The Intermediary –- June 2026 - Flipbook - Page 58
T E C H N O L O GY
Opinion
CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
ARE RESHAPING
ADVISER TECH
C
onsumers today
expect fast, seamless
digital experiences
at the touch of a
buon. That’s OK
when ordering a
ride, tracking a delivery or making a
payment, but increasingly, those same
expectations apply when geing a
mortgage.
It presents a significant challenge
for brokers who are working hard
to deliver advice in one of the most
volatile and fast-moving mortgage
markets in recent memory.
But meeting modern client
expectations isn’t about being
permanently available on demand. It
requires a fundamental shi in how
adviser technology supports brokers,
helping them deliver that responsive,
connected experience clients desire,
without creating an unsustainable
‘always on’ culture.
Fast-moving market
To understand why brokers must lean
more heavily on technology, we need
only look at the environment they’re
working in.
Our Q1 2026 Data Insights, drawn
from activity across Xplan Mortgage
and Trigold, highlight just how fastmoving the market has become.
Global energy pressures and
roller-coaster swap rates triggered
a wave of product withdrawals and
rapid-fire updates early this year.
That volatility effectively reversed
previous downward trends, pushing
average fixed mortgage rates back
above 5% by the end of Q1. At the
same time, 1.8 million fixed-rate deals
are set to expire this year, creating
a surge of clients urgently seeking
refinancing advice.
If that wasn’t enough, mortgage
product choice is also at its highest
level in nearly two decades. We’ve seen
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The Intermediary | June 2026
a big jump in 90% and 95% loan-tovalue (LTV) options as lenders bale it
out for first-time buyers.
Residential mortgage searches are
holding strong, showing real signs of
an improved market compared to a
year ago. Buy-to-let (BTL), however,
is a slightly different story, lagging
behind Q1 2025 levels as legislative
hurdles and shiing policies continue
to make landlords think twice.
For the broker, this means
navigating an expanding,
ever-changing market, all
while supporting clients who
increasingly expect instant clarity in
uncertain conditions.
What clients really want
But let’s pause for a second to see
what’s really going on here. The
demand for an ‘always-on’ broker isn’t
just about impatience. It reflects a
deeper need for confidence.
Findings from the Iress Financial
Readiness Index highlight a persistent
homeownership gap, alongside
shiing consumer behaviours.
For many borrowers, affordability
pressures and market volatility have
made major financial decisions more
stressful than ever.
As a result, clients don’t just want
speed – they want reassurance.
They expect transparency, regular
updates and communication that feels
immediate and effortless.
The traditional perception of a
slow, paper-heavy mortgage process
has been replaced by expectations
shaped by digital banking, real-time
notifications and on-demand services.
In this environment, the broker
isn’t there to process applications
quickly but to provide clarity and
confidence throughout the journey.
There’s no way a broker can do
all this if their systems are working
against them.
JACQUELINE DURBIN
is head of product – sourcing
at Iress
At our recent Mortgage Forums,
advisers consistently highlighted the
same challenge: too much time spent
navigating multiple systems and
rekeying information, taking them
away from client conversations.
That feedback reinforces the
need for technology that reduces
administrative burden rather
than adding to it. Our platform
development is increasingly focused
on removing friction from sourcing
and advice workflows, enabling
brokers to filter, compare and assess
the growing range of mortgage
products quickly and efficiently.
Those insights have directly
shaped the evolution of our mortgage
technology, Xplan Mortgage (XPM),
ensuring it reflects the realities of
today’s broker.
In a market where lenders can
withdraw or reprice products with
lile notice, sourcing technology must
keep pace with market movements.
The faster brokers can access
accurate information, the more time
they can dedicate to delivering advice
and supporting clients.
Clawing back time
One of the biggest opportunities lies
in removing unnecessary duplication
