Dudley Building Society has started the phased roll-out of a new intermediary portal, with the technology now available to a select group of brokers.

The launch coincides with the implementation of the society’s new mortgage origination platform, both of which have been delivered by Ohpen, which provides a cloud-based alternative to legacy systems for banks, mortgage lenders and building societies.

The launch forms part of The Dudley’s wider digitisation programme and has been shaped by feedback from brokers. The society has focused on improving the application journey, introducing changes to simplify case placement, improve progress tracking and speed up decision making with a clearer day-to-day experience for brokers.

The new platform has been designed to reduce packaging requirements, speed up submissions and provide clearer case-tracking for intermediaries. This is also set to cut down on the back-and-forth typically involved in document handling, helping to streamline the process from decision in principle through to full application.

Furthermore, The Dudley has removed or digitised several manual processes to improve operational efficiency and allowing underwriters to focus more directly on decision-making rather than administration.

Head of intermediary relations at Dudley Building Society, Paul Purewal, said that the society has listened carefully to broker feedback, and the launch is about making the firm "easier to do business with in a practical sense".

He stated: "The new platform improves speed and simplicity across the journey. Submissions are quicker, packaging requirements are reduced, and brokers have better visibility of their cases from start-to-finish, with less need for manual follow-ups.

"We have also streamlined a number of internal processes. Tasks that previously took around 45 minutes can now be completed in a matter of minutes, which supports faster decision-making and helps us improve our service levels and overall turnaround times.

"Importantly, while we are introducing more automation and beginning to bring AI into parts of the process, we are still committed to human underwriting. Brokers can expect the same common-sense approach, backed by better systems and quicker outcomes.

"We will be rolling the new system out to brokers in a phased manner in the weeks ahead, with invitations to use the new platform being sent by the Dudley team. This launch marks the start of our wider digitisation journey for brokers and their customers. It allows us to be more dynamic in how we develop and launch products, respond more quickly to market changes, and continue improving the experience we offer to intermediaries."

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