When keeping up started taking over the day

Nick Lissikatos spent around 10 years working in banking before becoming a mortgage broker. Like many brokers building their own book, Nick spent the first few years doing whatever needed to be done. He was writing loans, speaking with clients, following up lenders and trying to make sure nothing was missed. Some days stretched to 12–13 hours.

“The first couple of years are just mayhem. You’re doing what needs to be done, and then you get to a point where you want to smooth out the processes, get a bit of routine in and be more efficient rather than doing 12 or 13-hour days every day,” Nick says.

The systems around him were becoming part of the pressure. Settlement tracking and client information sat in Google spreadsheets. Tasks went into Outlook as 15 or 30-minute calendar appointments. On one day, Nick looked at his calendar and saw around 50 entries.

“I thought, this isn’t practical. There’s got to be a better way,” he says.

That mattered because communication is central to how Trelos Finance wins and keeps clients. Nick estimates at least 40% of the business comes through word of mouth. He says his client reviews regularly mention clear communication and feeling safe through the lending process.

For Nick, the challenge was creating enough structure to stay close to clients without every follow-up competing for space in his calendar or his head.

One place to see what happens next

The launch of Salestrekker 2.0 gave Nick the opportunity to rethink how he managed that workload.

His first move was practical. Tasks came out of Outlook and into Salestrekker 2.0, where they could sit against the relevant client and deal. Today’s follow-up can be tracked alongside something due in three months, six months or even five years when a passport expires.

“It’s easier to see everything in one spot,” Nick says. “I can go into one file and see the settlement, what we’re waiting on and what the client still needs to send me.”

Templates are also helping Nick reduce repetitive work without making communication feel generic. He uses SMS templates for birthdays and expiring identification, while email templates give him a starting point for updates such as loan approval and next steps.

Salestrekker 2.0’s AI compliance notes are now used on every file. Nick describes the compliance capability as invaluable because it gives him another layer of structure around an area where accuracy matters.

The structure has also changed how he thinks about support. During a short period working with an offshore assistant, Nick used Salestrekker tasks to assign work and make expectations clearer. As he considers adding support staff again, having work documented in one place gives him a better starting point.

“At the end of the day, we’re dealing with people’s money. We’re dealing with people’s data,” Nick says.

For him, better structure is also about reducing risk and having confidence that important information and follow-ups are not being missed.

Hundreds of hours back and more room to grow

The clearest result for Nick is time.

Asked how much productivity Salestrekker 2.0 has given back to the business, his answer is simple: “Hundreds of hours. It’s invaluable.”

That time now goes back into clients and the business.

“It gives me more time to speak to more people or to build out better workflows,” Nick says.

The impact is also personal. When asked whether having client tasks and deal information in one place had reduced his stress, Nick answered, “One hundred per cent.”

That visibility supports the service standard Trelos Finance relies on. A reminder that a client’s ID expires in 30 days takes seconds to send, but Nick sees those small touches as part of showing clients that their broker is paying attention. With at least 40% of business coming from word of mouth, consistent service has a direct role in protecting future referrals.

The value goes beyond the current workload. Nick has discussed the future value of his loan book with a potential buyer and sees clear processes, procedures and client records as part of building a stronger business. He is also considering acquiring another mortgage broking business and bringing on more support staff.

Nick believes that growth would be harder without the structure he now has in Salestrekker 2.0.

For a broker who wanted to move away from long days and manual tracking, the change is practical and measurable. There is more visibility, less stress and more time to stay in touch with clients. Just as importantly, Trelos Finance has a clearer way of working that can support the next stage of the business.