July-Aug 2020

TECH-SAVVY LOAN officers had little difficulty navigat- ing the crisis prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. And some of them found ways to better handle workflows after stay-at-home orders were issued, giving them tools that they say they can use well after the crisis ends. “I am finding more seniors are more inclined to use email and texting,” says Timothy M. Kennedy, a CRMP and director of business development with US Mortgage Corp. in Melville, NY. “Because of the virus, I am find- ing myself doing more three-way conference calls with the borrower and their ‘confidant,’ i.e., children, financial planner or CPA.” In addition to conference calls, teleconferencing with technologies, such as Zoom, allowed businesses nationwide to meet face-to-face in real time with clients or colleagues while working from home. “Conducting business as we once knew it has changed for- ever,” Kennedy says. “Video confer- encing, e-signing and virtual nota- ries, just to name a few, are trends that, as we become more proficient with them, will become more the norm.” Kennedy has been using video conferencing to stay in contact with referral partners, rather than cli- ents. Various app developers were working on security concerns pertaining to reverse mortgages, so Kennedy refrained from using video conferencing with clients. “I Using Tech to Connect Loan Officers Offer Insights Into How Technology Helps During Crisis By Thomas A. Barstow Timothy Kennedy 22 REVERSE MORTGAGE / JULY-AUGUST 2020