Google and AI Can't Match the Trust of a Good Broker
Our director, Alan MacKenzie, features prominently in a recent piece by Mortgage Introducer exploring the evolving role of mortgage brokers in the age of AI and online information — and his perspective is one we're proud to stand behind.
Building Your Next Step from the ground up
The article opens with the story of how Your Next Step came to be. Alan launched the business in 2022 — not the easiest moment to start a brokerage, with mortgage rates soaring and markets in turmoil. But having spent over a decade advising clients at First Direct and First Mortgage, he saw an opportunity to build something different.
Three years on, the business is thriving. The team has grown, strong local partnerships are in place, and a fourth broker is expected to join this year. The model is hybrid — flexible home working combined with regular in-person client meetings — and it's one that clients have responded to warmly, with WhatsApp becoming a key channel for keeping communication fast, clear, and reassuring.
Information isn't the same as advice
At the heart of the article is a question the industry is grappling with: in a world where clients can Google anything, does a mortgage broker still add real value?
For Alan, the answer is unequivocal.
"There's a big difference between information and advice. Google and AI tools can't match the personal trust that comes from speaking to someone who understands the full picture, especially when you're dealing with over a hundred lenders, each with constantly shifting criteria."
He points to the professional tools available to brokers — affordability checkers, criteria search engines, whole-of-market access — as something that simply can't be replicated by a search engine.
"When clients see that we're using technology they can't get, it builds trust. They start to understand that our role is to guide, simplify, and save them money, something Google just can't do."
Cutting through the jargon
Alan is equally clear on the importance of client education — not as a one-off explainer, but as an ongoing part of the relationship.
"It really comes down to avoiding jargon. We're at the start of the buying process, but we make sure clients understand what's coming next — from missives to legal contracts."
That means detailed follow-up emails after every conversation, plain-English translations of technical terms, and a standing invitation for clients to ask anything, however basic it might seem. As Alan puts it: "We tell every client: there's no such thing as a silly question."
Experience is the real differentiator
With so many brokers in the market offering access to similar products, Alan believes it's experience — and how you apply it — that sets the best advisers apart.
"Too many people try to become brokers after working for a single lender. That's not enough. Clients can tell the difference between someone with 12 years' experience across different environments and someone just starting out."
And when it comes to availability, the team adapts to whatever works best for each client — whether that's email, phone, or WhatsApp.
"We've got CEOs and law firm partners who only want to deal via WhatsApp. For them, it's about convenience and trust. These tools let us be available when they are, without losing professionalism."
What it all comes down to
The article closes with a thought that captures the Your Next Step philosophy as well as anything:
"Clients don't need more information, they need confidence. And that's something only a good adviser can provide."
It's a reminder of why we do what we do — and why, whatever tools and technology emerge, the relationship between a client and a trusted adviser remains at the heart of good mortgage advice.
If you'd like to experience that for yourself, we'd love to hear from you.
👉 Read the full article on Mortgage Introducer: Google and AI 'can't match' the trust of a good broker
Speak to our team today at ynsmortgage.com