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LendingTree: “Using AI as a Communications Tool With the Consumer is Very Exciting.”

LendingTree pivots to AI-first communication to qualify financing leads and eliminate aggressive broker cold-calling.

LendingTree is shifting how it handles consumer financing leads by prioritizing AI-driven communication over traditional broker phone calls. During their Q2 earnings call, leadership highlighted a move toward using AI voice and text tools to qualify customers before they ever speak to a human. For retailers and service providers, this signals a major shift in the financing funnel. Instead of a customer being bombarded by calls from multiple lenders after checking their rates, AI will act as a concierge to handle initial questions and data gathering. This approach aims to reduce 'lead fatigue,' where shoppers give up on a purchase because they are overwhelmed by aggressive sales calls. By using AI to nurture the lead first, the quality of the customer handed off to the merchant or lender is significantly higher. They are better informed and more ready to commit to a loan. For operators, this means the financing process is becoming less about high-pressure sales and more about automated, 24/7 customer support that keeps the deal alive without manual follow-up.

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