MBA NewsLink Q&A With Clarifire’s Jane Mason: How Smart Automation Supports Borrower Services

Jane Mason is CEO of Clarifire, Clearwater, Fla.

MBA NewsLink: How can mortgage servicers adapt to today’s rapidly shifting industry landscape, particularly as it applies to natural disasters and loss mitigation?

Jane Mason: Servicers are facing new pressures that require a different approach. Natural disasters are more frequent and more destructive, loss mitigation guidelines are constantly evolving, and both are happening at a time when a growing number of first-time homebuyers are struggling financially. In such an environment, having the right technology is the only way mortgage servicers can keep up, control costs, and respond effectively when everything is changing at once.

When borrowers reach out during a crisis, they need answers quickly. Servicers need the systems and processes to respond with clarity and speed, which means the old ways of doing things—like manual spreadsheets, manual updates of systems of record, fragmented single point solutions, and siloed teams—are no longer sustainable. This is why process automation is so valuable. While every borrower’s situation is different, dynamically automated workflows enable servicers to guide borrowers through each step in the process in the right order. They help eliminate errors, minimize back-and-forth communication, and capture all critical data so that nothing slips through the cracks during high-pressure, high-risk moments. End-to-end servicing process automation gives organizations the ability to manage volume and improve results without sacrificing accuracy or consistency.

MBA NewsLink: What role do technologies like AI and smart workflow automation play in the ever-changing complexities of loss mitigation processes?

Jane Mason: While loss mitigation is only growing more complex, technology is what helps servicers stay aligned. Smart workflow automation connects servicer teams and systems internally, removes manual work, and cuts costs. It’s all about ensuring every step—not just milestones—dynamically happens in the right order without delays or confusion.

Some solutions guide borrowers through a dynamic series of questions to help determine eligibility for specific workouts—automatically driving the correct processes and workout results in real time based on their specific responses. There’s no need to continually hand off borrower requests or double-check policies to figure out what comes next. Everything is already built in.

AI takes it a step further. Even though it is in its early stages of adoption and usability, AI—particularly when applied to documents—can spot trends, highlight exceptions, and present risk faster and earlier than humans can. It also helps servicers proactively identify which borrowers need attention. When coupled with workflow and workout automation, AI can create a clearer picture that supports more informed decisions across the board. But it’s workflow automation that turns those insights into action and removes the friction that slows things down.

MBA NewsLink: What strategies can mortgage servicers employ to effectively manage borrower interaction regarding rising escrow costs due to increasing insurance and taxes?

Jane Mason: Rising escrow costs are a challenge for servicers for multiple reasons, but the biggest is dealing with borrower frustration. Explaining to customers why their insurance costs and taxes are increasing and helping them navigate their options requires communicating quickly, consistently, and in an easy-to-understand manner.

When a borrower sees their payment going up, they should have a place to go for answers—a direct link that connects them to the right resources. However, these resources must also be paired with real people. A borrower-facing platform should offer both: an intuitive digital experience, and a clear path to a live representative who listens, solves problems, and offers guidance.

That said, servicers can also use automation to notify borrowers before a payment change hits and give them time to ask questions or make adjustments. Borrowers want transparency and education whether the news is good or bad. They want to know what’s changing, why it’s happening, and what they can do. When servicers deliver that information quickly and calmly—backed by technology that supports the conversation—they reduce anxiety, build trust, and create stronger borrower relationships. Offering a self-service, guided information exchange using automation can effectively reduce friction and increase borrower happiness.

MBA NewsLink: Can you discuss the role of workflow automation in improving the financial health of borrowers?

Jane Mason: Workflow automation can make a big difference for borrowers who are experiencing financial stress. When a borrower is struggling to pay their mortgage, every delay, handoff, and unanswered question only creates more anxiety. Automation removes these obstacles. Instead of waiting for a manual review or a call back, borrowers can receive next steps in real time. They can submit documents online, track their progress, and get updates without needing to chase someone down. That kind of transparency gives borrowers the information they need to stay on track. Plus, it reduces internal agents’ frustration with high volumes and productivity demands.

Automation also creates consistency. Borrowers who experience the same type of hardship are given the same rules, the same treatment, and the same opportunity to resolve their issues. That helps reduce errors and avoid misunderstandings, especially when a borrower is going through something complex like a disaster, job loss, or rising household costs. It also frees up a servicer’s staff to focus on the borrowers who need the most help, so every borrower gets the best possible chance to recover.

MBA NewsLink: What role does borrower self-service technology play in reducing servicing costs, increasing borrower engagement and enhancing the customer concierge concept?

Jane Mason: Self-service technology does two very important things: it gives borrowers more control and servicers more efficiency. When borrowers can take action on their own—whether it’s requesting a loan modification, submitting documents, or checking their loan status—they get what they need faster and with less frustration. That reduces the pressure on call centers and frontline staff, especially during periods of high volume.

Borrower self-service in loss mitigation servicing also changes the relationship between servicers and borrowers. Instead of reacting to problems after the fact, servicers can offer support in a more proactive, responsive way. That kind of experience builds trust, especially when it’s consistent across all channels. That’s what it means to support the borrower—not just manage the loan. This end-to-end approach to automation across your servicing organization creates a holistic view not only of the borrower, but also the loan—cutting costs associated with siloed departments and reducing risks across the servicing lifecycle.

(Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect policies of the Mortgage Bankers Association, nor do they connote an MBA endorsement of a specific company, product or service. MBA NewsLink welcomes submissions from member firms. Inquiries can be sent to Editor Michael Tucker or Editorial Manager Anneliese Mahoney.)