Turn client chats into loan referrals

Accountants and advisers sit in front of perfect lending opportunities every day, but most walk out of the room uncaptured. This article shows how to turn those “we should look at your loan” comments into a consistent, trackable stream of referred loan outcomes, without adding licence headaches or heavy admin. You will see how Cromeloan calculators, scenario tools and the AI lending agent fit into your practice and support a simple loan partner program with clear client value. By the end, you will have concrete ideas for when to use each tool in meetings, how to move from insight to home loan referral, and how to keep the process easy for your team.

Key takeaways

• Most lending opportunities appear during normal tax and planning conversations, not in a separate “home loan meeting”.

• Simple finance tools give you a way to explore numbers on the spot, then hand off to a dedicated home loan partner without giving credit advice.

• Cromeloan’s calculators and AI lending agent create a consistent journey from client question to warm, referred loan for your broker partner.

• Clear prompts and checklists help staff know which tool to use when, and how to capture a high quality home loan referral without slowing the meeting.

The problem: meeting insights with nowhere to go

Every accountant knows the moment. A client is sitting with you for year end, and you realise their repayments look high, their offset is underused, or their deposit is closer than they thought. You flag it, they nod, everyone agrees “we should look at your loan”, and then the idea disappears into the ether. There is no clear process for loan referrals, so nothing happens.

This is where many referral partners for mortgage brokers get stuck. You see the need, but your practice is built for tax, business and strategy work, not chasing bank paperwork. You might have a friendly broker in your network, yet there is no structured way to capture the opportunity in the moment. A potential referred loan becomes a line in your notes instead of a future revenue stream.

The risk is not just lost income. When a client walks away to “sort it out with the bank”, there is no visibility of whether the mortgage referred is actually suitable, competitive or aligned with the broader plan you just built with them. They may end up refinancing with a lender whose policies do not match their situation, or they might never act at all. That creates frustration for them and wasted effort for you.

Imagine instead that, during the same meeting, you can punch a few figures into a simple tool, show what happens if their rate drops by 0.5 percent, and then offer to send their details directly to your mortgage partner. Take a client with a $600,000 owner occupier loan at 6.6 percent. A shift to 6.1 percent could cut repayments by roughly $190 a month, or allow extra contributions to super or savings. You are not recommending a specific product, just making the numbers real and capturing a warm enquiry while the client is engaged.

When you multiply that across reviews, BAS catch ups and planning sessions, the picture changes. The practice that treats these as casual side comments will see the odd outcome. The practice that treats them as a structured stream of loan referrals will quietly build additional recurring revenue, without changing its core service model. That is the gap this article focuses on.

Checklist: spotting lending moments in meetings

• Listen for comments about repayments feeling heavy, ending fixed rates or “the bank never calls me”.

• Note any upcoming property changes such as upsizing, downsizing or first investment plans.

• Watch for rising cash buffers or lump sums that could be working harder.

• Mark each moment in your notes with a simple tag so you can open a tool or capture a referral before the meeting ends.

What this means for Current borrowers

• Clients with existing loans get a clear path to explore options without having to start from scratch with a bank branch.

• You can raise loan health as a normal part of tax or planning reviews, not as a separate sales talk.

• A structured process reduces the chance that a promising referred loan idea fizzles out after the meeting.

• Your team can stay inside a no advice model while still connecting borrowers with specialist lending help.

Quick Q&A

Q: Why not just give clients a broker card and let them call later?
A: Because most people are busy and nervous about home loans. A warm, captured enquiry made in the meeting is more likely to turn into action than a business card that gets lost in a drawer.

Q: Does capturing loan referrals distract from core accounting work?
A: t should not. When the process is built into your workflow and supported by tools, you spend a few extra minutes turning an insight into a clear next step, then hand the lending work to your partner. Cromeloan works with partners to design processes, flows and tools that let advisers stay focused on their core value while still adding extra value as trusted advisers, by giving clients an easy way to raise home lending in conversation or trigger fast, simple queries to a dedicated broker for credit support.

How finance tools support your home loan partner model

Finance tools turn “we should look at that” into something tangible. Instead of vague chatter, you can run a quick scenario on screen and show your client how their cash flow or timeline shifts if the loan structure changes. Cromeloan’s branded calculator suite is an example: tools are built around adviser conversations first, then linked to home lending next.

This is where a structured loan partner program beats an ad hoc arrangement with a single broker. With a consistent set of tools, your team knows that every conversation follows the same pattern. Start with the numbers, confirm that the client is interested in exploring options, then capture a simple referral into the Cromeloan journey. You remain the trusted adviser, while your home loan partner handles the lending detail.

Think about a client with a $500,000 investment loan at 7.1 percent. A quick scenario in a repayment or rate comparison tool can show that a 0.4 percent reduction saves roughly $140 a month. You can then step back and ask, “Does it make sense to see what the market could offer you?” If the answer is yes, the same screen can hand them into the AI experience or a simple referral form without any additional data entry.

Using tools also helps align a mortgage partnership finance conversation with your broader advice. When the client sees tax, cash flow and lending scenarios on the same screen, they understand that this is part of their overall plan, not a side hustle. It becomes natural to position Cromeloan as your chosen loan partner, rather than “just another broker” in the mix.

Over time, the combination of calculators and the AI lending agent lets your firm behave like a modern, digital mortgage partner without building anything in house. Your clients get instant, self guided home loan insights through your chosen Tools (https://www.cromeloan.com.au/partnership-tools), while you still control the referral relationships, messaging and commission structure. Crome Loan

It also gives clear language for staff. Phrases like “Let’s run that through our home loan partner tools” make it clear you are using a structured, professional process rather than improvising. That supports positioning for home loan partners who want lending to feel like part of their brand, not a random external plug in.

Checklist: building your tool set

• Decide which conversations you want to support first, such as existing borrowers, first home buyers or investors.

• Map those to specific calculators and scenario tools in your Cromeloan suite.

• Make sure every adviser knows how to open each tool quickly during a meeting.

• Agree on simple language for introducing the tools and the referral path.

What this means for Buyers

• Buyers can see the numbers behind a decision instead of relying on rough guesses from a bank website.

• A few simple inputs can show whether a 5 percent deposit looks realistic for a $600,000 purchase under current rules.

• Clients understand how their loan fit sits within the broader financial plan they have already discussed with you.

• The handoff to your home loan partner feels like a natural continuation, not a hard sales pitch.

Quick Q&A

Q: Do we need to build our own calculators to have a serious loan partner model?
A: No. Cromeloan provides brand wrapped Calculators that are designed for adviser and accountant meetings, so your firm does not have to build or maintain anything.

Q: How do we describe the relationship to clients without sounding technical?
A: Keep it simple. You can say that Cromeloan is your trusted home loan partner who provides the tools and lending expertise, while you stay focused on strategy and tax.

In-meeting use cases for Cromeloan tools

Once finance tools are part of your culture, they quickly become a natural extension of your client conversations. Cromeloan’s scenario and calculator suite includes high engagement tools like Net Income Explorer, Negative Gearing Assessment, SMSF Investment Comparison and Quick Rate Check, so there is a tool for almost every common scenario you see. Crome Loan

Net Income Explorer works well when clients ask, “What will this strategy do to my take home pay?” In a review for a PAYG client earning $120,000, you can model salary sacrifice, extra HELP repayments or rental income and show how their net income changes. If that model reveals a cash flow gap driven by high repayments, it is a natural step to flag whether a referred loan might ease pressure.

Negative gearing and SMSF property tools support deeper strategy chats. When an investor is weighing up a $700,000 property with a projected $650 a week in rent, you can quickly show the after tax cash flow and long term impact. If the numbers only work at a certain interest rate, you can use that to frame the need for a competitive, sustainable loan structure through your broker partner. For partners home loan clients, this can be the difference between a portfolio that supports their goals and one that quietly drains them.

Quick Rate Check is a mass appeal entry point. During any review where a client mentions their current rate, you can run their figures through the tool to see how it compares to today’s competitive range. If the tool suggests they might be paying too much, the result screen is an easy point to ask permission to submit a referred mortgage application so your broker partner can explore options with them.

Across all these examples, the key is that the tools live inside your Cromeloan environment, not as random calculators bookmarked in a browser. That means every scenario is only one click away from a structured handoff, where a mortgage referred by your firm lands with your dedicated broker complete with context, numbers and client consent.

Checklist: matching tools to common scenarios

• Use Net Income Explorer when clients ask about take home pay trade offs.

• Use Negative Gearing Assessment when investors want to compare property scenarios.

• Use SMSF Investment Comparison when trustees ask about property inside super.

• Use Quick Rate Check whenever current rates or lender loyalty come up.

What this means for Buyers

• Buyers see practical examples using their own numbers instead of generic case studies.

• They can test the impact of different purchase prices, deposits and rates in a safe, guided environment.

• When the numbers look promising, they are already comfortable with you and your home loan partner before any formal steps begin.

Quick Q&A

Q: Will tools slow our meetings down?
A: Used well, they speed decisions up. A two minute scenario that answers a key question can replace long explanations and cut a lot of back and forth emails later. The tools put the trade offs on screen in real time, so clients can see how different choices affect cash flow, tax and loan repayments straight away. Existing partners tell us the tools also help clients better grasp the concepts, so they walk away with a stronger understanding of the recommended strategy. That lifts client engagement and satisfaction, and over time creates “stickier” clients who value your advice and are more likely to stay with your firm.

Q: Can clients self serve with these tools between meetings?
A: Yes. Cromeloan tools can be embedded on your site so clients can explore at their own pace, then request a follow up or complete a referral when they are ready. From there, the client can choose to speak to a lender using a simple call back function, which routes directly to your dedicated lender. Your lender will reach out to your client within 30 minutes to discuss their situation in more detail. At the same time, key scenario tools such as Net Income Explorer are designed to shine in live accountant client interactions, where you guide the conversation and the tool supports education. Used this way, the tool helps you explain the numbers clearly and naturally brings home lending into the discussion at the right time in the engagement, rather than as a separate sales topic.

Moving from interesting insight to warm loan referral

Tools are only half the story. The other half is having a simple, repeatable script for moving from a useful insight to a warm, home loan referral. Without that, even the best calculator results can end up as “something to think about” rather than a referred loan in your pipeline.

A warm referral usually follows four steps. First, you surface a relevant insight using a tool or set of numbers. Second, you check whether the client wants to explore their options, without any pressure. Third, you explain how your home loan partner works and ask permission to share their details. Finally, you submit a short referral form or let the client hand themselves into the AI agent on screen. That is it. No product recommendations or credit advice from your team.

For example, suppose Quick Rate Check suggests a client with a $500,000 loan could save around $150 per month. You might say, “If you would like, I can have our lending team review this and see what the market looks like for you. They will contact you with options. Are you comfortable if I pass your details on for a home loan referral?” Once they agree, one click sends their information into the Cromeloan workflow.

By making this sequence standard across the firm, loan referrals stop relying on the personal style of each adviser. Every partner and manager knows how to explain the process, what to say about their home loan partner, and how to record consent. Clients hear the same simple message regardless of who they see. That consistency builds trust, not only for a single referral but for the long term loan partner program your firm is building.

Checklist: turning insight into action

• Show the client a clear, simple insight using a tool result or quick calculation.

• Ask if they want to explore loan options, with no pressure to act.

• Explain how your Cromeloan referral process works and who will contact them.

• Capture the referral immediately while you are still in the meeting.

What this means for Current borrowers

• Borrowers get a low friction way to test the market without feeling they have “signed up” for anything.

• They know who will call, what the call will be about and how it connects back to your advice.

• Good experiences with one home loan referral make it easier to revisit lending at future reviews.

Quick Q&A

Q: How do we avoid sounding like salespeople?
A: Anchor the conversation to the numbers and the client’s goals. You are not pushing a product, you are offering to connect them with a specialist who can test whether the numbers stack up. Many accountants shy away from these conversations, but clients actually expect their financial advisers to raise opportunities like this. They assume you will suggest options that could improve their overall financial position and help them reach their goals, not just complete tax returns or BAS.

Q: What if the client says they are not ready?
A: Respect that. You can note it in your CRM and offer to revisit at the next review. The goal is to give clients control, not to push every opportunity to referral.

Turning conversations into referred loans with Cromeloan

Cromeloan is designed to sit behind your practice as a quiet engine that turns captured enquiries into high quality referred loans for your clients. On the front end, clients see your brand, your language and your chosen tools. Behind the scenes, Cromeloan’s broker and technology stack assess serviceability, compare thousands of products and progress the application.

Your dedicated broker receives each referral with the scenario you and the client have just worked through. This might include current loan details, property information and notes about goals such as “free up cash flow for schooling” or “line up pre approval for an upgrade next year”. That context helps your broker partner have a deeper first call and improves both conversion and client experience.

When a referred loan settles, referral commissions flow back under your agreement, giving your firm a steady income stream alongside core services. Over time, this becomes a practical example of mortgage partnership finance in action: you focus on advice, Cromeloan focuses on lending, and clients benefit from a joined up journey.

The AI Agent is an important piece of this flow. It acts as a 24 hour front door that helps clients understand their options in plain English and captures their details only when they are ready to move forward. For many clients, especially younger or busy professionals, chatting with your branded AI Agent feels less intimidating than booking a call straight away.

For your firm, this combination means you can behave like a sophisticated broker partner without having to hire credit staff or manage aggregator relationships. Cromeloan handles the messy middle. You simply integrate the tools into your workflow, build a rhythm of referrals and review outcomes with your dedicated broker.

Checklist: mapping your Cromeloan journey

• Confirm which staff can send referrals and what details they must gather.

• Decide when to use calculators and when to let the AI agent lead.

• Set up simple reporting so you can see how many referrals progress to settlement.

• Review outcomes with your Cromeloan team regularly and refine your process.

What this means for Buyers

• Buyers receive guidance that reflects both your strategic advice and Cromeloan’s lending expertise.

• They can explore options with the AI agent at any time, then speak to a human when ready.

• They see your firm as the hub that coordinates tax, planning and lending decisions in one place.

Quick Q&A

Q: Who “owns” the client relationship once we refer a loan?
A: You do. Cromeloan supports the lending journey and keeps you informed, so you remain the primary adviser while the broker manages credit work.

Q: Can Cromeloan support more complex scenarios like SMSF or self employed clients?
A: Yes. Cromeloan’s platform is built to handle a wide range of residential lending scenarios, including SMSF and self employed, with your broker partner guiding structure and product selection.

Practical tips for staff on which tool to use when

Even the best tools only work if staff know when to reach for them. A simple cheat sheet that matches common comments to specific calculators and flows can transform confidence across the team. The goal is not to turn everyone into a lending expert. It is to give every adviser a clear path from question to tool to referral.

Start by listing the top ten money questions you hear. Examples might include “Can I afford to upgrade?”, “Is this investment property worth it?” or “Are my repayments reasonable?” Map each one to a tool and a next step. For example, questions about repayments may go to Quick Rate Check, while investment property questions go to Negative Gearing Assessment or SMSF Investment Comparison.

Then, train staff on the language. Simple scripts like “Let’s run that through our calculator so we can see the impact” or “We can plug this into our home loan partner tools and, if it looks useful, I can connect you with our lending team” make conversations smooth. The more they practise, the more natural it feels.

Role play helps as well. Run internal sessions where one staff member plays a client and the other practises choosing the right tool, sharing the screen and moving to a referral. Keep the focus on listening, not selling. The aim is to make sure every staff member is comfortable moving a live conversation into a structured pathway supported by Cromeloan.

Checklist: quick tool selection guide

• Create a one page map of common questions and matching tools.

• Include a “default” tool for when staff are unsure, such as Quick Rate Check.

• Add short sample phrases staff can use to introduce each tool.

• Review usage in team meetings and share success stories.

What this means for Current borrowers

• Borrowers get a consistent experience regardless of which adviser they talk to.

• Questions about loans are met with calm, practical steps rather than vague reassurance.

• More borrowers are given the chance to explore better options through your Cromeloan journey.

Quick Q&A

Q: How much training is needed before staff start using tools?
A: Most teams can get comfortable after a couple of short sessions and some role play. The key is repetition and having a clear script to fall back on.

Q: Should support staff use the tools as well?
A: Often yes. Support staff can use tools when fielding inbound calls or emails, then capture basic details and pass the client to an adviser or directly into the referral process.

Explore Cromeloan’s partner calculators and referral journey

By this point, you can see the pattern. Client conversations already contain the raw material for a strong loan partner model. Cromeloan’s tools, AI agent and broker support give you the missing infrastructure that turns that potential into a real, trackable stream of loan referrals and settlements. Crome Loan

The next step is to explore the actual journey yourself. Open a few of the calculators, run scenarios using your own numbers and see how naturally they lend themselves to your typical meetings. Then, click through the AI agent and experience what your clients will see when they come through your branded interface.

From there, it is about making a simple plan. Decide which parts of your client base you want to focus on first. For example, you might start with existing owner occupiers who have not reviewed their loan for three years, then expand to investors and SMSF trustees. Align your internal messaging and marketing so these groups understand that your firm now has a structured home loan partner solution available.

Finally, book time with the Cromeloan team to shape the right combination of calculators, tools and referral flows for your practice. Together, you can design a broker partner journey that feels like an extension of your brand and helps more of your clients make smarter, better informed decisions about their loans.

Checklist: next steps for your firm

• Test key calculators and the AI agent from a client’s perspective.

• Choose one or two client segments to focus on first.

• Build a simple internal playbook covering tools, scripts and referral steps.

• Schedule a review with Cromeloan to refine and scale your approach.

What this means for Buyers

• Buyers know their adviser has a clear, structured way to help them explore loan options.

• They avoid jumping blindly between bank websites and can see options in one place through your Cromeloan partnership.

• Their lending decisions feel connected to the rest of their financial plan, not separate from it.

Quick Q&A

Q: Can we start small and scale up later?
A: Yes. Many firms begin with a handful of engaged advisers and a few key tools, then expand once they see the impact on clients and revenue.

Q: How do we measure success?
A: Track referrals sent, calls completed, approvals and settlements alongside estimated savings or improved outcomes for clients. Over time, you will see both financial and relationship benefits.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not financial, tax or credit advice. Before acting on any information, consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and seek advice from a licensed professional.