How We're Winning with Automation at NewFed Mortgage Corporation
When I joined NewFed Mortgage Corporation just over two years ago, my marketing background in mortgage tech was a perfect fit for the job: building an in-house marketing function from scratch. I needed to bring our brand closer to our team and our customers, and right away, I found a familiar tool that was just sitting there, waiting to be unleashed: Total Expert.
The team had access to the platform, but there was no real strategy behind it. It felt like just another thing people had to log into, not a dynamic part of our day-to-day business. We had to change that. We had to prove that this wasn't just "more tech," but a true partner in our growth. The goal was to make the platform feel new, exciting, and absolutely essential to our success.
The challenge was bigger than I expected. Our workforce is a true blend of seasoned loan officers (LOs) who have been in the business for decades and newer, tech-hungry LOs looking to use all the digital tools.
My biggest question was: how can we create a single strategy that supports everyone?
Driving Adoption, One Loan Officer at a Time
To relaunch Total Expert, we decided to get granular. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we focused on segmented training sessions led by our branch managers. This strategy, inspired by a peer at a Total Expert conference, was a game-changer. It allowed us to tailor the conversation, speaking to the specific needs of each group.
For our tenured LOs, we focused on simplicity and efficiency. It wasn't about the bells and whistles. It was about showing them how Total Expert could simplify their daily tasks, like logging notes or sending out a simple email.
For our newer LOs, we leaned into the more advanced features, demonstrating how automation and insights could give them a competitive edge.
The results have been incredible. We've seen a 300% year-over-year increase in logins since the relaunch, proving that this tailored, hands-on approach provides real results. When I started, the platform was seen as just a login checklist item, but we proved it’s so much more. Our segmented training made all the difference.
The Platform as a Growth Engine
Getting people to use the platform is one thing, but the real test comes from making a tangible impact on our business. And that’s exactly what happened once we started to layer in Total Expert's more advanced features like Customer Intelligence and Engage SMS.
Given our large portfolio, we recognized an incredible opportunity to drive retention. To make that happen, we created an automated Journey that follows up with past clients on behalf of the LO, nurturing relationships and creating opportunities for deeper conversations about the client’s mortgage needs and financial options.
The results happened fast and blew everyone away. In less than a year, we generated $29 million in funded volume from $65 million in applications. That goes to show how the platform is more than just a marketing tool—it's a genuine retention and growth engine.
Now, we’re using the platform to grow our co-marketing partnerships. Our team is building co-branded marketing kits for over 2,000 real estate agents, which helps our LOs build new relationships, drive referrals, and capture business they might have otherwise missed.
From Metrics to Positive Momentum
The numbers, as impressive as they are, only tell part of the story. What gets me equally excited is what I hear during my interactions. I now have LOs coming to me, unsolicited, with their wins. They're even unmuting on team calls and sharing their success stories with the group.
One LO, Jason Bochniak, shared how a simple holiday email from an automated Journey reconnected him with a client he met in 2017, who is now looking for an investment property. Another, Andrew Distefano, used the co-marketing features to create co-branded flyers for a new real estate agent at an open house, then leveraged the lead capture app at the event to secure two deals.
And then there’s my favorite. A life-event alert from Customer Intelligence let a LO know that his niece, whom he had talked to in the past about a loan, had a credit pull. It allowed them to have a conversation about her options, helping them navigate the complexities of securing a loan, especially since she had recently become self-employed. He was still able to help her, and now they are planning to get her into a new home.
These are the moments that prove our strategy is working. The automations aren't replacing human connection. They’re helping to drive it! These automations provide a reason for our LOs to reach out and offer a timely, authentic conversation.
A Partnership for the Future
The success we're seeing isn’t just from a great platform. It goes beyond the tech and into a great partnership. The Total Expert team has been a true collaborator, listening to our challenges and helping us find solutions.
Our success as a company in this dynamic industry comes down to blending tech with a personal touch. It’s about using tools like AI to streamline processes and find smarter ways to create a better, more personal experience for our customers. Total Expert is a crucial part of that vision, helping us grow not just as a business but as a community.
