We’ve all done it. Or is it just me? I fed my name into Google – well, actually it was one of those fancy AI tools, ChatGPT or Claude or whatever – to see what it said about the business. Talk about a dent to the ego! Nothing about me, but a lot about another random mortgage company down the road that doesn’t even offer the same services!
Now, I’m not competitive. Not at all. But after brushing myself off and having a quiet word with my bruised pride, I did what any rational business owner would do: I checked our Google reviews. And guess what? We’re currently sitting at 118 five-star reviews. The other business I mentioned? 117.
Victory is sweet, people. Very sweet indeed.
Those guys do three things – mortgages, KiwiSaver, and insurance. We only do mortgages. So they’ve got three opportunities to collect reviews, and we’re still ahead with our one area of (superior) expertise. I’m not saying that makes us better (okay, maybe I am, just a little), but it does make me wonder: if we’ve got this many Google reviews, why aren’t the AI overlords picking up on it?’
But the real difference is, and it’s not something you’ll see in a star rating or a service list: our loan approval rate.
While other mortgage advisers might throw applications at banks and hope for the best, we take a completely different approach. We don’t just submit paperwork – we craft a narrative. We know exactly how to paint a picture that banks want to see. We understand what makes them say yes, and more importantly, we know how to present your situation in a way that tells the story they need to hear.
The result is that we have an incredibly low strike-out rate with loan applications. In fact, we get far more yes’s than no’s – and that’s not by accident. It’s because we’ve spent years learning the language banks speak, understanding their criteria inside out, and positioning our clients’ applications in the strongest possible light from the very first submission.
This matters. Because when your mortgage gets declined it can affect your credit rating, delay your house purchase, and create stress you didn’t need. When you work with advisers who know how to get it right the first time, you’re getting peace of mind.
So, while those other businesses might tick boxes and offer multiple services, we’re specialists. We do one thing, and we do it exceptionally well. That’s not arrogance – that’s just what happens when you focus entirely on mastering your craft.
Over the last two years, we’ve been more deliberate about asking clients for reviews. Not pushy – we ask once, and if people do it, great. If they don’t, that’s fine too. And you know what? It turns out this stuff works for our business. When we cracked 100 reviews, the phone started ringing with people who’d found us on Google. “You’ve got some pretty amazing reviews,” they’d say. “That’s why I’m calling.”
I used to think it was all a bit of nonsense, to be honest. But then you realise – you look at reviews yourself, don’t you? When you need a lawn mower man or a plumber, you’re scrolling through those stars and reading what people said. It’s exactly the same for us.
So here’s my shameless request: if we’ve helped you sort out your mortgage, and you’ve got a spare five minutes, we’d love a 5 Star Google review!
Why? Well, partly so I can maintain my completely non-competitive lead over the other local businesses. But also because it helps other people find us – people like first-home buyers who are wandering around going “Help, what do I do?” and searching online for guidance.
Those reviews tell the story better than I ever could about what we do and how we help people.
So, in the interest of giving at Christmas time, and helping your local guy stay ahead of the game (and maybe appear in those AI search results one day), consider leaving us a review. No pressure. But also, you know, a little bit of pressure.
After all, 118 is a good number. But 125 sounds even better.