Why 30 signals — and why fewer is not enough
A recommendation built on 5 signals — say, income, current product, credit score, DPD history, and loan vintage — will be correct for the majority of borrowers whose profile is straightforward. It will be wrong for the borrower whose income is flat but whose property has appreciated significantly, creating a LAP opportunity the income signal alone would miss. It will be wrong for the SME borrower whose GST revenue growth makes them a working capital top-up candidate regardless of their credit score. It will be wrong for the salaried borrower whose portal behaviour in the last 72 hours shows active instalment calculation — a real-time intent signal that a static profile cannot capture.
Thirty signals are not arbitrary precision — they represent the minimum set of data dimensions required to distinguish between borrowers who look identical on 5 signals but who have materially different optimal product recommendations. Each additional signal added above 5 increases the recommendation precision incrementally; the relationship between signal count and recommendation accuracy is not linear, and the returns diminish significantly above 30 in the context of a lending portfolio. The 30 signals below represent the empirically productive range for an SEA lending context.
"A recommendation built on income and credit score alone cannot distinguish between the borrower who needs a LAP and the borrower who needs a personal loan. Both may have the same income and the same score."
The 30 signals across 6 categories
Category 1 — Repayment behaviour (6 signals)
01Consecutive on-time instalment countNumber of consecutive months with zero DPD. Distinguishes track records: 6 months vs 36 months vs 60 months each suggest very different products and amounts.Weight: 9pts
02DPD history — worst-ever classificationHas the borrower ever been DPD 30+? DPD 60+? NPL? The worst-ever classification is a permanent signal — it limits certain product recommendations regardless of current behaviour.Weight: 8pts
03GIRO / direct debit bounce frequency (last 12M)Number of GIRO / direct debit bounces in the last 12 months, regardless of recovery. Even recovered bounces indicate cash-flow fragility at specific calendar points.Weight: 6pts
04Voluntary prepayment historyHas the borrower made prepayments? How many, and of what total value? Prepayments signal surplus cash and active financial engagement — two strong indicators of expansion appetite.Weight: 5pts
05Outstanding balance as % of originalBelow 60%: strong equity position, eligible for top-up or LAP. Below 40%: approaching maturity, next-product conversation relevant.Weight: 4pts
06instalment-to-income ratio trend (TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) trajectory)Is the borrower's TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) improving (income growing faster than obligations) or deteriorating (new obligations appearing)? Trajectory matters more than the current ratio.Weight: 5pts
02DPD history — worst-ever classificationHas the borrower ever been DPD 30+? DPD 60+? NPL? The worst-ever classification is a permanent signal — it limits certain product recommendations regardless of current behaviour.Weight: 8pts
03GIRO / direct debit bounce frequency (last 12M)Number of GIRO / direct debit bounces in the last 12 months, regardless of recovery. Even recovered bounces indicate cash-flow fragility at specific calendar points.Weight: 6pts
04Voluntary prepayment historyHas the borrower made prepayments? How many, and of what total value? Prepayments signal surplus cash and active financial engagement — two strong indicators of expansion appetite.Weight: 5pts
05Outstanding balance as % of originalBelow 60%: strong equity position, eligible for top-up or LAP. Below 40%: approaching maturity, next-product conversation relevant.Weight: 4pts
06instalment-to-income ratio trend (TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) trajectory)Is the borrower's TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) improving (income growing faster than obligations) or deteriorating (new obligations appearing)? Trajectory matters more than the current ratio.Weight: 5pts
Category 2 — Income and financial capacity (6 signals)
07Current monthly income (verified)Bank statement average credits (AA-sourced) or salary confirmation. The verified figure, not the stated income at origination which may be 24 months out of date.Weight: 8pts
08Income growth YoY (12-month comparison)Income growing 20%+ YoY unlocks higher product amounts than current income alone would support — the trajectory justifies a forward-looking offer.Weight: 6pts
09Available TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) headroomThe gap between current TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) and the product-specific TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) ceiling. Determines the maximum additional instalment — and therefore the maximum offer amount for each eligible product.Weight: 9pts
10End-of-month balance trend (3M)Is the borrower accumulating cash month-on-month or depleting it? A growing end-of-month balance indicates a borrower building financial buffer — improving capacity confidence.Weight: 4pts
11External instalment obligations (new GIRO / direct debit debits)Any GIRO / direct debit debit that does not belong to this institution — visible in bank statement analysis. Each new external obligation reduces available TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) headroom and constrains the offer amount.Weight: 6pts
12SME: GST outward supply (last 4 quarters)For SME borrowers: the primary income signal. GST outward supply is more reliable than bank statement credits for proprietors who mix personal and business accounts.Weight: 8pts (SME only)
08Income growth YoY (12-month comparison)Income growing 20%+ YoY unlocks higher product amounts than current income alone would support — the trajectory justifies a forward-looking offer.Weight: 6pts
09Available TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) headroomThe gap between current TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) and the product-specific TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) ceiling. Determines the maximum additional instalment — and therefore the maximum offer amount for each eligible product.Weight: 9pts
10End-of-month balance trend (3M)Is the borrower accumulating cash month-on-month or depleting it? A growing end-of-month balance indicates a borrower building financial buffer — improving capacity confidence.Weight: 4pts
11External instalment obligations (new GIRO / direct debit debits)Any GIRO / direct debit debit that does not belong to this institution — visible in bank statement analysis. Each new external obligation reduces available TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) headroom and constrains the offer amount.Weight: 6pts
12SME: GST outward supply (last 4 quarters)For SME borrowers: the primary income signal. GST outward supply is more reliable than bank statement credits for proprietors who mix personal and business accounts.Weight: 8pts (SME only)
Category 3 — Asset and collateral signals (5 signals)
13Property value appreciation (HL/LAP borrowers)Market value of the mortgaged property relative to the outstanding loan. Appreciation above 20% since origination creates LAP headroom — a product opportunity the borrower may not know exists.Weight: 7pts
14Current LTV (loan-to-value)The ratio of outstanding loan to current property value. As both principal reduces and property appreciates, LTV falls — creating headroom for a top-up or LAP that may not have existed at origination.Weight: 6pts
15Additional unencumbered property (from profile)If the borrower declared additional property at origination (beyond the mortgaged property), this may be available as collateral for a new LAP — a product the existing loan relationship does not touch.Weight: 5pts
16SME: business equipment / machinery valueFor SME borrowers: equipment and machinery on the balance sheet may be available as security for an equipment top-up or business term loan not currently covered by the existing facility.Weight: 4pts (SME only)
17land registry charge status on existing securityWhether the existing security has a clear land registry charge (confirming the institution's priority claim). Critical for determining whether a top-up can be secured against the same property.Weight: 3pts
14Current LTV (loan-to-value)The ratio of outstanding loan to current property value. As both principal reduces and property appreciates, LTV falls — creating headroom for a top-up or LAP that may not have existed at origination.Weight: 6pts
15Additional unencumbered property (from profile)If the borrower declared additional property at origination (beyond the mortgaged property), this may be available as collateral for a new LAP — a product the existing loan relationship does not touch.Weight: 5pts
16SME: business equipment / machinery valueFor SME borrowers: equipment and machinery on the balance sheet may be available as security for an equipment top-up or business term loan not currently covered by the existing facility.Weight: 4pts (SME only)
17land registry charge status on existing securityWhether the existing security has a clear land registry charge (confirming the institution's priority claim). Critical for determining whether a top-up can be secured against the same property.Weight: 3pts
Category 4 — Credit bureau signals (4 signals)
18Current credit scoreThe live score — not the score at origination. Monthly credit bureau pull tracks improvement or deterioration relative to the origination baseline.Weight: 7pts
19credit score trajectory (vs origination)A borrower whose score has improved 50+ points since origination is now a meaningfully better credit risk — eligible for better rates, larger amounts, or products not available at origination.Weight: 5pts
20Bureau: new enquiries (last 6M)Multiple recent bureau enquiries suggest the borrower is actively shopping for credit. This is a readiness signal — but also a flag that a competing institution may get there first.Weight: 5pts
21Bureau: existing loans with other institutionsLoans at other institutions that appear in the bureau but not in the institution's CBS. Each represents an TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) obligation that constrains the offer amount, and a relationship to potentially consolidate.Weight: 4pts
19credit score trajectory (vs origination)A borrower whose score has improved 50+ points since origination is now a meaningfully better credit risk — eligible for better rates, larger amounts, or products not available at origination.Weight: 5pts
20Bureau: new enquiries (last 6M)Multiple recent bureau enquiries suggest the borrower is actively shopping for credit. This is a readiness signal — but also a flag that a competing institution may get there first.Weight: 5pts
21Bureau: existing loans with other institutionsLoans at other institutions that appear in the bureau but not in the institution's CBS. Each represents an TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) obligation that constrains the offer amount, and a relationship to potentially consolidate.Weight: 4pts
Category 5 — Engagement and intent (5 signals)
22instalment calculator used (portal/website)The single strongest buying-intent signal available without a conversation. A borrower using the instalment calculator is modelling a specific loan — the amount and tenor they enter is itself data.Weight: 9pts
23Outstanding balance check frequency (14 days)Repeated balance checks suggest active thinking about the loan relationship — either prepayment planning or top-up consideration. Three or more checks in 14 days: elevated signal.Weight: 6pts
24Communication open and click historyHas the borrower opened and clicked product-related communications? Which product categories? The pattern across the last 6 months reveals latent product interest.Weight: 4pts
25Portal pages visited (product section)Which product pages has the borrower visited on the institution's portal or website? A borrower who visited the LAP page twice in the last month is a LAP prospect, not a generic prospect.Weight: 5pts
26WhatsApp / SMS response rate (last 6M)A borrower who consistently responds to institution communications is more likely to respond to a personalised offer. Non-responders need a different channel strategy, not a higher-frequency message.Weight: 3pts
23Outstanding balance check frequency (14 days)Repeated balance checks suggest active thinking about the loan relationship — either prepayment planning or top-up consideration. Three or more checks in 14 days: elevated signal.Weight: 6pts
24Communication open and click historyHas the borrower opened and clicked product-related communications? Which product categories? The pattern across the last 6 months reveals latent product interest.Weight: 4pts
25Portal pages visited (product section)Which product pages has the borrower visited on the institution's portal or website? A borrower who visited the LAP page twice in the last month is a LAP prospect, not a generic prospect.Weight: 5pts
26WhatsApp / SMS response rate (last 6M)A borrower who consistently responds to institution communications is more likely to respond to a personalised offer. Non-responders need a different channel strategy, not a higher-frequency message.Weight: 3pts
Category 6 — Lifecycle and context (4 signals)
27Loan vintage and milestone proximityMonth 12, 24, 36 milestones are natural recommendation moments. Within 18 months of maturity: next-product conversation window. These calendar anchors structurally improve response rates.Weight: 4pts
28Income event proximity (salary or GST credit)Confirmed salary or GST credit in the last 72 hours puts the borrower in peak financial optimism. Offers sent within this window have measurably higher acceptance rates across all product types.Weight: 5pts
29SME: business expansion signals (GST new state, MCA)A new GST state registration or MCA director addition indicates business growth — a business actively expanding is a business that needs capital, often before it knows exactly how much.Weight: 6pts (SME only)
30Borrower segment — salaried / SE / SME / agriThe foundational segment classification that determines which signals are weighted most heavily and which product families are eligible. SME signals dominate for SME; salary signals dominate for salaried. Segment is not a single signal — it is the weight matrix for all others.Weight: matrix modifier
28Income event proximity (salary or GST credit)Confirmed salary or GST credit in the last 72 hours puts the borrower in peak financial optimism. Offers sent within this window have measurably higher acceptance rates across all product types.Weight: 5pts
29SME: business expansion signals (GST new state, MCA)A new GST state registration or MCA director addition indicates business growth — a business actively expanding is a business that needs capital, often before it knows exactly how much.Weight: 6pts (SME only)
30Borrower segment — salaried / SE / SME / agriThe foundational segment classification that determines which signals are weighted most heavily and which product families are eligible. SME signals dominate for SME; salary signals dominate for salaried. Segment is not a single signal — it is the weight matrix for all others.Weight: matrix modifier
A live 30-signal profile: Kaveri Constructions · SME
30-Signal Borrower Profile — Kaveri Constructions · LA-2024-1844 · Nov 14, 2025
Segment: SME · 14-month vintage · Score computed across all 30 signals
Active signals driving recommendation — top 8 by contribution
Signal 22 · instalment calculator used Nov 12
9/9 pts
Signal 01 · 14 consecutive on-time instalments
9/9 pts
Signal 09 · TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) headroom 22pp
9/9 pts
Signal 12 · GST revenue +34% YoY
8/8 pts
Signal 29 · New Philippines GST filed Oct 28
6/6 pts
Signal 07 · Verified income SGD84K/month
8/8 pts
Signal 28 · Income event: Oct 31 credit
5/5 pts
Signal 05 · Outstanding SGD13.8L (49.3% of original)
4/4 pts
Recommended product (30-signal model)
SME Working Capital Top-Up · SGD 170,000–SGD 200,000
Product fit score: 94/100 · 8 of 30 signals actively supporting · Outreach: today
Signals not supporting (no negative signals active)
No disqualifying signals · All active signals positive
Offer amount: TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio) headroom × income = SGD18K/month → SGD17.4L at 13.5% / 36M
● 30 signals computed in real time · Profile updated daily · Top 8 signals shown · Remaining 22 signals either neutral or not applicable to SME segment
30Signals per borrower — across 6 categories: repayment, income, assets, bureau, engagement, lifecycle
94/100Kaveri Constructions product fit score — 8 active signals all positive · No disqualifying signals · SME WC top-up recommended
DailyProfile update cadence — every borrower's 30 signals recomputed daily · instalment calculator use triggers immediate recomputation
Real-timeEngagement signals (instalment calculator, portal visit) override daily cadence — profile updated within 15 minutes of any engagement event
30 signals do not make the recommendation complex — they make it precise
The institution's relationship manager reviewing Kaveri Constructions' profile does not need to read all 30 signals. They need to know the recommendation (SME WC top-up, SGD 170,000–SGD 200,000) and the top 3 reasons (instalment calculator use, TN GST expansion, 34% revenue growth). The 30-signal model does the work of synthesising those reasons from the full picture — including the 22 signals that were checked and found neutral, confirming that there are no hidden disqualifying factors. The recommendation that arrives at the RM's desk is not the output of a keyword match or a single threshold check — it is the output of a complete financial profile assessment that no human analyst could run for 48,000 borrowers every morning.