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Kiwibank posts $174m profit as lending & deposits grow
Fintech

Kiwibank posts $174m profit as lending & deposits grow

Earnings fell as lower margins squeezed Kiwibank, even though home loans and deposits climbed faster than those of bigger rivals.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Yesterday
Accenture Song finds Kiwi brands still failing promises
Digital Transformation

Accenture Song finds Kiwi brands still failing promises

A new survey suggests customer frustration is nudging more New Zealand shoppers towards AI tools, even as brands struggle to rebuild trust.

By Sean Mitchell • 5 min read • 4 days ago

Global Stories

Customer service stories

Talkdesk launches branch tool for banks & credit unions
Fintech

Talkdesk launches branch tool for banks & credit unions

Banks could use the new tool to give branch staff a fuller customer history, reducing repeated questions and improving advice on complex issues.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • 2 days ago
Google filters Dataflow AI tasks to cut streaming costs
Industrial IoT

Google filters Dataflow AI tasks to cut streaming costs

Only a small share of routine stream events need costly model calls under Google's Dataflow approach, which can curb latency and API charges.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • 2 days ago
Bluecrest boosts contact centre with NiCE AI platform
Software-as-a-Service

Bluecrest boosts contact centre with NiCE AI platform

Annual savings of GBP £250,000 and a 94% answer rate followed a shift to AI transcription and analytics across Bluecrest's service lines.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 3 min read • 3 days ago
Sonata Software names Hariprasad Rebala Chief AI Officer
Data Analytics

Sonata Software names Hariprasad Rebala Chief AI Officer

The hire underscores rising pressure on IT services firms to turn AI pilots into measurable client gains as Sonata deepens its push into enterprise use.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • 3 days ago
Zendesk's outcome-based pricing balances AI with human touch
Software-as-a-Service

Zendesk's outcome-based pricing balances AI with human touch

Businesses will pay only for closed support cases under Zendesk's new model, as the software group ties AI automation to human fallback.

By Anthony Caruana • 4 min read • 4 days ago
returns experience drives online shoppers away, study finds
Customer Experience

returns experience drives online shoppers away, study finds

Poor returns experiences are pushing 92% of shoppers away, while most also check refund windows before buying, Reveni's study found.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • 4 days ago
OpenAI launches Ultrafast GPT-5.6 Sol for businesses
DevOps

OpenAI launches Ultrafast GPT-5.6 Sol for businesses

Businesses in the preview can use the model for real-time coding, support and trading tasks, with responses up to 14 times faster.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Last week

Stories from Other Regions

Customer service stories

Blue Machines AI launches Floe for Indian customer chats
Fintech

Blue Machines AI launches Floe for Indian customer chats

The model aims to stop Indian customer-service bots from switching languages unnecessarily, reducing friction in live voice and chat exchanges.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Yesterday
Kore.ai wins Leader nods in five enterprise AI reviews
Software-as-a-Service

Kore.ai wins Leader nods in five enterprise AI reviews

Enterprise buyers are weighing governance and auditability more heavily as the AI vendor secures top marks across five analyst categories.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Yesterday
Ai+ Smartphone to add 100 service centres in south
Customer Experience

Ai+ Smartphone to add 100 service centres in south

South Indian buyers are set to get faster repairs and support as the handset maker widens its after-sales network beyond its north-heavy sales base.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • 2 days ago
Malaysia AI adoption rises to 38% as AWS flags gaps
Software-as-a-Service

Malaysia AI adoption rises to 38% as AWS flags gaps

Nearly a million Malaysian firms took up AI in the past year, but most are still using basic tools rather than scaling them.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • 2 days ago
AnywhereNow's Tendfor wins Microsoft Teams certification
Software-as-a-Service

AnywhereNow's Tendfor wins Microsoft Teams certification

Customers using Microsoft Teams may find contact centre integration simpler after Tendfor was certified under Microsoft's Unify Integration Model.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 3 min read • 2 days ago
CTI Digital opens access to sovereign AI platform Croft
Data Protection

CTI Digital opens access to sovereign AI platform Croft

UK organisations can now run AI tools on domestic infrastructure while keeping data and prompts under their own control, CTI says.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 3 min read • 3 days ago
Apprentices say AI is reshaping tech skills demand
Artificial Intelligence

Apprentices say AI is reshaping tech skills demand

AI is making communication and adaptability as vital as coding for junior tech roles, apprentices said, as employers seek workplace-ready staff.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 6 min read • 4 days ago
Adyen unifies Tod's global payments across 115 stores
Digital Transformation

Adyen unifies Tod's global payments across 115 stores

The move has lifted approval rates and cut reconciliation work as the luxury group standardises payments across stores and online in 14 countries.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • 4 days ago