Justin Glass is the Chief Digital Officer at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), a fast-growing wholesale mortgage lender that has racked up a number of awards, including the Stevie Award for Elite Client Service back in March. As one of his many responsibilities, Justin oversees UWM’s CRM strategy, including Salesforce and Service Cloud. Justin was recently named a 2016 Rising Star by HousingWire magazine.

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Justin to discuss his thoughts on what clients expect, how those expectations are changing, and how UWM utilizes Service Cloud to exceed those expectations.

How have you seen customer expectations for service change in the last few years?

Justin Glass: Clients are really looking for instant gratification. If they can’t get what they want immediately, it’s important to set an expectation on timing and deliverables. Clients are coming to you for help and trusting that you will deliver the results they’re looking for, so it’s important that you don’t leave them feeling in the dark. When clients want to find an answer or solution, they’re going to do whatever it takes to get it. It’s important that you set proper expectations and articulate a clear process for how you’ll provide what they’re looking for.

How does Salesforce help you meet customer expectations?

Salesforce allows us to hold agents accountable and to properly manage our service-level agreements. It also gives agents the chance to find answers more quickly. Salesforce gives agents the ability to deliver to clients solutions on the initial phone call instead of requiring follow-up conversations.

One thing I have noticed is that United Wholesale Mortgage pays a lot of attention to traditional customer service. For example, all phone calls are answered by a person. How does Salesforce help you accomplish this?

Salesforce gives us the information we need to develop closer relationships with our clients and build more intelligent information databases. Going into each phone call, we’re able to address each client by name, study detailed background information on their transactions, and be aware of each internal team member that is associated with the account. We’re able to deliver more pinpointed client service by connecting clients to the appropriate person they need to speak to.

How do you successfully blend the different channels of customer support?

Omni-Channel is helping with this. Right now, we have separate groups that provide client service via email and phone, and we’re in the process of merging those teams. Service Cloud has provided a streamlined way to keep track of each email or case. We’ve also been able to improve overall client satisfaction by making it easier for clients to provide a more detailed description of their service needs.

One thing that is apparent to anyone when they walk into UWM is the culture – it feels fun, fast-paced and friendly.  The first time I visited last summer, I was treated to a cookout and a water balloon fight. How do you leverage technology to enhance the great culture at UWM?

The root of any company’s culture is its ability to equip its people with the tools needed to succeed and give them the ability to challenge themselves to develop and achieve goals. Since UWM is so driven to be an innovative leader in the industry, technology gives our team members the opportunity to really apply themselves to their roles; to utilize their skills and perform their tasks more efficiently. Without great technology, people wouldn’t feel as fulfilled or capable of making an impact on the organization – which would ultimately take away from the culture.

Does an example come to mind of when technology helped you to solve a problem that improved the culture at United Wholesale Mortgage?

Technology has given our team members a real voice, and has positively impacted our company through enhanced transparency, accountability and collaboration. There was a time when we, as an organization, lacked an easy way for team members to effectively present their ideas for consideration and implementation by leadership. We were able to leverage technology to provide a public forum for ideas and collaboration, as well as a task-based project management system which has added a very detailed and transparent methodology to our ability to meet deadlines.