Pat Sargent, partner in Alston & Bird’s Finance Group, shares a look at his keynote presentation addressing the top issues facing servicers.
Is the only answer to this more margin?
Revenue growth is essential, and margin increases will be tough in a competitive market. We may need to reconsider fee caps and fee splitting arrangements.
Are servicers resigned to regulatory issues remaining constant?
Regulation is here to stay, but servicers would rather be hiring more asset managers than compliance people.
You have the largest servicers on your panel, is there room for the little guys anymore?
It will be hard for the small firms to create the necessary economies of scale.
What are some underappreciated structural improvements that require industry action?
More standardization in defined terms and documentation would increase efficiency, and greater attention to trust termination issues in CMBS would alleviate cost and reimbursement concerns.