{"id":13047,"date":"2024-09-23T15:38:30","date_gmt":"2024-09-23T05:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brighten.com.au\/resources\/media-centre\/brightens-warm-glow-of-success-and-innovation\/"},"modified":"2024-09-23T15:46:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T05:46:42","slug":"brightens-warm-glow-of-success-and-innovation","status":"publish","type":"media-centre","link":"https:\/\/brighten.com.au\/zh-hant\/media-centre\/brightens-warm-glow-of-success-and-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Brighten\u2019s warm glow of success and innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Publication Date: Monday, 23 September 2024
This article originally appeared in<\/em> Australian Broker<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovation and agility are the keys to success in the fast-evolving world of lending, but not every lender gets the formula right to allow these traits to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over his career, Brighten chief executive Jason Azzopardi has been fortunate enough to witness first-hand examples of leadership and culture that were great \u2013 and not so great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think early in my banking career, I was very fortunate to work with some outstanding leaders,\u201d Azzopardi reflects. \u201cThey taught me a lot about culture, customer, broker and execution, and a lot of those learnings have formed my leadership style today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I also learned a lot from leaders who weren\u2019t that great. And I promised myself that if I was ever fortunate enough to get the opportunity to lead a business one day, that I would make sure that those behaviours didn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing leaders who fell short of expectations alongside better role models helped Azzopardi to develop a leadership philosophy centered on creating a safe space for innovation and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my job to create a space that\u2019s safe for people to not fear making mistakes and challenge the status quo,\u201d he explains. \u201cThat\u2019s what really forms the ability for a company to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This emphasis on fostering a safe culture of innovation is reflected in Brighten\u2019s recent rise in the non-bank lending sector. Azzopardi\u2019s leadership style encourages team members to think creatively and take calculated risks, driving the company\u2019s growth and setting it apart from competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since taking the helm at the start of the year, Brighten\u2019s path has been illuminated by innovation, service excellence and adaptability. By expanding its product offerings and investing heavily in technology, Brighten is positioning itself as the lender of choice for brokers. As the company continues to expand into new markets, including commercial lending, it aims to become a one-stop shop for brokers and borrowers navigating the complexities of today\u2019s financial landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driving growth through service excellence and product diversity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Brighten\u2019s rapid growth in the non-bank lending sector has been no accident. The company has strategically positioned itself as a preferred lender for brokers through a combination of product breadth and exceptional service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat stands us apart initially to brokers is our breadth of product offering,\u201d Azzopardi says. \u201cWe started in some really niche products in the non-resident, expat and construction world, and we\u2019ve been able to move into the prime and prime alt-doc markets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This diverse product range allows Brighten to cater to a wide array of customer needs, from niche markets to more mainstream lending requirements. However, Azzopardi is quick to point out that product range alone isn\u2019t enough to secure Brighten\u2019s position in the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe key part has been our service to the street,\u201d he emphasises. \u201cWe\u2019ve recruited an amazing sales and credit team, and that really underpins the offering to our brokers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brighten\u2019s commitment to service excellence is evident in its team structure. The company has invested heavily in building a robust sales and credit team, ensuring that brokers have access to knowledgeable professionals who can provide quick commercial decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBrokers have a BDM team that they can rely on to get product information and scenario deals,\u201d Azzopardi explains. \u201cAnd we have a highly commercial credit team based in Sydney, able to provide quick decisions to brokers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meeting evolving broker expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s dynamic market, what brokers need and expect from non-bank lenders can change quickly. Azzopardi identifies three key priorities that have become increasingly important: speed, consistency and borrowing capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSLAs [service level agreements] and the time it takes for us to provide an answer to a customer and a broker is very, very important,\u201d he says, \u201cwhilst certainty and consistency of decisioning is equally important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The competitive landscape has intensified, with lenders needing to offer increasingly rapid turnaround times. However, Azzopardi stresses that speed shouldn\u2019t come at the expense of consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBrokers do want that certainty that when they lodged an application with us two months ago, and they lodge a really similar one two months later, that they\u2019re going to get the same decision,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This focus on consistency builds trust with brokers, who can confidently recommend Brighten to their clients knowing that decisions will be reliable and predictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adapting to the borrowing capacity challenge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the current high-interest-rate environment, Azzopardi has noticed a shift in broker priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cClearly, it\u2019s a high-interest-rate environment at the moment, and borrowing capacity has become a crucial part of the solution that brokers are trying to solve for consumers,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brighten has responded to this challenge by developing products and assessment criteria that help consumers navigate the complexities of buying property in a high-interest-rate market. This adaptability to changing market conditions is a key factor in Brighten\u2019s growing popularity among brokers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partly due to his experience in fintech companies, Azzopardi recognises the crucial role of technology in differentiating Brighten from its competitors. The company\u2019s approach combines off-the-shelf solutions with proprietary systems, allowing for a tailored technological infrastructure that meets the specific needs of Brighten and its clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe use a combination of buying technology and building our own,\u201d Azzopardi explains. \u201cThis has served us pretty well so far.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of Brighten\u2019s technology strategy is a focus on enhancing the customer journey. \u201cWe see technology as an enabler for our people, to provide a better experience to the consumer and the broker,\u201d Azzopardi says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach has led to the development of a proprietary origination system that has garnered praise from industry professionals. \u201cWe\u2019re very proud of our proprietary origination system that we\u2019ve built,\u201d Azzopardi states. \u201cWe have people joining from competitors, and we\u2019re really proud that they\u2019re very complimentary about our technology compared to others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowering brokers with tools and support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Brighten\u2019s commitment to brokers extends beyond just offering competitive products and efficient service. The company has recently launched a comprehensive broker portal to provide real-time application tracking, product information and direct access to support staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very focused on our broker portal,\u201d Azzopardi says. \u201cIt went live about three months ago, and we\u2019re still assisting brokers to sign up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The portal serves as a one-stop shop for brokers, allowing them to track applications in real time, access product specifications and stay updated with the latest news and announcements. This investment in digital tools demonstrates Brighten\u2019s commitment to making the lending process as smooth and transparent as possible for brokers and their clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to digital tools, Brighten is also investing heavily in education and relationship-building. \u201cWe\u2019re running a lot of education programs,\u201d Azzopardi says. \u201cWe did a webinar last week for one of our aggregator partners where we had 350 brokers attend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These educational initiatives help brokers stay informed about Brighten\u2019s products and services, enabling them to better serve their clients and navigate the complexities of the lending market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both challenges and opportunities ahead<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As Brighten continues its journey to become the lender of choice for brokers, Azzopardi acknowledges the task ahead. \u201cWe are in a highly competitive environment with a number of great brands out there who we compete against,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, he remains optimistic about Brighten\u2019s prospects. The company is expanding its offerings, with a commercial lending division recently launched and plans to provide brokers with a comprehensive suite of products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very focused on, of course, our home loan offering, but our commercial lending division has been live for the majority of this year,\u201d Azzopardi reveals. \u201cThe pilot was launched to a small number of brokers initially, but we\u2019re about to go out to the entire broker market with our commercial lending offering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This expansion into commercial lending will allow brokers to use Brighten for a wider range of lending needs, including full-doc, alt-doc, lease-doc and short-term commercial loans, providing fast access to funds when customers need it most. This diversification strategy positions Brighten as a versatile lending partner for brokers, capable of meeting a broad spectrum of client needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUltimately, what we really want to do is give brokers a one-stop shop for any type of customer they have,\u201d Azzopardi says. \u201cWe\u2019ve got the product for them, and when they do deal with us, we\u2019re easy to deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the Australian lending sector continues to evolve, Brighten is well positioned to illuminate the path forward with its culture of innovation and agility. By blending cutting-edge technology with a strong commitment to broker relationships and exceptional customer service, Brighten is poised for continued growth. Its focus on being \u2018easy to deal with\u2019 promises to continue being a guiding light for brokers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over his career, Brighten chief executive Jason Azzopardi has been fortunate enough to witness first-hand examples of leadership and culture that were great \u2013 and not so great.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5640,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13047","media-centre","type-media-centre","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media-centre-zh-hant"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBrighten\u2019s warm glow of success and innovation | Brighten<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/brighten.com.au\/zh-hant\/media-centre\/brightens-warm-glow-of-success-and-innovation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"zh_TW\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Brighten\u2019s warm glow of success 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