Small Business Lending: A Case for Digital Improvement

In a world where we can summon a car to pick us up in five minutes, and pizzas are delivered by drones, banks are being challenged by small business owners to create a secure digital environment to meet all of their customers’ banking needs—including applying for a loan—at their convenience.

Banks today have a great opportunity for digital improvement in the area of lending. For example, in traditional small business lending, the administrative and overhead costs to underwrite a $50,000 loan and a $1 million loan are essentially the same. With the aid of technology, underwriting costs are greatly reduced through a more efficient process.

In addition to reducing the cost to generate a loan, another direct benefit is the reduction in time for both the borrower and bank staff. Banks that implement technology that allows new and existing customers to apply for a small business loan online can reduce end-to-end time for both the borrower and the lender. The borrower can apply for the loan, upload documents and receive all closing documents digitally. If the online borrower has questions, the customer is assigned to a lender who can provide help through the process via phone, email or even in person, if needed. As an added benefit, the banker can focus on the customer in front of him and can start an application in the branch for the borrower, who then can finish the application in their home or office.

We now live in an era where user experience is at the front and center of everything a company does, and a painful process or poor user experience means that a prospective borrower may go elsewhere to apply for a loan. Banks that embrace digital lending technology today can differentiate themselves by delivering exceptional customer service. In addition to reducing costs and streamlining the process, lenders and borrowers can see several additional advantages to a digital experience.

Borrowers complete the application in less time.
Technology is transforming the way banks can accept applications, and can provide borrowers with a secure application that can be completed anywhere on any device, including with their banker in a branch or online.

Documents are managed securely.
Digital lending technology is advantageous because it also enables the borrower to deliver important documents to the lender quickly and securely. Instead of the lender waiting for physical copies, borrowers can upload documents to a secure portal, helping to shorten the process.

A more efficient process increases customer satisfaction.
Paper-based applications take a lot of time to fill out, and can create frustration for the borrower and the lender if a section is missed. The more efficient the lending process is, the greater the borrower satisfaction rate will be—allowing your team to build better and larger relationships.

From slim interest rate margins to competitive alternative lenders, many financial institutions are facing pressure to find a way to make lending profitable again. Leveraging technology to streamline the loan process and improve the borrower experience will lead to increased profitability for financial institutions, which is possible today with the help of technology.