In this Instant Impact exclusive, HousingWire’s Diego Sanchez sat down with Erik Anderson, CEO of Moder, and Rock Primas, SVP of Sales and Client Success, during the MBA Annual Conference to explore how the company helps lenders thrive amid volatility.

A comprehensive three-pronged approach

Moder positions itself as more than just an outsourcing provider. Erik Anderson highlighted three key practices at the core of the company’s value proposition:

1. Technology services: Moder’s team of engineers collaborates with lenders to build point solutions and digitize operations.
2. Back-office support: They bring expertise in process re-engineering and provide staffing solutions to meet evolving needs.
3. Customer experience services: Moder assists with customer communication through voice work, written communications, and more, aiming to enhance the overall borrower experience.

“We work alongside our customers to solve their problems,” Anderson emphasized. “Whether it’s digitizing operations or streamlining processes, we’re committed to providing the right people and technology to help lenders achieve their goals.”

Decades of industry experience

Rock Primas, with over 20 years in the mortgage industry, joined Moder with a mission to help lenders handle the inherent volatility in origination and servicing. Reflecting on his previous roles at PHH and Freedom Mortgage, Primas noted that traditional lenders often struggled to manage volume fluctuations, sometimes raising interest rates to control demand. This led to lost revenue and impacted the client experience.

“When I met Erik and learned about Moder’s approach, I knew this was the right next step,” Primas explained. “We can now help our clients scale up or down without the pain of hiring and firing, and that’s a big win for them.”

Addressing the boom and bust hiring cycle

The mortgage industry is notorious for its boom-and-bust cycles, often leading to abrupt hiring and layoffs. Moder aims to break this cycle by helping lenders create flexible, scalable operations. Anderson described the company’s approach: “We help lenders model different scenarios, optimize their tech stack, refine staffing models, and fragment processes into specialized roles. It’s a journey that takes time, but the end result is a responsive, adaptable operation.”

Primas highlighted a real-world example of Moder’s impact, citing a large servicing client facing high attrition in the U.S. By partnering with Moder, the servicer successfully established an offshore facility in the Philippines. Within 90 days, the new location was fully operational, with trainers from the U.S. working on-site to ensure quality. The result? Higher customer satisfaction, improved quality scores, and lower attrition compared to the onshore team.

Planning for 2025

With 2025 on the horizon, Anderson acknowledged the uncertainty ahead, including a pending election, persistent high interest rates, and housing constraints in desirable areas. “It’s impossible to predict the exact path, but if you’re prepared, you can adapt,” Anderson noted.

In preparation for these challenges, Moder is expanding its geographic footprint to include a new location in Latin America. This addition complements their existing operations in the U.S., India, and the Philippines, enhancing their global delivery capabilities. Additionally, the company is focused on deepening its technology offerings by providing practical, non-invasive solutions through its team of developers and project managers.

Client success and efficient solutions

Throughout the interview, Anderson and Primas emphasized Moder’s commitment to client success and responsiveness. “We move fast, hence the name ‘Moder,’” Primas said. The company’s ability to adapt to client needs, combined with a robust strategy for scalability and technology integration, positions them as a valuable partner for lenders in a constantly changing market.