together but, as Jane mentioned, to help each other by swapping hints and tips on how best to adapt to the current environment.
“We know it’s a very uncertain time for everyone at the moment and so we’ve launched a new Growth Series Covid-19 hub page. This features existing content relevant to the current environment, such as how to use social media effectively as well as new content created specifically for the pandemic such as a guide comparing different methods of communication tools to help advisers choose the best one for them. We’re committed as ever to providing support to brokers through this challenging time and hope with this new series of podcasts our community can learn from others, whilst also seeing the lighter side of life.”
