Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Solutions. Read the original article for full details.

Mortgage Brokers Shift to WhatsApp to Boost Client Engagement

Mortgage brokers are increasingly turning to WhatsApp and voice notes to respond to client enquiries, reporting greater success rates than with traditional phone calls. Some brokers say borrowers now prefer to communicate via messaging apps throughout the mortgage process.

Brokers have found that responding to client enquiries using WhatsApp messages and voice notes leads to higher engagement. The Mortgage Mum, for example, trialled voice notes in response to initial enquiries made through Instagram and Facebook after experiencing low conversion rates with phone calls. According to the company, nine out of ten direct messages received through Instagram became warm leads when responded to with voice notes, while phone calls received no response.

A recent Santander survey highlighted the popularity of WhatsApp among younger borrowers. The survey found that borrowers aged 18-34 were most likely to have found their broker using social media or an artificial intelligence tool, and 42% communicated with their broker via WhatsApp at least once per week. In contrast, 50% of older borrowers reported never using WhatsApp for broker communication.

Voice notes are also gaining traction, with a survey of 2,000 adults indicating that people record around six voice notes per day, each lasting about 95 seconds. Over half of respondents said they would choose a voice note over a real-life conversation if they were too busy.

Some brokers are adopting personalised approaches using these digital tools. Jamie Thompson of Jamie Thompson Mortgages sends a personalised video and a survey to every client who completes an enquiry form on his website. The video, sent via WhatsApp, greets the applicant by name and asks them to complete a survey to better understand their mortgage needs. This process helps filter out clients he cannot assist and allows suitable clients to book appointments via a link sent through WhatsApp. Thompson reports that this method saves time compared to traditional phone calls.

Ricky Dosanjh, owner of Reeds Financial, also uses Business WhatsApp for messages and voice notes, finding that phone calls and voicemails are less effective for follow-ups.

For UK letting agents and inventory clerks, these trends highlight the growing importance of digital communication channels in client engagement and lead conversion within the property sector.