Important update

Our new underwriting platform

Enhancing the vehicle finance application journey

We’re dedicated to ensuring the vehicle finance application process is as smooth as possible for you and your customers. We understand efficiency is important when waiting for a decision, helping your customers drive away their new vehicle as soon as possible.
That’s why we’re making changes to our underwriting platform, enabling us to do what we do best today, even better tomorrow. 

 

What’s changing?

 

We’re introducing a new system to review customer finance applications, which uses data from two credit reference agencies, Experian and TransUnion, to provide an improved customer experience. 
What benefits are in it for me? 

 

  •  Speed - Quicker decisions and faster response times for you and your customers
  •  Ease - Increased efficiency in terms of the credit checking process
  •  Consistency - Less documentation required from customers (increased digital identification, verification, and affordability data)


These benefits mean you can focus on what you do best; selling vehicles. Our new system uses more automation to check information, meaning a large amount of lending decisions will be instant. For instances where our underwriters need to help shape the deal to meet a customer’s requirements, we’ll continue to use our flexible underwriting approach. 
For you as our partner, there are no changes to the systems or processes that you currently use. It’s important that you capture your customer’s information accurately to support the new process, this also helps reduce the amount of document proofs that are required. Our multi credit reference agency approach uses smarter tools to identify customer information which means quicker turnaround times from proposal to pay out. The majority of our partners will experience an improvement in customer accepts and finance sales, enabling you to spend more time building and strengthening your relationships with your customers to help them find the right vehicle to suit their needs. As well as helping you to increase your turnover of stock, driving your profits.
 

 

Crompton Way Motors

How we still benefit from Manual Underwriting | Close Brothers Motor Finance

Frequently asked questions

    How will Credit Optimisation affect the proposal process?

    You don’t need to do anything differently. You may receive proposals responses quicker due to the automation that’s built into our new system.

    What credit reference agencies will you be using?

    Our new system will use two credit reference agencies; Experian and TransUnion. This increases the likelihood of us finding important information about your customers, and will enable us to offer an easier payout process. This also comes with the added benefit of business continuity should either bureau feed be unavailable. 

    Does the new system mean a possible increase in the amount of proposals that you accept?

    The multi-bureau approach increases the chances of us finding a customer’s information, so this could increase the amount of proposals that we accept, as we’re able to search more sources of data. 

    Do I need to do anything differently?

    You don’t need to do anything differently. Our changes mean that you could see an increase in the number of proposals that are accepted, and the speed at which you receive proposal responses from us. 

    Will I need to send you fewer document proofs?

    Capturing accurate customer information upfront is really important in supporting the new processes and reducing document proofs. Due to increased digital identification, verification and affordability data being available from both credit reference agencies, less documentation is a possibility. 

    Will this make getting answers quicker and easier for me and my customers?

    Yes, this will lead to faster turnaround times from proposal to pay out, meaning your customers can drive their vehicle away quicker and you can focus on selling more vehicles, to more customers, more frequently. 

    Will these changes impact the customers and vehicles that you approve/decline for finance?

    The multi-bureau approach will help to find more customer information which will assist us in reaching decisions quicker. Our underwriters will continue to shape deals around the individual needs of your customers. 

    How will the changes directly benefit my dealership and help me to sell more vehicles?

    A faster turnaround time from proposal to pay out means you can spend more time building relationships with customers and focussing on selling vehicles.

    What if the new system still cannot identify my customer’s information?

    Our underwriting team are available and can review proposals to ensure each customer is treated fairly, ensuring they take every customer’s circumstances into consideration. 

    Can I still speak to an underwriter?

    Yes, our underwriters are still available on the phone, just like they are today.