Contacting homeowners in challenging times
For a Better Customer Experience
In 2013, ING will actively approach 20,000 Dutch homeowners who are expected to get into financial difficulty to help prevent them from falling behind on their mortgage payments. ING customers can also call the mortgage hotline (Hypotheek Hulplijn) for financial advice or take a test online to gain an insight into their individual mortgage situation. This tool is aimed at helping ensure that ING provides products and services that are accessible and that contribute to the financial wellbeing of our customers.
In the past few years there has been a tendency for customers in financial difficulty to refrain from making this known until it was late – often too late. In addition, in the past mortgage lenders would take action if the customer stopped making payments. We want to change this by getting in touch with customers before it is too later and provide them with more insight into their situation. The sooner customers have a grasp on their own mortgage situation and speak with us, the greater the chance that they can prevent getting behind on their payments.
The group of people that ING will actively approach includes people who have just got onto the property ladder with high mortgages, people who have been behind on their mortgage payments in the past and small, self-employed entrepreneurs.
Online Mortgage Stress Test
In addition to the existing mortgage tool, ING is introducing a quick and simple online test that lets homeowners know if their mortgage needs to be looked at more closely. Based on 10 questions regarding the mortgage and the homeowner’s current and future financial situation, the online test provides an initial look at the individual mortgage situation.
If the test reveals that the mortgage should be looked at more carefully, homeowners are informed on which measures they can take to prevent possible problems. Dennis Noordervliet, director of Mortgage Marketing at ING: “Handy tips are provided so homeowners can maintain a grip on their financial situation. They are, for example, tips on how to start repaying the mortgage or on repaying the mortgage early in order to reduce any remaining debt in the event of a sale of the house. They can also make use of the various services provided by the Dutch National Institute for Family Finance Information (Nibud) including a tool to calculate the homeowner’s financial buffer, personal budget advice and a savings plan.”
For more information about how ING aims to improve the Customer Experience,