The field of psychology forms part of the foundation upon which many of Bill Erbey’s ventures have been built. In his job as CEO of Ocwen Financial, Bill worked side by side with psychologists to develop the best communication strategies to help homeowners manage their defective loans following the 2008 Wall Street crash. Today, several of his current businesses, such as System73, providing content delivery optimization solutions, and APEX Motor Controls, investigating energy loss and heat generation in electric vehicles, use psychology and mathematics to solve complex statistical problems.

A constant in Bill’s interest in the field has been the psychology of color. The presence of one color of another can change the atmosphere around us, our mood, or even our behavior. So profound is Bill’s interest in and understanding of the psychological implications of color, that even the interiors of the offices and facilities he established for Ocwen Financial were designed to optimize the working environment for his employees.

The Ocwen Financial offices: well-designed, sophisticated spaces

The architecture and interior design for the Ocwen offices were based on careful studies of ways to optimize space for its intended purpose. Many of Ocwen’s facilities housed call centers, and highly trained staff who would communicate with their clients in person and discuss their mortgage needs. As such, in order to reduce interference between one desk and another, they were arranged in a zig-zag formation. White noise was sometimes played throughout the offices to help employees concentrate on their own tasks, and the lighting also played an important role in establishing a stimulating work environment.

Red: A call to action

Everything at Ocwen, down to the furniture and carpet were selected based on the psychology of color. The color red was chosen for the desk chairs. Whilst an overpowering presence may cause an adverse reaction of stress or aggression, these scattered touches were added to energize the workforce.

It’s no secret that red is a color often chosen by businesses to communicate product launches, or seasonal sales. It is processed by the brain as an alert, a call to action. With this in mind, the aim was to create a work environment that would motivate employees without inducing a sense of animosity.

Blue: A realm of calm

Blue is traditionally associated with calm. It is often seen as non-threatening, and evokes sensations of stability, tranquility, trust and reliability. In a professional setting, the use of blue has been found to have a positive impact on both productivity and concentration. As such, it is an ideal option for spaces used by employees working on tasks that require great attention to detail.

At Ocwen, the carpets were a combination of gray and blue, complemented by tones of silver in the columns and details on the walls. Given that many of Ocwen’s spaces were used for making strategic and often challenging phone calls, it was paramount that even the work environment was conducive to optimizing their performance and results.

Bill Erbey’s contribution to the mortgage servicing industry was unprecedented. He infused the field with a blend of psychology and business acumen, which allowed him to devise a communication strategy that inspired trust among homeowners, who were understandably skeptical of the industry’s practices. What’s more, he created a highly sophisticated working environment that provided optimal conditions for his thousands of staff members.

Bill’s innovative approach not only transformed the mortgage servicing industry but also set a new standard for how businesses can operate with integrity and care for both their customers and employees.