The Real Problem
David settled his mortgage through you 18 months ago — a $650,000 loan with BNZ, split across a 1-year fixed tranche and a 2-year fixed tranche. The 1-year fix is coming off next month.
David hasn't heard from you since settlement day.
He logs into his BNZ internet banking, sees a notification that his rate is about to expire, and calls the bank's retention team directly. They offer him their current 1-year rate. He takes it. No comparison, no strategy, no consideration of whether breaking the 2-year tranche and restructuring would save him money overall.
You've just lost the refix — and probably the client.
This is one of the most common complaints about mortgage brokers in New Zealand. On Reddit and in consumer forums, the refrain is consistent: brokers who "don't help us in any way now" after settlement, whose renewal advice amounts to "just roll with your current bank." One Reddit thread put it bluntly: "My broker was amazing during the application but I haven't heard from them in two years. What exactly am I paying trail commission for?"
The brokers who build lasting businesses know that consistent follow-ups and quarterly check-ins are what differentiate a transactional broker from a trusted adviser. But with a book of 200+ clients, each with different fix expiry dates, loan structures, and circumstances — the personalised outreach simply doesn't happen.
You know you should be reaching out. You know the refix conversation is where you demonstrate ongoing value. You just don't have the hours.
Why Existing Tools Don't Solve This
Trail has automated refix reminders — and they work well. You get a notification 90 days before a client's fixed rate expires, and Trail can send the client an automated email letting them know their rate is coming up.
This solves the reminder problem. It doesn't solve the value problem.
A Trail refix reminder might say: "Hi David, your fixed rate with BNZ is expiring on 15 April. Let's chat about your options."
That's a prompt to call your broker. It's not a reason to call your broker. David can see his rate is expiring in his internet banking. The bank will contact him directly. What David needs — and what would make him call you instead of just rolling over with BNZ — is something the bank won't give him: an independent, personalised comparison.
MyCRM and Adviser CRM track client loan details and refix dates. They can segment your book by expiry date and generate task lists. But they don't generate the actual briefing content.
No NZ broker tool produces a personalised rate comparison briefing that analyses the client's specific situation, compares current rates across multiple lenders, and provides a strategic recommendation.
How AI Solves This
Each month, you review your upcoming refix list. For each client, you tell your AI assistant:
"David Chen, BNZ, $650k total. Tranche 1: $380k, 1-year fixed, expiring 15 April, currently 6.29%. Tranche 2: $270k, 2-year fixed, expiring October, currently 5.99%. Current property value approx $880k. He's on PAYE, income hasn't changed. Generate a refix briefing with today's rates."
The AI generates a personalised briefing you can send directly to David:
Hi David,
Your 1-year fixed rate on your BNZ mortgage ($380,000 tranche) expires on 15 April. Here's a quick snapshot of where things stand and what I'd suggest we discuss.
Current Market Rates (as at March 2026)
| Term | ANZ | ASB | BNZ | Westpac | Kiwibank | |------|-----|-----|-----|---------|----------| | 6 months | 5.89% | 5.85% | 5.79% | 5.89% | 5.85% | | 1 year | 5.59% | 5.55% | 5.49% | 5.55% | 5.49% | | 18 months | 5.39% | 5.35% | 5.29% | 5.39% | 5.29% | | 2 years | 5.19% | 5.15% | 5.09% | 5.19% | 5.09% |
Your Situation
- Your expiring rate was 6.29% — so the good news is rates have come down since you fixed
- Your LVR is approximately 74% ($650k / $880k), which puts you in the best pricing tier with all major banks
- Your 2-year tranche at 5.99% doesn't expire until October, so no action needed there yet
Options to Consider
- Refix 1-year with BNZ at 5.49% — simplest option, saves ~$30/week vs your expiring rate
- Refix 18-month with BNZ at 5.29% — aligns closer to your October tranche expiry, creating the option to restructure everything together later this year
- Explore refinancing to [alternative lender] — with your strong LVR, you may qualify for a sharper rate or cash contribution. Worth discussing if you're open to switching banks.
My recommendation: Let's have a 15-minute call to talk through option 2 — I think aligning your tranche expiries gives us more flexibility in October. But I want to hear if anything has changed on your end first.
Are you free for a quick call this week? I have slots Tuesday at 12pm or Thursday at 4pm.
Cheers, [Your name]
David receives a briefing that demonstrates genuine, personalised value. He's not just being reminded his rate is expiring — he's being shown the market landscape, given specific options, and offered a strategic recommendation. He books the call.
You generate these briefings for every client on your refix list. What would have taken 30-45 minutes per client to research and write takes 2-3 minutes to generate and review.
The Result
- Every refix client receives a personalised briefing — not a generic "let's chat" reminder
- Clients see tangible value from their broker — you're providing analysis the bank won't offer
- Retention rates improve — clients who receive proactive, personalised advice are far less likely to go direct to the bank
- Trail commission is justified — you're demonstrating the ongoing service that trail is designed to fund
- Refix conversations are more productive — the client arrives at the call already informed, so you discuss strategy instead of explaining basics
What AI Can't Do Here
- AI won't source live rates automatically — you input current rates (or maintain a rate sheet the AI references)
- AI won't account for each lender's specific cash contribution offers, loyalty pricing, or negotiated rates — these change frequently and require your lender relationship knowledge
- AI won't calculate exact break costs if restructuring is involved — this requires the lender's specific calculation
- AI won't replace the advisory conversation — it creates the briefing that leads to a better conversation
Who This Is For
- Brokers with 100+ clients who know they should be doing refix outreach but don't have the hours
- Advisers whose refix process is currently "Trail sends a reminder, I call and wing it"
- Any broker who's lost clients to bank retention teams because the client didn't see a reason to call their broker first
- Broker groups wanting to standardise the quality of refix advice across their team