Chapter two with Anthony Hong: The stitch up

Inevitability I found myself outside the bank building, without a building pass, car keys and phone. I was left there alone with a box of personal belongings.

Suffice to say the car and mobile phone were bank property but it still left me feeling a bit cold. When I made the decision, all this came quick. It was time to take care of myself, kick things up a notch as I had a month on “gardening leave” and I had no intentions to garden, Ubering crossed my mind but certainly not landscaping.

My aim was to ensure I was set up for the future and nothing was left unturned so I began researching different types of aggregators, the differences, what roles they played and who to speak to. After I was accredited with my aggregator I discovered the less interaction I had with my aggregator the better their online system worked. The fact is, there is no cheat sheet and you really need to do your research.

I had a good solid four weeks to start completing all my training courses before my employment effectively came to an end. At the start it seemed quite easy, considering I was just going through what I already knew. After the second course it got tough when I realised I was just doing the same thing for different respective industry partners, although I went brain dead I knew this was the beginning. Between courses and mentally jumping off a cliff I had to ensure I also got all my licensing and insurance right. This got me looking into upgrading my certificate to a diploma - not a requirement but I guess I just wanted to obtain a higher level of recognition and credibility for my future clients.

The plan was to line my wall up with credentials, certificates and accreditations. I envisaged bringing my clients into a corner office with city views, sports memorabilia lined along the window sill, a collection of old record labels in the bookshelf and expensive scotch. So far I have a blank wall, a desk, a pile of files, one framed certificate and a water bottle I often refill myself at the local watering hole... it was not a stitch up I keep reminding myself, it’s part of the journey.
 

With over 10 years’ experience in the banking and financial services industry, PMM Australia broker Anthony Hong identifies that the key to building and maintaining client relationships is primarily down to a meticulous level of customer service as well as continually educating clients about ever-changing products and services available in the market.