2019-01-14
10 Years of SortRefer with Richard Evans
Find out how the business has grown during the past ten years from one of our longest employees, Richard Evans.
What is your role at SortRefer?
Telephone Account Manager for the South East Region.
What were your previous roles?
I have worked in the financial industry in differing roles for 38 years and for various companies including, Bank of Ireland, Burnley Building Society and Melton Mowbray Building Society.
Has your role changed much since starting back in 2009?
I have had a couple of different roles over the years; Customer Service Manager, Midlands Regional Account Manager and now a Telephone Account Manager. Starting the business with only four people meant that you had to take on various responsibilities that weren’t your own and pick up on anything that needed doing between us.
During the first couple of years, we had an external IT consultant who ran his own sandwich shop, where our server used to be located!! Sometimes while he worked on our IT proposition, I would help out in his shop and sell sandwiches. In contrast, we now have our own IT department with numerous IT specialists working full time.
What was the first couple of years at SortRefer like?
It was definitely interesting. We didn’t know where we were we were getting the next few cases from. It took us a while to get a website up and running so we had to use Excel spreadsheets to generate quotes and then email them to Brokers. Our first 50 Brokers registered with SortRefer either over the phone or used email to provide their details. When we set up the first website, we were achieving a pipeline of about 5 cases a day!
How has the business grown since then?
The growth of the business for the first two years was steady while putting a website and all the foundations together. Afterwards, the business multiplied as we consolidated relationships with introducers and suppliers.
We introduced a customer service department, which none of our competitors had at the time giving us that competitive edge! The Sort group is now not just for Mortgage Brokers but for Estate Agents with our Agent Butler brand and the recent addition of Sort Legal.
Did you ever think SortRefer would be as successful as it is today?
Having a positive mindset is key. During the first few years, we would work morning, noon and night as we really wanted the business to be successful. Kev also had the vision and the commitment to always take us to the next level, which has paid off.
What makes SortRefer so unique?
We pride ourselves in the staff we employ at SortRefer. Finding the right kind of individuals who have the same energy as their colleagues is essential. We invest in the development of all staff and hold the ISO27001 certification which in turn leads to providing our customers with the best service. The whole team has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry and are drawn from ex-mortgage brokers to lenders and specialists within the financial services industry. What’s your most memorable experience from the past ten years?
After initially setting the company up, we received our first ever case. We bought the first bottle of champagne to celebrate! What would you say is SortRefer’s more significant achievement to date?
Being formally recognised by fellow industry professionals at numerous award dinners, not only for the quality of service we provide but the provision of quality and professional IT services to all over Brokers be them Mortgage Brokers, IFAs and Estate Agents.
Sum up the past ten years in three words?
Entertaining, Satisfying and Rewarding.
