Why do so many financial institutions aspire to 100% configurable technology? In our experience, it’s the appeal of maintaining ownership over their platform and the promise of cost savings. But going down that path may actually end up costing more and putting an unbearable maintenance burden on the business.

If you’re still processing account applications manually, with no option for digital origination, you’re wasting the customer’s time. Today there is an expectation for digital banking at every step of the journey.

Brokers account for 70% of home loans according to recent data reported by the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia. Like Financial Institutions (FIs), brokers have to contend with numerous obstacles in the application process. Adopting a solution that automates crucial parts of the process can be an efficiency win not just for the FI and its staff, but for brokers too.

After a three-year hiatus, Australia’s customer owned banks, credit unions and mutuals had a chance to re-connect in person at the 2022 Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) event. Sandstone Technology’s Chief Customer Officer, Jennifer Harris, reports back with her observations from the convention, and more broadly, thoughts on the post-Covid shifts shaping this dynamic segment.

Sandstone Technology’s Chief Customer Officer, Ross Watts, explains why digital mortgages are no longer a desirable future state: they’re available now and becoming an essential tool in a bank's digital offering. For years, banks and other lenders have been describing their home loans as digital. But often that’s wishful thinking. What sits behind the scenes may be far from a true digital solution.

It’s a precarious time for lenders. Up against increasing demand for a painless customer journey, feeling the pressure to compete and grow, they’re also balancing risk appetite and constant regulatory shifts. Today, many banks and financial institutions recognise that automated digital lending solutions are essential to de-risk at scale, but there are sizeable obstacles to overcome before they get there.