I Like Working With Professionals

For a while now, I have embraced a saying: ‘I like to work with professionals.’ It has taken me a while to define, but it has been something that I have thought about a lot more recently. Why should customers want to work with me? Why do we chose to work with anyone?

The best way to describe any job, which is worth paying money to other people to do, is taking something that is complicated and making it seem easy.  If I would have had the skill to build my own house, I probably would not have paid someone else to do it. If I could cook incredible food and do it in a short time time frame without having to clean it up, I probably would not go out to restaurants. There are lots of examples, but the essence of any service, is taking a task that is complicated or hard or time consuming, and making it look easy. That is why it is worth paying someone else to do it.

I try to take this mindset and put it in my world of banking. The structures and reasons for decision making in banking can be confusing, but I treat my clients like intelligent professionals. My biggest job is to communicate effectively and make the process look easier than it is, even if it is not simple. I have found that I have had a lot of success in having open dialogue and explaining things rationally and, with this approach, my clients know that I am their advocate and have their best interests in mind. I am thorough on the front end, and everything on the back end (the negotiating with underwriting, or structuring into a unique product like SBA, etc.) is something that I get paid for, and is not my client’s problem if it is a harder process for me.

My approach is very genuine though. Even though I state that I know I am being paid to provide a service, I am confident in my role and can really be myself. My clients are more than numbers for the company and there is a mutual relationship where we both provide each other value. I know that there is a section of the population that wants to work with a professional who knows his craft, is genuine and can be their advocate for a long time.

What are you looking for in a professional?