The mortgage industry is in a full-on tech revolution. If you think you can keep doing business the way you did 10 years ago and survive, you’re dead wrong.
The next generation of homebuyers expects a seamless digital experience, but they also want a human touch when they need it. That means mortgage companies have to figure out how to blend automation with real connection—and fast.
That’s why I sat down with Liz Short, CEO of Short Solutions, a consulting firm that helps mortgage companies optimize their people, processes, and technology. Liz is a 20+ year mortgage industry veteran (though she somehow still looks 25), and she’s obsessed with one thing: getting sh*t done.
If you’re struggling to implement technology, scale your business, or even just make your CRM work the way it’s supposed to, Liz has some no-BS insights that will help you right now.
Why Most Mortgage Companies Are Screwing Up Technology
Liz sees the same problems over and over when it comes to tech adoption in mortgage companies:
- No Clear Vision
- Companies buy software because it sounds good, but they don’t have a strategy for using it.
- They let the technology dictate their process instead of building tech around their actual needs.
- Trying to Do Too Much at Once
- Mortgage execs think they can roll out 10 different solutions at the same time—then wonder why nothing gets adopted.
- They overestimate what they can do in a month and underestimate what they can accomplish in a year.
- Tech Isn’t Integrated Properly
- Many companies claim they have a “fully integrated tech stack,” but in reality, it’s just some guy named Bob exporting data from one system and uploading it to another.
- If your tech doesn’t talk to each other, you don’t have a tech stack—you have a mess.
The Right Way to Implement Technology in Your Mortgage Business
So, how do you actually get this stuff to work?
Here’s Liz’s three-step framework for making tech work FOR you instead of against you:
1. Define Your Vision First
Before you sign up for anything, get crystal clear on what you actually need. Ask yourself:
- What’s my biggest bottleneck right now?
- What are my non-negotiables in a CRM, LOS, or POS?
- Does this software align with the way I want to run my business?
If you don’t know where you’re going, no software will get you there.
2. Focus on One Thing at a Time
Instead of trying to fix everything at once, find ONE problem and solve it completely before moving on.
For example:
- If lead conversion is an issue, fix your CRM and follow-up automation first.
- If your team is drowning in manual tasks, focus on LOS integrations before touching anything else.
3. Make Sure Your Tech Actually Works Together
Your LOS, CRM, and marketing automation need to be in sync. If they aren’t, you’re wasting time and money.
Pro Tip:
- If you have to manually enter the same data in multiple places, your tech stack is broken.
- Before adding new tech, make sure you’re fully using the features of what you already have.