Technology has changed so much of our daily lives. Even before the pandemic dictated that we do everything online – from meetings to school to buying groceries – our lives were quickly migrating away from face-to-face interactions.
And now, in a world where business has shifted almost entirely online, financial institutions are trying to figure out how to adapt to consumer needs. Advancements in technology, from cloud integration to artificial intelligence programs, have changed how loans – including auto refinancing – are created.
All of these changes have improved loan decision efficiency, consumer experience, and created consumer savings through competition. Let’s look at exactly how technology has reshaped loans.
Cloud technology has been a game changer for so many industries. The ability to store information remotely has reduced the need for on-premise infrastructure greatly. The IT equipment and operating expenses (including personnel and electricity) were very costly necessities in a world where data storage systems and dedicated server rooms were mandatory.
But then cloud technology came along and everything changed. Suddenly companies could migrate data from their onsite servers to remote locations and free up a ton of resources by doing so. A reduction in expenses was just one of the benefits of cloud technology.
Loan origination software (LOS) became widely available to lenders via the cloud, allowing financial institutions of all types – including auto refinancers – to have access to the latest artificial intelligence. This accessibility has many far reaching implications.
Cloud technology means that new lenders can enter the market faster. They don’t need to set up new software and data management systems – they can instead use existing cloud technology. This allows greater access for startups and creates more competition. And more competition often means more savings for you.
For example, if you were going to refinance your car in the past, you would have had only a few options of lenders. But now there are new lenders popping up all the time, keeping everyone on their toes. Rates and terms need to constantly be adjusted to stay competitive.
Bugs and software issues are inevitable with any form of technology. When data was stored and managed on premise, an issue could take weeks if not months to resolve depending on the size and IT management of the company. But cloud technology ensures that when there is an issue it is widely reported and quickly resolved. Regular software updates create an ease of use for lenders, making the loan industry faster and, again, creating more competition.
Cloud technology allows lenders to scale their companies up faster than ever. As conducting business online allows them to reach more people, they can easily expand their companies using the cloud. No need to bring in additional expensive IT – everything is remote and ready to accommodate lenders’ growing needs.
An added advantage is the cloud’s constantly developing security. Advancements in technology routinely keep data more and more secure.
Advancements in automation technology have also helped lenders to make faster and more accurate decisions regarding loans and auto refinancing.
Traditionally, loan applications were a lengthy and tedious process for both the lender and the consumer. For the consumer, they would need to fill out paperwork by hand, often repeating the same information over and over again (even to just obtain a quote). They would then need to collect all necessary documents (bank statements, proof of address, pay stubs, etc) and physically deliver them to their bank.
This was time consuming and often led to incomplete applications. Lenders estimate that 30% of applications that they used to receive were missing information.
All of this took a lot of time for the lender as well. Some lenders estimate that a refinance application used to take about two hours to process. They would have to go over all of the application information, verify the documents, chase down incomplete information, and so on and so on.
But now, this is all digital. Applications now have required fields and cannot be accepted as incomplete. And thanks to your personal computer, you can usually autofill all of this information instead of painstakingly typing and retyping.
So an application for auto refinancing that would have taken twenty minutes in the past can now be done in a matter of seconds. Applicants can easily get quotes and apply for refinancing faster than ever before. All of this increased competition leads to more – you guessed it – savings.
Decisions on these applications can now be made more accurately as well. With the growth of consumer data, artificial intelligence can look at trended data to make more informed lending decisions. And since so much data is now stored and shared online, lenders have more information to look at when making their decisions. Payment histories and accounts that were never factored into decisions before can now be easily found and considered in conjunction with an application. Lenders can now compare a much more well-rounded applicant to a much more accurate predictive data segment to decide on loan and auto refinancing approval.
Data thresholds can quickly eliminate unqualified applicants. Establishing a baseline credit score that is needed can ensure that lenders are only looking at qualified applicants. But they can also filter certain applicants that are questionable into an application pool that requires further consideration.
If you were applying to refinance your car and the lender required a 600 credit score to refinance, but your credit score was only 500, you would immediately be disqualified. But if your credit score was a 580, your application might be filtered to a lending expert who could better assess your situation. This makes the best of both worlds – drastically under-qualified applicants do not slow down other application reviews, while people who may be deemed as credit-worthy can still be considered.
All of this is calculated automatically, making both quotes and approvals so much faster.
With all of this work now automated, there is much more room for savings. By eliminating so much extra work, money and resources are now free to create more competitive loan and refinancing offers.
Application reviews that used to take days can now be done in minutes thanks to improvements in automation. This frees up employees to take more time fostering consumer relationships. These relationships can greatly impact consumer decisions and referrals (just take a look on TrustPilot to see how important these interactions are to consumers).
Consumers want a positive experience all around. While they definitely want to save money when they take out an initial loan or decide to refinance an existing loan (after all, that’s the whole point of refinancing) money is not all that matters to them. In fact consumers rank the following as being integrally important to their lending decisions:
Transparent processes, terms, and conditions
Employee interaction and helpfulness
Support with application issues
Flexible repayment terms
All of these things are important to consumers and can be improved as a result of automation. With more free time, employees can guide applicants on the terms and conditions and make sure there is a full understanding of the loan structure. They can offer personalized advice when consumers are unsure of repayment options or other conditions.
Having close contact with customers can help improve the overall experience. If there are problems with any online procedures, from filling out the application to document uploading to esignatures, employees have more time to help them navigate. Employees can also take a more active role in suggesting improvements to the application process.
We know when it comes to refinancing your car, guidance with a personal touch can make all of the difference.
Technology has changed our lives in so many ways, and many would argue that it’s for the best. The way the auto refinancing and loan origination is conducted is a prime example of how technology can create healthy competition, save consumers money, and create a better consumer experience overall.
At Auto Approve, we know that a great overall customer experience is of the highest importance. Because if you’re not happy, we’re not happy. But don’t just take our word for it: listen to our customers and let them tell you about their experiences. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, you know we put our customers front and center.
If you are ready to start saving money every month, let’s talk! Our agents are ready to help you with every step of the auto refinancing process.