What share of borrower calls are about status rather than a missing document?

Borrower calls often arrive because the file is quiet, not because a document is missing. A borrower who has not heard from the team calls to ask whether the loan is moving. That call consumes processor time and gives the borrower little new information. This protocol classifies borrower calls by intent so the team can see how much of its phone load is status reassurance rather than document work.

Question and scope

The question is what share of borrower calls concern file status rather than a missing document or a lending question. The scope names the loan types, the call channels, the team, and the observation window. A team might study inbound calls on purchase files during the processing stage across a main line and a callback queue. The result describes that setting and should not be generalized to every borrower population.

Define the call categories before listening to the recordings or reading the notes. Status calls ask where the file stands or when the next step will happen. Document calls concern a missing, incomplete, or unacceptable item. Lending calls concern eligibility, pricing, approval, or program terms. Add a category for scheduling and one for calls that do not fit, but keep the main three separate.

Record the first reason the borrower gave, not the reason the call ended with. A borrower may call about status and then mention a missing document during the conversation. The first reason is the one that generated the call, and it is the one the team can influence through proactive updates. The secondary reason can be recorded as a note.

Unit of analysis

The unit is one inbound call from one borrower on one file. A borrower who calls twice in a day contributes two units, but the report should also show the borrower-level count. That prevents a few anxious borrowers from dominating the share. Record the call key, the file key, the channel, the time, the first reason, and the resolution.

Record whether the call was answered live, returned later, or missed. A missed call may still have a reason if the borrower left a voicemail, but the classification is less reliable. Mark those calls separately and report the share of calls with a clear reason. A high unknown share weakens the study more than a small sample does.

Keep borrower identity out of the analysis file. Use a call key that an authorized reviewer can link back to the phone system or the file. The borrower communication support lead should approve the fields and the review process. Call data can reveal sensitive borrower situations, so access should be limited to the study team.

Defining call intent

Write a short definition and two examples for each category. A status call includes questions about the current stage, the next milestone, or whether the team received a document. A document call includes questions about what to send, how to send it, or why a submission was rejected. A lending call includes questions about rates, fees, eligibility, or approval.

Do not classify a call as a document call just because a document is mentioned. A borrower who asks whether the appraisal is scheduled and then confirms a pay stub was sent is making a status call with a document detail. The first reason should win unless the call is clearly about the document. The classification rule should be applied consistently across reviewers.

Add a category for a call that starts as status but reveals a missed document. Those calls are useful because they show where a proactive update could have prevented the contact. Record the secondary reason and whether the team followed up. A status call that uncovers a real gap is different from one that only needs reassurance.

Sampling and observation

Use consecutive calls from a defined window, or a random sample with a recorded start. Include every channel the team uses and every hour the phones are open. If the sample covers only the quiet hours, the result will understate the status calls that arrive during the busiest part of the day. The time of day is part of the context.

Record the number of calls excluded and the reason. A call with no note or recording cannot be classified, and a wrong number is not a borrower call. Report the exclusions beside the share. A high exclusion count may point to a note-taking gap that the team should fix before the next study.

Capture the call duration and the outcome as well as the reason. A status call that takes two minutes is different from one that takes fifteen and ends with an escalation. The duration helps the team estimate the cost of the call mix. It also shows whether the status calls are simple reassurance or a symptom of a larger communication gap.

Data quality checks

Check that every call has a first reason and a resolution. A call with no reason cannot be scored, and a call with no resolution may still be open. Mark open calls separately rather than treating them as resolved. A high open count is a finding about follow-up, not only about call classification.

Have a second reviewer classify a subsample and report agreement by category. Reviewers may agree on status calls and disagree on calls that mix status with a document question. The category-level result shows where the definition needs work. Keep one example of each disagreement for the team discussion.

Check the phone system timestamps against the file notes. A call returned a day later may be recorded on the return date, which changes the interval but not the intent. Be clear about which date the analysis uses. The loan processing support routine should define the working call date before the study starts.

Analysis and reporting

Report the number of calls, the share by first reason, and the share by channel. Add a file-level view showing how many files generated more than one status call. A file with three status calls may need a proactive update rather than a faster phone response. The file view shows where the communication gap is concentrated.

Compare the status share with the team's update cadence. If status calls rise between scheduled updates, the cadence may be too slow or the update may not reach the borrower. If they rise after an update, the message may be unclear. The comparison is more useful than the raw share because it points to a specific change.

Report the duration and the outcome by category. A status call that ends with a document request is a missed opportunity for a proactive message. A status call that ends with an escalation may indicate a file problem rather than a communication problem. The outcome field helps the team separate the two.

Limits and sources of error

The study measures the borrower's stated first reason, not the underlying worry. A borrower may ask about status when the real concern is affordability or a closing date. The note cannot capture every motive. Report the limitation and avoid treating the status share as a complete measure of borrower anxiety.

The sample may exclude borrowers who did not call because they received a good update. That is a selection effect: the team may have a low status share because the borrowers who would have called are already informed. Add the update cadence and the borrower response data to give the reader context. A low share is not automatically a success.

Call categories can change during the study if the team revises its scripts or adds a portal update. Record the date of any change and avoid comparing periods across it without a note. The next study should be designed to test the change. A shift in the share may reflect the update rather than a change in borrower behavior.

Review cadence

Repeat the protocol after a change to the update cadence, the portal, or the call script. Use the same categories and sampling rule so the comparison is meaningful. If status calls fall but document calls rise, the team may have shifted the conversation without reducing the total work. Report both movements.

Share the result with the people who answer the phones. Ask which status questions they hear most and what information would prevent the call. The mortgage operations support lead can decide whether the fix is a better update, a clearer portal, or a different callback window. A finding without a change becomes the next study's finding.

End the report with the status question that still produces the most calls and the evidence needed to answer it proactively. Name the owner and the date. The goal is a phone load that reflects real document work rather than repeated reassurance. A question that can be answered by a scheduled update should not need a phone call.