Last week, the vineyards of the Hunter Valley served as the backdrop for the 13th annual Customer 360 Symposium. Bringing together over 150 of the region’s most influential CX and customer insights leaders. If you missed the morning mists and the deep-dive sessions, here is the essential roundup of what shaped the conversations this year. …
The digital customer journey, traditionally viewed as a linear progression from awareness to purchase, has evolved into a dynamic, ‘always-on’ ecosystem. Every digital touchpoint—from a social media scroll to a voice-activated search—serves as a data signal that informs a brand’s understanding of a consumer. On their journey, customers often jump between discovery and deep research …
In the traditional world of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), the industry was long defined by ‘bums on seats’ and labour arbitrage. Success was measured by how many calls you could churn through and how cheaply you could do it. But for CDM Direct, a specialist operating in high-stakes sectors like automotive, Aged Care, and the …
In an industry traditionally seen as a laggard in digital adoption, Kennards Hire is proving that a ‘bricks-and-mortar’ foundation is no barrier to cutting-edge customer experience. Leading this charge is Nathan Borg, Head of Digital and Customer Experience. With a career spanning 15 years within the business, Nathan brings a unique perspective on how to …
In the financial services industry, customer obsession is a term often used but rarely mastered. For Annmaree Bell, Zurich’s Chief Customer Officer, it isn’t a corporate buzzword—it’s a philosophy rooted in two decades of leading transformation and a deep-seated passion for the art of storytelling. Since joining Zurich in 2010, Annmaree has championed major organisational …
As digital agents gain the ability to access bank accounts, manage supply chains, and interact with customers, guardrails need to be put in place to ensure safety, compliance, and ethical alignment. Agentic AI focuses on the ability to complete a goal with minimal human intervention. While productive, unconstrained agents pose significant risks, including unpredictable behaviour, …
In the competitive world of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), the ‘secret sauce’ isn’t always in the kitchen. For El Jannah, the iconic Australian charcoal chicken chain, it’s increasingly found in the cloud. Since launching its AI pilot in September 2025, El Jannah has transformed how it interacts with its community. By integrating Salesforce Agentforce into …
The intersection of human empathy and machine intelligence is where the future of banking is being written. For Jessica Dawson, NAB’s Head of AI Enablement, this journey started when she worked in a contact centre while she was studying. From managing NPS programs to leading AI strategy at one of Australia’s ‘Big Four’, her career …
In 2026, AI-powered CX will represent a fundamental shift toward agentic systems—intelligent entities capable of reasoning, maintaining long-term memory, and executing complex workflows autonomously. For businesses across Singapore, Australia, Japan, and beyond, the priority has moved from merely automating interactions to orchestrating outcomes that drive measurable loyalty and revenue. Major regional players, such as Singapore’s …
The Australian small and medium business (SMB) sector is entering 2026 facing a paradox. While business owners report high levels of confidence and gold-standard performance, their customers are signaling a different reality. According to the newly released Thryv 2025 Business Index and Consumer Report, a widening “Experience Gap” has emerged. For the modern entrepreneur, simply …