It’s no secret that my team and I are celebrating this year. This is because 2023 marks the 20-year anniversary since the launch of Accord Mortgages.  

Accord was launched on 14 April 2003, when we were looking to diversify our mortgages and focus on a separate offering for brokers, with a dedicated team, proposition and products, and an original product range focused purely on specialist lending. Looking back on this anniversary year, I can see how much the brand and what we offer has evolved during that time.  

As for the market, what a 20-years it’s been! With so much change, not least in the last few years with the covid pandemic, swiftly followed by the cost-of-living crisis – events that no one could have realistically predicted.  

Looking back  

It’s certainly true that, from a personal perspective, an anniversary is a perfect time to look back and take stock, and this applies equally in the business world. As we all know, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day without lifting your head above the parapet, no matter what your position or role in an organisation. So, I’d encourage everyone – lenders and brokers alike – to use any upcoming business milestones as a great opportunity to look at the wider picture, consider where they’ve come from, how they got here, and most importantly, where they are going – as a business, a team or an individual.  

Looking at where, and how, you started means really appreciating and acknowledging your heritage as a business, and what it means to colleagues and customers. Everyone loves a good story, solid foundations, long-term stability and a clear direction and purpose. And there are many ways you can use this to celebrate and enhance your brand, especially when you reach a significant milestone. 

Starting with where your story began also allows you to re-connect with your purpose as a business. For us, as part of Yorkshire Building Society, this meant reflecting on our journey starting in 1852, with a clear objective to help our members buy a home. So, despite being a relatively ‘new’ brand, we still have a great history behind us. 

Consider the now 

The next step is recognising how you’ve got to where you are, and the steps you’ve taken to date. Most importantly, this means acknowledging your people, the relationships they’ve built, and the massive role they’ve played in your success from day one. It’s not just about offering a product or service – the quality of that service can make or break you – this is why it’s so important to make your customers feel special, and something we take very seriously at Accord.  

It’s also crucial to look at where you are in the moment. For example, reviewing your customer service experience, even if there are no obvious problems, as things change quickly and it’s important to flex as your customers’ needs evolve. Is the size of your team fit to provide the best possible service? Are you in the right locations to reach all those who might need your help?  These are all questions that lenders and brokers should ask themselves on a regular basis.  

Staying up-to-date with the market and keeping abreast of what’s out there and what’s new – as well as what competitors are doing – are also steps that everyone in our fast-moving industry should be taking regularly, especially now, when the market is such a volatile place and it can be difficult to keep on top of its direction.  

Focus on the future 

Finally, an anniversary is obviously very positive – not least because it helps us to look to the future. Where are we going? Where do we want to be at the next milestone and how do we intend to get there? Having a clear direction is important, and also ensures that we can stay focused on what’s next. Looking to the future can help us all to assess our strengths, where we need to make improvements, and future strategies.  

This means that, when the time comes, we hope to have even more to celebrate at the next milestone – something that, at Accord, we’re certainly aiming for.  

Jeremy Duncombe is managing director of Accord Mortgages