Crains Cleveland Business
September 18-24, 2006
Vol. 27, No. 38

Cleveland firm adds special touch to mortgage brokers' deals

Special Client founder offers unique extras to pick up the slack where his busy clients leave off

by Shawn A. Turner
sturner@crain.com

Ryan Florio, a former account executive at New York based bank MortgageIT Inc., says he saw first hand how customer service was flung out the door once a mortgage broker closed a loan with a client. The entrepreneurial Mr. Florio earlier this year set out to change that lack of attention by starting Cleveland based Special Client, a firm that aims to help brokers in the relationship marketing business. The business last month opened a New York office, bumping its employment to nine.

Special Client, launched in March, contracts with mortgage brokers to provide their clients with attention after the mortgagedeal closes. For example, Special Client sends out holiday and birthday cards, as well as cards marking the anniversary of the mortgage closing, to the broker's clients.

However, the signature service of Special Client involves metal wine caddies, imported from Germany, that brokers can choose to have sent to their clients once the deal closes. The caddies come in the shape of a person -- a waiter or fisherman, for instance -- with the wine bottle making up the figure's body.

Such marketing efforts are lacking among mortgage brokers, Mr. Florio said.

"Some are so focused on making the sale that they don't have time for the follow-up," he said.

Since its launch, Special Client has recorded revenues of approximately $120,000, Mr. Florio said.

This isn't Mr. Florio's first stab at starting a business. Previously, he tried to develop a cover that would slip over computer screens and help keep the dust off those screens. Mr. Florio said his product never made it into stores after a rival company had a similar product in stores first.