Kent Reliance has launched a live web chat and broker "buddy system" to its intermediary service.
The additions are part of Kent Reliance for Intermediaries' service enhancement programme to help brokers with "heavy workloads".
The lender has assigned a "buddy" on its broker liaison team to each of its senior business development managers, intended to provide quick responses to broker queries if the latter is unavailable.
A live web chat is also now available on the Kent Reliance website, designed to offer an "additional communication route" for criteria related questions.
Simon Cockerill, head of sales at OneSavings Bank, said: "It has been an exciting year with plenty of development and rapid sales expansion but we have never lost sight of what our brokers are asking for.
"Over the last few months we've been working on a number of initiatives to help brokers with their heavy workloads and these service enhancements form a key part of these improvements."
Kent Reliance has also amended its portfolio submission support, allowing its broker liaison team to enter client’s details directly onto the lender’s platform in an effort to "streamline the application process".
Rachel Lummis, mortgage adviser at Xpress Mortgages, said Kent Reliance have listened to brokers and their "wish list" with the new features providing potential to add real value to a mortgage adviser's business.
She said: "The buddy system, already implemented by other lenders, can only further enhance their already top business development manager service.
"Often, when an adviser needs to contact a business development manager, it is because they need help there and then - immediate answers can mean the difference between an adviser placing business with them or going elsewhere."
Ms Lummis said assistance in portfolio submission is the "icing on the cake" of Kent Reliance's service.
She said: "When dealing with landlords who have large portfolios, any assistance from lenders to get across the client's portfolio on to their specific platform can save the client and broker hours of work."
rachel.addison@ft.com
