BNTouch has been a staple in the mortgage CRM space for years. It was one of the first platforms built specifically for loan officers, and it earned its reputation with solid drip campaigns and decent contact management. But if you're reading this, something isn't working anymore.
We hear from BNTouch users regularly. The complaints tend to cluster around a few themes — and they're worth examining honestly if you're evaluating alternatives.
Why LOs Start Looking Beyond BNTouch
The Interface Feels Dated
BNTouch's interface hasn't kept pace with modern CRM design. When you're used to apps that feel intuitive and responsive, logging into a system that looks and navigates like it was designed in 2014 creates friction. That friction translates to lower adoption — especially if you have a team. LOs won't use a CRM that feels clunky, no matter how powerful the features underneath.
Automation Has Limits
BNTouch's drip campaigns work, but they're relatively basic compared to what's available now. Modern marketing automation goes beyond email drips — it includes multi-channel sequences (text, email, voicemail drops, social), behavioral triggers (opened an email? Clicked a rate link? Visited your pricing page?), and AI-driven conversations that qualify leads without manual intervention.
If your BNTouch automations feel like "set it and hope for the best" rather than intelligent, adaptive workflows — that's a sign the platform hasn't evolved with the industry.
Reporting Gaps
Can you tell me, right now, which lead source produced the highest ROI last quarter? What's your average speed-to-lead? Which campaign has the best engagement rate? If getting those answers from BNTouch requires exporting data and building spreadsheets, the reporting isn't working for you.
Mobile Experience
Loan officers live on their phones. If BNTouch's mobile experience isn't letting you manage leads, check pipeline, and communicate with borrowers as naturally as using any other app on your phone, that's a real productivity hit.
What to Look for in a BNTouch Alternative
Don't just switch CRMs because the grass looks greener. Switch because the new platform solves specific problems you're experiencing. Here's what should be on your evaluation list:
Modern, Fast Interface
The CRM should feel fast. Page loads under a second. Intuitive navigation. A pipeline view that shows everything at a glance without clicking through nested menus.
Multi-Channel Automation
Email-only drips aren't enough anymore. Your new CRM should support text messaging, email, voicemail drops, and social touchpoints — all in a single automated workflow. Borrowers respond to different channels at different times; your automation should adapt.
The Multi-Channel Advantage
LOs who use text + email in their lead follow-up see 3-4x higher contact rates than email-only campaigns. If your current CRM makes multi-channel automation difficult or requires add-on tools, you're leaving contacts (and closings) on the table.
AI-Powered Lead Engagement
The biggest shift since BNTouch's heyday is AI. Modern CRMs can have intelligent conversations with leads — answering rate questions, qualifying borrowers, booking appointments — 24/7, without you lifting a finger. This isn't a novelty feature; it's becoming table stakes for competitive speed-to-lead.
Seamless Migration
Your BNTouch data — contacts, tags, pipeline deals, campaign enrollments — needs to transfer cleanly. Any CRM worth considering should have a clear import process and ideally a migration team that handles the heavy lifting. We wrote a full guide on CRM migration if you want the step-by-step.
Mortgage-Specific Features
Don't replace a mortgage CRM with a generic one. Your alternative should understand loan stages, referral partner relationships, LOS integrations, compliance requirements, and the borrower lifecycle. Generic CRMs require months of customization to approximate what a purpose-built platform does out of the box.
What About Price?
BNTouch's pricing has been competitive historically, so cost might not be the primary driver of your switch. But look at total cost — not just the monthly fee. Factor in:
- Add-on costs for texting, additional users, or premium features
- Integration costs for tools BNTouch doesn't include natively
- The hidden cost of low adoption — a CRM nobody uses is infinitely expensive per closing
A slightly higher monthly fee for a platform your team actually uses daily is a better investment than a cheap tool that sits idle.
Making the Decision
Before you switch, get clear on your dealbreakers. Write down the three things BNTouch isn't doing for you, then evaluate alternatives specifically against those criteria. Don't get distracted by long feature lists — focus on the features that actually move the needle for your business.
"Every CRM migration has a cost. The question isn't whether switching is painful — it's whether staying is more expensive. If your CRM isn't helping you close more loans, the answer is obvious."
The Bottom Line
BNTouch served the mortgage industry well for years. But the CRM landscape has evolved — AI engagement, multi-channel automation, and modern interfaces are the new baseline. If BNTouch isn't keeping up with how you need to work, it's worth exploring what's next.
See how Empower LO compares — or talk to our team about what migration looks like from BNTouch specifically.