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Author: Rob Stronach, Chief Client Officer
In today’s fast-paced environment, agility and flexibility are critical for staying competitive across all industries. One of the biggest challenges enterprise software startups face is balancing the need to onboard new clients while continuing to deliver superior support to existing ones. When clients are being onboarded, it’s common for there to be customisation requests to ensure the software helps the customer achieve their target operating model. Meeting these requests, while simultaneously handling charge requests from live clients can soak up engineering resources and slow down wider product development. Given the complexities and nuances in mortgage lending, this is a prominent challenge and the scope of possible requests from clients are wide ranging, meaning we can be pulled in many different directions.
For Mast, the key to overcoming this hurdle has been developing highly customisable workflows, allowing clients to make system adjustments without relying on external support, and keeping them ahead of the curve. By building a self-service system across five core areas—policies, affordability, products, automations, and teams—Mast enables lenders to quickly adapt and innovate, positioning themselves ahead of their competition while maintaining seamless, self-sufficient operations. This flexibility also allows us to meet the many customisation requests from our existing clients, while standing out as a supplier to possible new customers.
The cornerstone of this approach is our self-service configuration system, built across five key areas: policies, affordability, products, automations, and teams. These pillars aren’t just features—they’re the foundation of a smarter, more agile lending process. By giving our clients the tools to make instant, impactful changes, we’re enabling them to operate with confidence, maintain competitive edges, and stay ahead of an ever-changing landscape.
1. Policies:
Policies are the DNA of any lender’s operation, and Mast’s Policy Engine turns static rules into a dynamic resource. This searchable, real-time database centralises lending criteria, feeding it through to applications to provide policy prompts to the end-user as they key in their application forms. No more clunky application forms or outdated systems, lenders are equipped to make better, faster decisions by being able to adjust and apply policies on the fly.
2. Affordability:
Building on the bedrock of our Policy Engine, our Affordability Calculator transforms the way lenders assess applicants as lenders can make a host of calculation changes in seconds or set up brand new calculators. We recognise that allowing lenders to quickly change their affordability settings is another way of competing and finding niches in the market. Mast developed a configurable calculator built into the platform. Lenders can make a host of calculation changes in seconds or set up brand new calculators. Allowing lenders to quickly change their affordability settings is another way of competing and finding niches in the market. Mast can also support affordability tests with 3rd parties via API.
3. Products:
With Mast’s Product Engine, lenders can design, launch, or retire products in a matter of minutes. This tool is especially critical in today’s volatile interest rate environment, where repricing delays can mean the difference between leading the market or falling behind. Whether a lender needs to adjust pricing or remove a product altogether, they have the ability to do so instantly—no tech bottlenecks, no waiting.
4. Automations:
Complexity is a given in mortgage origination, but it doesn’t have to slow you down. Mast’s Automations Engine takes the heavy lifting out of repetitive or time-consuming tasks. Whether it’s setting up automated emails or configuring notifications, this engine empowers lenders and our onboarding teams to create tailored automations.
5. Teams:
Mortgage origination platforms come with extensive functionality and we know that managing access can be a headache. Our Team Management feature simplifies permissions by enabling lenders to create role-based access tailored to their organisation. For instance, a team member like Brian might be authorised to make changes in the Product Engine, but only Sophie can approve and publish those changes. This level of control ensures seamless collaboration while maintaining operational security and compliance.
Why It Matters
These five areas form the basis of Mast’s self-service approach, offering lenders the power to evolve without relying heavily on external teams. While we’re always here to support our lender’s customisations, our ultimate goal is to put our clients in the driver’s seat. By removing barriers to flexibility, we’re not just helping lenders adapt to today’s challenges—we’re future-proofing their operations for whatever comes next. The results speak for themselves: faster adjustments, smoother workflows, and a competitive advantage that keeps lenders ahead of the curve. Whether it’s responding to market shifts or innovating new products, Mast clients are empowered to act decisively, without waiting for their tech supplier to catch up. At Mast, we’re building more than a platform—we’re building a partnership, where self-sufficiency and adaptability are the ultimate competitive edge.
