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21 August 2025 F E A T U R E S T O R Y August 2025 » themortgagepoint.com Emerging technologies—especially in AI—now enable what the mortgage industry has long needed: digital support that combines the efficiency of technolo- gy with the empathy of the human touch. Discovering a New Model S calable and secure digital tools that support the customer journey can bridge the gap between customer intent and loan conversion. These solutions make support more effective, more contextual, and more human. Think of the evolution this way … The old model is characterized by call center queues; a series of "we'll get back to you" replies; and half-answered questions. The modern model features proac- tive, on-page support during the appli- cation process; context-driven AI assis- tants with high understanding rates; and intelligent escalations to human agents already equipped with context. By meeting borrowers where they are—and providing support teams with tools that work across channels—lenders can dramatically reduce abandonment and convert more applications into loans. Preventing Borrower Drop-Off A bandonment does not happen all at once. It begins with hesitation … a confusing field, a question left unan- swered, a document that will not upload. Even at that point, most borrowers do not cancel, they may pause the process. They say they will return, but rarely do. How Can Lenders Stop This Hemorrhaging of Borrowers? 1. Be proactive, not passive: Waiting for a borrower to ask for help is too late. Smart digital engagement starts by anticipating when and where borrowers are likely to need help. Behavioral cues—like a stalled appli- cation, repeated field edits, or a long hov- er over a specific question—can trigger a timely intervention. A better experience might involve an AI virtual assistant popping up on screen with guidance or offering to connect the borrower with a human agent right as these behavior cues start to happen. The key is to step in be- fore confusion becomes frustration—and frustration leads to abandonment. 2. Preserve context across channels: Borrowers don't think in terms of "channels." They just want help. Whether they're using a laptop at home, switching to mobile at lunch, or clicking a support link in a follow-up email, they expect the interaction to carry over. The loan process—despite being digital—still carries the complexity of its analog predecessor. It is filled with financial jargon, unfamiliar document requirements, and high-stakes decisions.