The shift to conversational CX – Interview with Sinch’s Angus Mansfied

The traditional “omnichannel” approach is being replaced by something far more dynamic: a living ecosystem of intelligent, two-way dialogues. As brands move away from simple automation toward sophisticated “digital labour,” the focus has shifted from mere efficiency to deep, trust-based customer connections. To explore how these trends are manifesting in the Australian market, Mark Atterby …

Digital labour – Are the robots really taking over customer support?

The customer support landscape is transitioning from basic automation into the era of digital labour. Within modern service ecosystems, agentic AI marks a significant advancement over previous generations of support tools by moving beyond static responses toward autonomous problem-solving. Digital labour encompasses productive activities facilitated by digital infrastructures, where work is coordinated.It can also describe …

Generative AI in customer service: From chatbots to autonomous agents

Since ChatGPT rose to prominence at the end 2022, CX technology vendors have been busy integrating the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Gen AI into their software platforms. The aim has been to deliver more human-like, personalised, and efficient interactions at scale. Over the years, chatbots have evolved through several distinct generations, moving …

IKEA’s quest to become customer obsessed

The journey toward genuine customer obsession requires more than just good intentions—it demands a robust, organisation-wide strategy for customer listening. In 2018 IKEA embarked on a VoC program aimed at building a single source of truth about its customers and the business.  IKEA’s need for its Voice of the Customer (VoC) program stemmed from its …

Why AI Transparency will build brand trust and loyalty in 2026 – Interview with Nicholas Kontopoulos

Failing to disclose an AI interaction, particularly one that results in a poor service experience, leads to negative sentiments and may  push customers toward more transparent competitors. I recently interviewed Nicholas Kontopoulos, Vice President of Marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan for Twilio about the indispensable role of transparency and trust when implementing AI. If organisations …

Creating student-first experiences: CSU’s Journey to proactive, empathetic support

The student experience at Charles Sturt University (CSU), particularly for those studying online, has recently undergone a fundamental transformation. Moving away from a limited 9-5 phone based support service, CSU has adopted a modern, highly engaged, and student-centric approach. Historically, enquiry services at Charles Sturt University (CSU) were largely phone-only and operated within a rigid …

Why Zendesk predicts contextual intelligence to be the new CX Standard – Interview with Kellie Hackney

Kellie Hackney, ANZ Regional Vice President for Zendesk, identifies ‘contextual Intelligence’ as the dominant trend poised to disrupt both Australian and international markets, projecting that it will set a new CX standard by 2026. This paradigm moves beyond static systems, focusing instead on the real-time infusion of AI, data, and human insight to create experiences …

Ready Maestro! Genesys unveils its strategy for an orchestrated future

Genesys explained its vision for the future of AI and CX at their Xperience event in Sydney today. That vision embraces the concept of universal experience orchestration – the ability to coordinate every customer and employ interaction, across the entire organisation and in real-time. Genesys’s roadmap for experience orchestration centres on advancing the Genesys Cloud …