Mortgage servicing sits at the heart of successful homeownership. As one of the most frequent points of contact for borrowers, the servicing team plays a major role in shaping the borrower experience and influencing whether they return in the future.
So what does it take to lead a successful servicing team? We asked Newrez’s Head of Servicing, Shane Ross, to join the Newrez Voices video series to shed some light on his approach. With nearly 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Shane brings passion, experience and a deeply human approach to his leadership.
One message came through loud and clear: everything comes down to communication. Whether you’re serving customers or leading a team, your ability to communicate clearly, consistently, and empathetically is what drives success.
Read on for some of Shane’s top insights on leadership, team culture, and the future of mortgage servicing.
Leadership
Shane didn’t start in operations—his early mortgage career began in marketing and public relations. But once he crossed into the servicing side of the business, he was hooked. After several servicing roles in different mortgage companies, he joined the Newrez team around four years ago.
One thing that’s been consistent in Shane’s career is the importance of building relationships. Whether learning from mentors or mentoring others, Shane’s leadership style is grounded in connection and trust.
Outside of work, he runs a cattle ranch near Houston. While it may sound like there’s a huge gap between ranch life and mortgage servicing, Shane believes they’re more similar than you think. Ranching, like servicing, always has challenges to overcome, whether it’s fixing equipment or managing stubborn cattle. Both require a hands-on approach and great teamwork.
Shane leads by example—listening to calls, coaching his team, and building strong partnerships. That hands-on approach helps him stay close to both employees and customers, creating a culture of transparency and support.
”You can't do it without rolling up your sleeves. You can't do it without the hard work, and you have to have a passion for hard work.”
Celebrating Team Wins
No one champions the servicing team louder than Shane. Over the past four years, the team has grown dramatically—scaling from 1.5 million loans to nearly 3.8 million—while maintaining service excellence.
“The servicing team came together to board those loans, take care of the consumers, take care of our counterparties, and add in a lot of new team members, get them trained up, get them to believe what our culture stands for to care fiercely like we do. It's been a very exciting and very proud thing to be able to see our team do.”
The results speak for themselves. Fannie Mae®, Freddie Mac®, and Fitch® have all recognized Newrez with high marks. The team also continues to earn praise from third-party clients and counterparties, as well as growing repeat business.
With team members located across the U.S., Newrez has built a diverse, experienced, and unified servicing organization. Clear communication and close relationships with leadership help maintain that cohesion—no matter the location.
Putting Customers and Clients First
One of the strongest drivers of the team’s success? Alignment with Newrez’s brand purpose: Care Fiercely.
A mortgage is one of the most important financial events in a person’s life. It’s exciting—and often overwhelming. Shane’s team understands that and works to make every interaction reassuring and clear.
Their approach centers on three key principles:
- Proactive communication
- Consistency in every interaction
- Making the customer feel heard and supported
“Consumers can have maybe a challenging experience, but if they realize at the end of that that they've got a mortgage company that really cares about them, that goes a long way.”
How Technology Elevates the Experience
Shane sees enormous potential in technology, especially artificial intelligence, to improve the servicing experience—not replace the people delivering it.
Newrez is investing in proprietary tools that help the servicing team work smarter and stay focused on what they do best: building relationships.Shane sees three main ways AI tools can help with the customer experience:
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Proactive Communication
AI can help anticipate potential issues and allow the team to reach out before customers even realize there is a problem.
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Real-Time Call Guidance
AI can give team members instant access to answers during a call — guidance that is correct and consistent with Newrez’s policies, ensuring speed, accuracy and confidence.
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Call Summaries
Rather than typing notes while speaking, team members can focus fully on the customer while AI generates a call summary.
Why the Future Is Bright for Newrez
Rather than seeing AI as a threat, Shane views it as an opportunity to amplify what the team already does well. With smarter tools and a continued focus on human connection, Newrez is well-positioned to offer an industry-leading servicing experience.
Shane is most excited about how new technology will support the company’s trajectory—and make Newrez the standout choice for both customers and clients.
To hear more from Shane, check out the full Newrez Voices podcast episode and hear firsthand how leadership, culture, and technology come together to drive servicing success.
Fannie Mae® is a registered trademark of the Federal National Mortgage Association. Freddie Mac® is a registered trademark of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. Fitch® is a registered trademark of Fitch Ratings, Inc. None of the above-menioned companies are affiliated with Newrez LLC.