When Tristan Hewett, Director of Rapson Loans and Finance, is asked to reflect on his experiences working with Prospa, he sums it up in two words.

“It’s awesome,” he says, adding that the process is fast and convenient.

“When I send through a new deal, within five or 10 minutes I’ll get a reply saying, ‘I’ve sent it to our assessors’ or ‘We’ll need a little bit more of this information’.”

And when it comes to delivering results for the people and businesses seeking finance from the company, Tristan has found that kind of speed matters.

It especially provides Rapson, which has been in the lending business since 2007, with a point of difference that distinguishes the company from the big banks.

“We had one situation where it all was completed within a single day – from referral to drawdown,” explains Tristan. “It’s a really simple process.

“I’m amazed at how quickly the turnaround is from when somebody talks to me, then how quickly Prospa gets back in touch with the client, and then the process to begin approval.”

Experiences such as that, along with his positive relationship with the Prospa NZ team, have seen Tristan return to Prospa again and again for both new and returning clients.

Direct contact

Another advantage Tristan has found from working with Prospa is the flexibility to service clients ranging from small businesses to firms operating on a much larger scale.

“[One of our clients] is a business that the banks don’t really understand, whereas Prospa is happy to look at them,” says Tristan.

“That business operates across multiple cities and has a wage bill worth more than $10,000 a week.”

Tristan believes it’s his close relationship with Prospa that allows him to work with such companies. It can be difficult to reach contacts at a large bank, and their processes are often bureaucratic and unyielding.

“One of the benefits of what we do is dealing directly with the client,” he says. “They build that relationship with us, and we take the pain away from having to deal with the bank.

“Where there’s profitability, and we can see it and see an opportunity, we’re able to be more nimble.”

Technology-first

As well as this personal touch, Tristan identifies Prospa’s innovative use of technology as a reason for its responsiveness.

“As long as the information is in the right format, the Prospa AI does the analysis of it – depending on the amount of money that’s required,” he says.

“AI is able to go through the bank statements very quickly and provide the outcome to the client.”

Tristan has also found new approaches to client service via Prospa’s expanded range of products, such as the Prospa Business Line of Credit.

“Now Prospa has introduced the Business Line of Credit product, that’s really opened up a number of doors for us in our business,” he says.

“And we’ve used it personally ourselves within our business; we also have a Prospa Small Business Loan. We know firsthand what it’s like to deal with them.”

And even on the occasion that he cannot ultimately provide the help that one of his clients is after, Tristan has found that Prospa’s responsiveness and transparency allows him to still offer the best service possible.

“Dealing with Prospa is a clean and efficient service, and the outcomes for the clients are generally positive,” he says.

“Where there isn’t an outcome which is positive, they take the time to explain the reasons why there’s been a decline. That’s all you can ask from a relationship perspective, and so I have no hesitation to recommend Prospa as a lender.”