In a time where technology is changing how industries work, the commercial finance sector in the UK is right at the forefront of big changes too. Digital transformation is not a fancy term anymore, it is an important force that's changing how commercial finance brokers do their jobs. These experts, who used to just connect businesses with lenders, are now dealing with a digital world full of new chances and difficulties.
As a leading commercial finance broker in the UK, we understand how the world is changing with this bend of every market with the rapid digitisation. The shift in digital financing via various means is completely disrupting the market and their needs.
In this blog, we will discuss what are the aspects that have seen changes with this digital uprise, and what are how brokers are adapting for tomorrow.
Understanding the Changing Landscape
The National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB) reported a significant increase in lending through brokers to £45 billion in 2022, showing a notable 10% rise from the previous year. This rise highlights how important brokers are in the financial world, helping businesses get the money they need even when they've been turned down by others. What's interesting from the NACFB's survey is that more businesses from different sectors are asking for loans, especially in property, construction, and manufacturing.
Commercial finance brokers aren't just doing the usual broker jobs anymore, but acting more like modern-day bank managers. This change is partly because fewer banks have branches on the high street now, so brokers are stepping up to offer a wider range of financial help.
Expanding Role in a Digital Ecosystem
Commercial finance brokers are becoming more important in the digital world. We do more than just help with loans. We also advise on digital banking. With digital platforms and fintech (financial technology) partnerships becoming common, brokers need to help customers understand and use these new tools for business growth and efficiency.
As digital changes happen more in the industry, it's important to think about rules and ethics too. Brokers have to deal with lots of laws about keeping data safe and following digital money rules. We also need to think about ethics, especially when using AI and machine learning to make decisions. It's crucial to make sure clients trust us and know we're doing the right thing. This means being careful and honest in this digital day and age.
Hyper-Personalised Customer Experiences
The push for super-customised service is changing what customers expect in commercial finance. Brokers are using AI and fancy maths to give advice and suggest products that suit each customer. This makes customers happier and more involved. Brokers also use this personal touch to stop fraud and make workflow more efficient.
Digital transformation also provided brokers with new ways to offer personalised services. By looking at data, brokers can understand exactly what each customer wants and needs, and offer them the perfect financial solutions. Using digital platforms makes applying for loans much quicker and easier, making the process hassle-free. Plus, being able to help online means brokers can be there for customers all the time, making things easier and more convenient for everyone.
Everyone is using various digital tools to do things like process loan applications and check risks automatically, which means we have more time to give strategic advice. Digital platforms also help brokers find more financial products and lenders, giving customers a better service overall. This move towards digital ways of working means brokers can help clients quicker and better than we could before.
Strategic Cost Transformation and Regulatory Adaptability
During uncertain economic times, commercial finance brokers are trying to find a middle ground between saving money and investing in new ideas. This balance is important for keeping up with new rules while also trying to grow using digital methods.
By concentrating on running things well and following the rules, while also trying out new ideas, brokers are helping customers handle tricky financial and technological advancements.
Using Generative AI for Enhanced Services
Generative AI is poised to change commercial finance brokering by doing tricky jobs automatically, making risk management better, and understanding what customers want more deeply. Brokers who use AI can provide advanced services, like automatically deciding on loans or predicting good investments. This AI use doesn't just make service better but also shows brokers are thinking ahead.
Commercial finance brokers need more than just financial and negotiation skills, digital literacy also plays an important role. This means being able to understand and analyse data to give customers the best advice. It's also important to know about cybersecurity to keep clients' information safe online. Brokers need to keep learning and adapting to new technology to stay on top of things.
This shift towards digital platforms, cloud-based technology, and data analytics is essential for commercial finance brokers to navigate successfully.
Educating Clients and Embracing Digital Literacy
As digital finance keeps on evolving, brokers play a vital part in teaching clients about the upsides and downsides of digital investments and transactions. By improving and understanding more digital tools and keeping up with the latest technological trends, brokers can give effective and helpful advice to customers. This helps them make smart decisions and plan their finances better.
The Rise of Digital Payment Methods
The world of financing has changed a lot, with more people using digital ways to pay like mobile wallets, contactless cards, and peer-to-peer apps. The use of cryptocurrencies and digital money from central banks and various other places is becoming more popular too. This means banks are spending more money on improving how payments work.
For commercial finance brokers, it's crucial to keep up and help our customers understand these new ways of doing financial transactions online.
Cost Management and Regulation Shifts
As the commercial banking sector navigates through changing economic conditions, there's a growing emphasis on strategic cost management and compliance with new regulatory challenges. Commercial banks are investing in generative AI and expanding their data capabilities to boost innovation, simplify compliance, and automate risk management.
This can be applied by commercial finance brokers too. This dual focus on addressing today's challenges while preparing for future growth is critical.
Latest Trends in Digital Financing for Commercial Finance Brokers
As discussed above, the landscape of digital transformation within the UK's commercial finance sector is poised for a significant evolution in 2024, reflecting broader global trends but with unique local nuances.
Our analyses reveal several key areas of focus and development:
1. Accelerated Digital Transformation: The banking and financial services in the UK will keep moving towards more digital ways, driven by how customers want to use tech and by new tech getting better. This means more people using things like mobile wallets and contactless payments, and companies using AI and data to give customers personal experiences.
2. Generative AI and Data Architecture: Using fancy AI in finance faces a big challenge because of old computer systems and making sure data is handled properly. UK companies that can fix these problems and use AI well will probably be the leaders in new ideas and giving good service in 2024.
3. Open Banking Evolution: Open banking will become even more normal, meaning better and more personal banking services. This will help people make payments easily, give them better tools to manage their money and help spot fraud more easily. Using open ways to share financial information will lead to more new ideas, giving customers even better service and experience.
4. Payment Friction Reduction: Making payments easier will be important, so more work on things like making buying things online smoother and connecting payments with other services needs to be done. Focus on making sure you follow rules, and trying out new payment technology to make it easier for customers to pay.
5. Strategic Technological Investments: According to Deloitte, finance leaders need to be quick to react to technological changes, like using AI more, moving to the cloud, and being careful about online security. Spending money smartly on these things will be important for dealing with all the changes and making the most of new digital ways for daily transactions.
Exploring New Age Financing With Knight’s Row
The role of commercial finance brokers in shaping property financing is incredibly important right now. They're using new digital ideas, understanding rules, coming up with clever ways to finance things, and helping with investments that are good for the environment.
Brokers are laying the groundwork for how lending will work in the future. And as things keep changing, their know-how and ability to adapt will be really useful for investors who need help with the tricky world of commercial property finance.
Knight’s Row is here to assist businesses in every sector and with any commercial property needs they have. If you qualify for funding, we have the means to find it for you. We're completely impartial, working with a panel of lenders that covers the whole market.
Explore our services to learn more about financial lending options, and help you navigate the future of financing.