Revisiting the past year, many changes took place because of an all-consuming pandemic worldwide. With disruption setting up the new normal, great strides are being taken by real estate players to capitalize on this through advanced and innovative methods. However, home ownership comes with its own set of challenges for the buyers. The lack of transparency, mounds of paperwork, and unnecessary delays can be an intimidating process for potential home seekers, especially first-time retail buyers.
To help combat these issues, Amy Buynoski is changing the face of the mortgage industry through her simple solutions. Amy is a lending officer at South State Bank with almost 20 years of experience and leads a team that provides unparalleled service to her clients.
According to Amy a leader is someone “who can see how things can be improved and will go above and beyond to achieve their vision. They are someone who shares the same goals and values as their team which allows them to achieve their goals.” She also believes being emphatic is another key attribute that defines a leader and helps form long-lasting connections with people.
Initiating easy mortgage solutions
Amy began her journey in the mortgage industry by taking a class to become an appraiser. She quickly realized that she wanted to have more day-to-day contact with people. This elevated her to become a lending officer and it has been her one and only career since then. During her journey, she fell in love with helping people and making their dream of homeownership a reality.
South State Bank’s mission is to make the mortgage process easy. Amy Buynoski and the BuyNow Team started their relationship with South State in December of 2019. From the beginning, they were supported by a staff that truly cared about the customer experience. This was done by ensuring that there are loan officers to work closely with the clients at every step of the way.
Amy and her team do not look at a customer as just another application, and thus found it important to be with a company that understands the customer’s pain points and finds sustainable results.
Striving & Thriving through COVID-19
As with all industries, COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on the entire Financial Services industry and has allowed banks, such as South State Bank, to provide their clients with a more efficient experience through improved technology.
While the face-to-face aspect of the Financial Services industry may be evolving, South State has been able to thrive in this new environment with their exceptional technology features and personalized customer services to each client. Now, more than ever, the client deserves to feel a more personal connection to their financial institution, and Amy and her team are proud to provide that in each aspect of their bank.
“COVID hit and we had to adjust our normal way of going about doing loans, but through the thick of COVID we were supported and given the best tools to end 2020 on a great note,” she recalls.
Amy also credits South State’s flexibility to provide all the resources and tools that were needed to continue with the work. She says, “We found ways to communicate without being in the same office as other staff. Through zoom, teams, and the good old fashion telephone we kept open communication with everyone. We stayed competitive with rates by following the market and keeping up with the day-to-day news.”
Amy and her dynamic team
Everyone on the BuyNow team shares the same goal — ensuring optimal client satisfaction. Amy says, “Each team member has responsibilities to ensure the client is receiving timely updates and are meeting contractual deadlines.” She believes her team’s determination, talent, and like-minded goals are key drivers in making her succeed as a trailblazing leader.
Additionally, her team are experts in the residential lending industry who keep their borrowers informed throughout the process, so they know what is happening at each step. They like to think outside the box when solving problems for their clients. Besides this, they also offer complimentary second opinions for borrowers to compare lenders and ensure they have made the best financial decision for themselves and their family. The positive letters and emails from customers are a huge testament to the quality of services that are delivered.
Amy believes in forming a deep relationship with her clients and their future, “We are not the transaction team. We view it as being a part of someone’s story and the impact it has on them, their family, and their future. We love connecting with people.” In addition, the collective experience of her and her team has allowed them to navigate through almost every situation, fearlessly.
Another fact that brings out the best out of the BuyNowTeam is their communication channel. “I have open communication with my clients from the very beginning,” she adds. They personally call their clients and ensure all the options are in a lucid and digestible form. Moreover, providing detailed emails with reminders of things to-do and not-to-do like including 10 Commandments of Home Buying, whiteboard videos, and in-process milestone emails makes the interaction more trustworthy, personal, and wholesome.
However, for any young leader looking to enter the Financial Services industry, Amy would highly recommend that opportunity for long-term personal and professional growth. “Throughout my career in this industry, I have experienced so much growth in both aspects of my life and will cherish those rewards and memories long after the next generation of young professionals have entered the workforce,” she concludes.
An Empowering Road Ahead
The Financial Services industry is growing more complex and more competitive with each passing day and South State is striving to leave their mark for the long-term in this industry. As cut-throat as the business may be, it cannot replace how you treat people and the services you provide clients. Partners will remember the process and how they were treated. Customer service and experience will win every time. People will want to work with people who they can trust, and who they know care about them and their future. Amy is excited to be a part of such a great institution and knows the best is yet to come for South State Bank, her team, and her community.
While uncovering her future course of actions for the company, she says, “In the next few years I see the South State growing and becoming well-known throughout the South. We are constantly looking for the next direction in how to better the Bank and in the past year and a half we have already doubled. I am excited about the South State’s future.”
Amy Buynoski’s heart is filled with gratitude for the work she gets to do every day. “I am thankful that I have a career that allows me to make a difference in someone’s life. I am also thankful that my career has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people and the friendships I have built over the years. The day is not easy, but it is incredibly rewarding, and I honestly love my job and the people I work with,” she concludes.
