Broker Spotlight: Ron Lloyd
Who is Ron Lloyd?
Ron Lloyd is much more than an Aussie broker. Ron, is a long-standing member of the prestigious Chairman’s club within Aussie Home Loans, boasts 30 years industry experience, has a diploma in Finance & Mortgage Broking, was ranked in the MPA Top 100 brokers for 2018 and as a long-time supporter of ALI, has protected 285 clients to date.
When you ask Ron to talk about himself, you will find he’s also incredibly humble, making no mention of the above and instead talks about his lovely wife, Jo, whom he has been married to for 22 years, their 21 year-old-daughter, Taylah, who whilst at university, also works alongside them at their two Aussie stores in Toukley and Tuggerah, their two beautiful dogs – Jaffa and Bindi, their family devotion to the Crushers Hockey Club on the Central Coast of NSW and how tragic he is at golf.
Joining a big four bank at only 17
Ron entered the financial services industry as a 17-year-old who took his first role with one of the big four banks.
"I joined one of the big four banks when I was 17 before leaving 5 years later. I bounced around for a few years before re-joining the bank in 1994. I stayed there for another 10 and a half years before joining Aussie in April of 2005."
Working out of an area office until Aussie opened franchises on the Central Coast, Ron took over the Gosford store with a business partner in 2009 until opening the Toukley store in July 2011. Recently, Ron has opened a second store at Westfield Tuggerah.
From Big Four Bank to Small Business Owner
"I fell into the role after deciding to leave the big bank, where I was a lending manager for over 10 years. It just felt right to work for myself and benefit from the effort I was putting in.
With the help of my family we then progressed to where we are today."
For Ron, who’s ethos is solely based on ensuring every single client is happy with the service they receive, with zero complaints, it’s clear to see why he’s been so successful.
Ron is accredited with up to 20 of the top lenders in Australia and helps his clients navigate through the jargon to secure a loan that’s right for them. Dedicating a lot of time to developing a process which ensures files are processed efficiently and effectively so clients receive the best possible outcome quicker than his competitors.
Above and Beyond
Ron and his team at Aussie Toukley and Tuggerah, go above and beyond for each client. Ensuring a consistent and constant service of top-quality client care.
"A recent example would be, where a client found out the day before their settlement was due, that their solicitor had not prepared a discharge of mortgage. We were able to step in and arrange the lender to agree to the discharge and settlement went through as planned."
A strong advocate for protecting clients
Ron and the team are big supporters of ALI and Aussie Mortgage Protection Plan, with Ron having been on board since it was first launched. It’s another way Ron and the team put their clients’ needs first, ensuring they have thought about how they will protect their loan is something unexpected happens.
"I have been a very strong advocate of the product since its inception. While working at the bank we had a similar product and I routinely offered this as part of a home loan package believing that clients should not be going into debt without a contingency plan if something were to go wrong."
Ron didn’t need a catalyst to lead him to integrating mortgage protection into his client process, believing that if you’re offering a client a large debt, you should also ensure they’re aware of options to cover this debt if their financial situation were to change.
A First-Hand Experience
Not ever thinking he would experience the impact of mortgage protection personally, Ron recently supported his friend through one of the most difficult times of his life. As a friend and a broker, Ron witnessed first-hand the efficiency of the claims process and the relief it has given his friend, cementing his belief in mortgage protection.
"During my friend’s worst possible period in his entire life, this policy payment will allow him to concentrate on his own health rather than financial stress. I am extremely proud that as a team, we were able to provide this to him."
The Process
Every broker has their own process or formula when it comes to introducing mortgage protection into the discussion. Ron generally brings the conversation up at the very first appointment and advises the client from the beginning, they will be discussing protection in more detail as the enquiry progresses.
"We will generally finalise the application at the loan sign-up stage ensuring the client is fully aware of the benefits of the policy. To avoid the conversation sounding like I’m upselling something, I simply tell the clients the benefits and the potential repercussions of not having it. I also advise them that I personally would not have a loan without ensuring it could be repaid in full if the worst were to happen, knowing that my own family couldn’t repay the loan without my income."
Advice to brokers
As someone who has been in the industry for a very long time and achieved so much, Ron’s biggest advice to brokers who perhaps have heard ‘no’ too many times when discussion mortgage protection, is this:
"Think of how bad you’ll feel if one of your clients’ needs it one day and you didn’t offer it because the last 10 clients said no? Use the 30-day free period and explain to the client this will give them ample time to investigate their finances to see what other cover they have, if any. At least they’re covered while they’re completing the research."
With 285 clients protected to date, Ron and his teams at Aussie on the Central Coast are doing great things within the broking industry, making sure every client has their needs met and walks away knowing that they had their best interests at heart.