1.31.21

Ep. 107: Building a Passionate, Servant-Centered Career

Consumers Mortgage Loan Officer Omar Khayyam explains how the key to mortgage sales starts with a culture of excellent member service.

 

[transcript]

0:00:06.5 Lynne Jarman-Johnson: Money, I’m Home. Welcome in. I’m Lynne Jarman-Johnson with Consumers Credit Union, and we have everything from you, from finance to fitness. And one of our favorite things to do is to introduce you to one of our team members, especially someone who is growing their career with Consumers. Joining us today is Omar Khayyam, and he is the mortgage loan officer with Consumers and a very good friend. Hi, Omar, thanks for being with us today.

0:00:32.7 Omar Khayyam: Hi, Lynne. I’m glad to be here. Thanks for having me.

0:00:35.0 LJJ: Well, you know, I had a really great conversation with our team in our education training department, and I think that you are what I would call a rock star in careers, in that you didn’t start out in mortgages. So, tell us a little bit about your background.

0:00:51.1 OK: Absolutely. I have about 10 years of a banking background before I came to Consumers. I initially was with a bank here locally in town, and most of my experience was in consumer sales, though it was credit cards, helping people with checking accounts, savings accounts, things like that, and some experience in home equity. And so, I think the home equity experience has probably been the most helpful in the mortgage journey. So, I spent about 10 years with another bank here, and then I actually did take a little bit of a detour after I left there and got into insurance, and I sold insurance for a couple of years as well. And then I saw the position posted for Consumers, and I knew that I wanted to get back into banking or into the banking world. I didn’t know exactly how, and when I saw the posting, I had to jump at it, even though, to be honest, I thought for sure that I pretty much didn’t have a chance, but I still wanted to jump at it just to try to get my foot back into the banking world.

0:02:12.0 LJJ: Well, okay, so first off, 10 years’ experience and then also sales experience, and you know that Consumers hires on culture, meaning people who are caring, committed and passionate and kind. And Omar, you are all of that rolled into one. So, we’re really, really pleased that you did decide to apply. So, tell us, when you first started, back before even you got into banking, was that always something in the back of your mind that you have aspired to be in sales? It sounds to me that you’re very sales-oriented, which for us means service.

0:02:47.2 OK: Yeah, you know what’s funny about that is when I came to Consumers and I heard the culture, and I went through the training, and I listened to the culture and the way you guys approach sales, I knew at that time… And I know it sounds a little corny. But I knew right at that moment that I was home, you know, that I had found my place. Because honestly, I didn’t always see myself as a salesperson. I’m probably not what you would consider the typical sales guy. I always looked at sales as service. I never looked at it as, “I have a product, and I’m going to push it on whoever walks in the door.” I always looked at it as, “I have a product that I believe can be helpful, and I’m going to share this with everyone. And the people that it helps, I want to connect with them and help. If it’s not a good fit, I want to make sure that I point you in the right direction that is a good fit for you, even if that means you’re not doing business with me personally, or even the company that I represent.” And that hasn’t always been loved or accepted at some places I’ve been in the past. So I love the idea of sales as service; helping people with a need, and helping them find a product or find a way to address that need.

0:04:20.9 LJJ: Well, I’ll tell you, we are in one of the hottest sales markets for mortgages and for homes that there has been that I can remember. Tell us, what is a mortgage loan officer, and what’s a day in the life look like for Omar?

0:04:35.5 OK: A mortgage loan officer really is an agent to help Consumers connect them to a mortgage product, to either buy a home or to refinance a mortgage that they already have. For me, starting in 2020, a day in the life changed a bit, because we were doing most of our work remote and at home. And so, my average day, it consists of phone calls from members and prospective members just asking questions about the mortgage process. They’re either looking to buy a home and they have a few questions, and they come in at varying levels. Some people, this may be their third or fourth home and they know the process and they just have a few particular questions, and some people have no experience and they want to have you walk them through the process, and so we’re glad to help with both.

0:05:33.3 LJJ: How has technology changed? I know that we have extremely high-rated apps, one that’s very specific, called our Fast App Mortgage, that has connected people in a way, especially with COVID. Has that been surprising to you, Omar, in how many people now feel very comfortable using technology?

0:05:52.4 OK: It is. It’s a bit surprising, I think, at the curve because for some reason, a lot of people don’t like change. When the Fast App first came out and was first introduced, I knew that eventually it would be something that people would gravitate to, because it is easy and it helps make their process easier. But with COVID and the way that’s kind of affected businesses everywhere, I think that it did push that process along a bit faster, with people getting used to the app and wanting to use it, but it also has helped a lot highlight how helpful it is, because now once you’re kind of… You don’t necessarily have many options, and you have to kind of start using technology to get things done, it definitely helps that Consumers has that app to make the process a lot easier.

0:06:47.9 LJJ: Now, do me a favor and think about in the last year or so, and tell me… Because I know for a fact that I’ve received emails and notes about the service that you provide and that Consumers provides, but do you have a favorite story of someone that you helped? You don’t have to mention names, but… Or even someone that you didn’t help intentionally and steered them into a different direction that really makes you proud?

0:07:16.4 OK: So, it’s probably somewhat difficult to say a favorite. I love helping people in general, but I would say one that comes to mind is just a younger couple, so the first-time home buyer, and those I love. It’s the first time that they’re going to do this, and they’re probably never going to forget the experience, and whether that’s good or bad.

0:07:38.4 LJJ: Actually, I remember being scared to death, you know? You were just scared. You didn’t know… Right?

0:07:43.9 OK: Yes. Absolutely, yeah, yeah. And I think that’s where… So, this couple, they kept apologizing throughout the process, because they had a lot of questions. And so, they kept apologizing, they kept apologizing, like, “I’m so sorry we have so many questions.” And I just told them like, “Hey, this is what I’m here for, this is what I love, is helping you guys through this process.” So for me, watching them at the end of it all, as we went through the process and they got more comfortable and more comfortable as they saw, “Okay, this isn’t… It’s not like pulling teeth. This is going to be enjoyable; it can be fun.” And for me, a lot of it is… And something that I used with them is, as I’m going through the process, I try to lay out how it’s going to go, so there’s not a lot of… You don’t have that surprise. It’s, this is from Point A to Z, this is how we’re going to get there, and this is going to make it easy for everyone involved. And when we got to the end, the smile on their face was satisfying for me, but then also them just letting me know that this was one of the easiest processes that they’ve ever been through, not to mention buying a home. Buying a car was almost more difficult than this, and that made me feel really good.

0:09:13.3 LJJ: What a compliment, Omar. Well, I’ll tell you what, thank you so much for joining us today. This has been just delightful to chat with you. And right now, people just really do have the questions, and we’re so glad that you took the time to answer some of those, Omar.

0:09:28.9 OK: Absolutely, thank you. I’m glad to be here. Thanks for having me.

0:09:32.0 OK: I’ll tell you what, we have just a fabulous opportunity for you. It’s called Fresh Start Mortgage Sweepstakes. Yup, it’s your own home sweepstakes for your Fresh Start home equity, mortgage. Stop online, consumerscu.org/freshstart. I’ll tell you what, you might win $20,000. Why not you? How about 25? How about 10? How about 15? There’s lots of money coming your way. And you know what? There’s lots of service. People just like Omar who are ready to help you, so thank you so much for joining us today. I’m Lynne Jarman-Johnson with Consumers Credit Union, “Money, I’m Home.” Join us next week.

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  1. Nikisha Davis says:

    Hi!I How can I get ahold of Mr. Omar???

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