Maurice Zicman, Vice President – CX Strategy at TP in Australia, unpacks why Retail and Ecommerce companies must move at the speed of their customers, and embrace AI-led, emotionally intelligent models to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

The pace of consumer expectations has never been faster, and Australian retailers are struggling to keep up.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released its final publication of retail trade data, showing a 1.2 per cent surge in June 2025, as shoppers splurged on End of Financial Year bargains. 

Every tap, click and swipe raises the bar. Whether it’s major sales promotions or a seamless checkout on Instagram, consumers (particularly Gen Z and millennials) expect retailers to match their pace and preferences in real time. For many in the retail space, that means re-evaluating legacy systems and accelerating digital transformation with a renewed sense of urgency towards an elevated customer experience (CX).

In today’s market, speed is the new currency and success hinges on not only how quickly you can deliver a product, but how fast you can anticipate, understand and respond to consumer needs.

Digital-first generations are leading the charge

Together, Gen Z and millennials represent an enormous wave of spending power and digital influence. According to TP’s Business Insights report which surveyed more than 57,000 respondents across 19 sectors, consumers have changed the way they shop and the way they want to interact with brands.

They don’t just prefer digital, they live it. They want instant gratification, intuitive interfaces, fast and free shipping and returns, and real-time customer support. If one business can’t deliver on those expectations, another option is only a swipe or click away.

What this means for retailers – move faster, not just smarter

Retailers are under immense pressure to become more agile, not just in operations and logistics, but in how they connect with customers across every channel. They need service experts for customer support and an unparalleled customer experience management.

 We’ve seen firsthand how the most innovative retailers are responding – partnering with outsourcing companies like us to invest in AI-powered customer service, building integrated support teams, and embracing data-driven personalisation to deepen customer engagement.

Major E-commerce brands are integrating conversational AI within their social media channels. Customers can chat in real time for help with sizing, availability or even style advice. This shift can help to generate incremental revenue while reducing friction across the customer journey.

This is what it looks like to match the speed of consumers, meeting them where they are, in the moments that matter and with the tools that make it seamless.

Retail is still a people business, EI matters

Even as AI and automation take centre stage, emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical differentiator. Customers remember how a brand makes them feel, whether they feel heard, understood and valued.

Every click is a potential drop-off point. In fact, nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned – often due to complex checkout processes, lack of payment options or slow site speeds. This is where retailers need to focus. Simplifying the path to purchase and making it feel intuitive across desktop, mobile and social channels is no longer optional, it’s expected.

The best retailers are blending technology with human empathy, using AI to handle repetitive queries while empowering service teams to focus on emotionally charged interactions – resolving a failed delivery, answering a question about a return, or navigating a sensitive payment issue. At TP we call it powered by EI, enabled by AI.

In an age of algorithms, empathy is the edge. Done right, this human-digital hybrid doesn’t just solve problems, it builds trust, loyalty and long-term brand equity. With empathy and human connection at our core, we champion a ‘High-Tech, High-Touch’ approach—leveraging EI-AI at best to deliver top-notch customer experience management. By integrating cutting-edge technology with genuine human touch, we help brands meet rising expectations while staying true to what matters most: meaningful customer relationships.

The AI advantage, from insight to impact

Retailers today sit on a treasure trove of customer data, but few are turning that into meaningful action. AI can help retailers go beyond analytics to create hyper-personalised experiences at scale; predicting when someone might abandon a cart, which products to recommend and what message will resonate most.

We’re also seeing growing interest in generative AI for everything from trend forecasting to dynamic product design. In a market where the definition of “in style” changes by the hour, this technology can help brands scale faster, test smarter and stay ahead of what’s next.

It’s now safe to say that when data meets design, innovation accelerates. The fusion of predictive insights and creative automation is reshaping how retailers ideate, iterate, and inspire.

What Australian retailers can learn

Major sales events are powerful reminders of what today’s consumers expect – frictionless buying, real-time recommendations and ultra-fast fulfilment.

The key takeaway is customers are watching, comparing and expecting every brand to deliver with the same speed and ease.

Australian retailers that embrace this mindset, combining the right technology, partners and CX strategies will be best placed to thrive.

A call to action for retailer leaders

The truth is, we’re not just in a retail transformation, we’re in a customer acceleration era. The retailers that will succeed are those who match the momentum of the customers they serve.

That means speeding up decision-making and investing in agile transformation technologies and solutions that allow businesses to act and react in real time. But it also means doubling down on EI, building customer journeys that feel effortless and intuitive, while supporting teams with the tools to make that happen.

When a business isn’t evolving as fast as its customers do, it’s time to ask why. In the race to win the modern shopper, speed is no longer a luxury, it’s an expectation. Because, each interaction matters.

I’ve always understood that businesses need to earn the commute – and that’s never been truer than it is today. In the midst of a persistent cost of living crisis, every trip into the office comes at a personal cost for employees. Commuting expenses, food and time lost to travel all adds up over the year. If we expect people to work on-site, we need to make it worth the investment.

Now with winter in full swing and Seasonal Affective Disorder impacting Australians, the challenge of encouraging employees to brave the elements and work on-site is even more pronounced. At the same time, it presents a unique opportunity for employers to create a workplace that employees genuinely enjoy coming to.

To help meet the work on-site challenge head-on, the strategies below offer practical, people-first solutions that can make the workplace more attractive and supportive during the colder months. From leading with a hospitality mindset to prioritising wellbeing and flexibility, there is a lot more that businesses can do to create environments that encourage positive workplace culture all year.

Hospitality-Frist Mindset

Creating a workplace people genuinely love starts with a hospitality-led approach. Having grown up in the hotel industry, I have always brought this mindset to how I operate a business. This means using the principles of hospitality to foster meaningful connections with our members, especially during the colder months where motivation for on-site activity can dip.

A great example of this has been the introduction of private, after-hours social events, such as RISE breakfasts to start the day and RELAX drinks and nibbles to wind down in the evening. Other examples of hospitality perks could include – free coffee in the mornings and warm food catered at lunch time. When done thoughtfully, hospitality-driven perks can be a powerful incentive to bring people back into the office and keep them coming back.

Prioritising Wellbeing

It’s no surprise that mental health challenges and rates of depression can rise in the colder months. Businesses should ensure wellbeing is at the heart of everything they do – not just in winter, but all year round. At Hub, our workspaces are designed to support work-life-balance and give people the opportunity to find moments of calm in their day.

Something that works really well for us, is having a dedicated program for wellness. Our WorkWell program is a holistic initiative that supports the professional, mental, social and physical wellbeing of our members – through a variety of services, events and thoughtfully designed spaces.

As part of this commitment, we have also partnered with Unyoked, the ultimate cabin-in-the-woods escape designed to help people disconnect and recharge. Through our partnership members get the opportunity to enjoy a free night’s stay at an Unyoked cabin. We have also integrated components of the Unyoked cabin experience into our office spaces.

Supporting Flexibility

As the colder months set in, it’s essential for businesses to support and invest in employee flexibility. This could mean introducing later start times, covering commuting costs, or even introducing a Winter Friday perk whereby employees finish up early on Friday afternoons.

Small, thoughtful initiatives like these can make a big difference. They not only encourage people to come into the office but also help prevent burnout and keep teams feeling motivated and valued.

Creating a great culture all year

While seasonal perks are a great way to boost engagement during the colder months, building a strong, positive workplace culture is a year-round effort.

In the post-COVID era building positive workplace culture has never been so hard. Many employees are more likely to spend time with friends outside of work than at workplace social events. In fact, 87%[1] say they prefer it that way. That makes it even more important for businesses to meet employees where they’re at – focusing on what really matters: financial wellbeing, mental health, flexibility, and preventing burnout.

Perks are valuable, but they work best when combined with a thoughtful approach to employee needs. A happy, engaged team isn’t just built through seasonal incentives, but consistency.

Contributed by Brad Krauskopf, CEO & Founder of Hub Australia

[1] Love Where You Work Report: Hub 2025

Most sole traders spend time and money trying to be seen – whether that is investing in SEO, building a website or running ads. However, visibility is only part of the equation. What happens after someone gets in touch is just as important. An enquiry arrives – whether it is a web form submission, a text, a DM or a missed call. It should be the start of a new job or customer relationship. However, for many businesses, this is where momentum slows and they are losing leads.

Yet, for some solo operators, how enquiries are handled isn’t given the same attention as how they are generated. And without a clear and consistent process for capturing and responding to interest, good leads may go unanswered – not because it is not your intention, but because you are already stretched.

Where growth quietly slows down

In conversations with sole traders across Australia and New Zealand, whether they are mobile mechanics, florists or health professionals, there is a recurring theme: “I’m working non-stop, but I’m still not getting enough business.”

In many cases, the challenge isn’t visibility or marketing. It’s what happens next.

You have done the work to be found. Your website is ranking, your social presence is active, maybe you have even launched a campaign. Enquiries start coming in, but then?

They sit in your inbox, or land in your DMs after hours while you are on the job. You see the notification, intend to follow up, but with everything else demanding your attention, it slips past.

This is where growth often slows, not because of a lack of demand, but because the process for handling that demand isn’t keeping pace. And because it happens quietly in the background, it often goes unnoticed until the pipeline starts to feel dry.

Speed matters more than charm

We all like to think that a business’s quality of offering or product, personality or reputation will carry through to success and growth. However, research consistently shows that when it comes to lead conversion, speed is also fundamental. If your business doesn’t respond within the hour, your chances of converting that enquiry drops dramatically.

It doesn’t mean you need to be glued to your phone 24/7. However, it does mean you need a system – an effective and reliant process. Something that ensures no lead slips through the cracks just because you are onsite, out of range or off duty.

Automation is about buying yourself time to respond properly, without leaving potential customers in the dark.

Where leads are getting lost

Consider for a moment how many channels your customers can use to get in touch. It might be email, text message, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, your website, Google or even third-party platforms.

Individually, each channel makes sense. However, together, they can create a fragmented experience – both for you and your customers. Without a clear and centralised way to manage enquiries, it’s easy for conversations to be missed, delayed or duplicated. It also adds pressure to keep on top of everything, while still delivering your core service.

Creating a single, streamlined system for managing incoming enquiries doesn’t just reduce stress, it also improves your responsiveness, professionalism and conversion. It gives you back control.

Your lead response process is your first impression

Many sole traders assume the sales process begins with a quote. It begins the moment a potential customer reaches out. The way you respond, including how promptly, how clearly and how confidently – shapes the customer’s first impression of your business.

If someone has to follow up just to receive basic information or clarification, confidence in your reliability may quickly erode. Even if your work is exceptional, that early hesitation may linger.

You don’t need to be available around the clock. But being timely, consistent and professional in your initial response goes a long way in building trust from the outset.

Handling enquiries well is a quiet but powerful driver of growth, one that often goes unnoticed until opportunities start slipping through.

If you are looking for a practical way to strengthen your business this month, start by reviewing how enquiries are received, how quickly you are responding and where follow-up might be falling short.

Chances are, your next great customer may have already reached out. The key is making sure they hear back.

Contributed by By Elise Balsillie, Head of Thryv Australia and New Zealand

AI is creating a world of new possibilities for businesses. We see it every day in how our customers are taking advantage of the AI capabilities embedded across NetSuite. But what if you could bring your own AI and decide how it interacts with your data in NetSuite? 

I’m excited to introduce the new NetSuite AI Connector Service, a protocol-driven integration service supporting Model Context Protocol (MCP). In case you haven’t heard of MCP, it is emerging as a critical standard for structured communication between large language model (LLM)-powered agents and other systems.

While we call it an integration service, it’s more than that – it’s a foundational step in making NetSuite the most intelligent, extensible, and AI-ready ERP system. The NetSuite AI Connector Service gives customers a secure, flexible, and scalable way to connect their own AI to NetSuite. This is important because it:

• Enables developers to define exactly what their AI system can see and do, with full permissions and role-based access
• Supports multiple assistants and agent platforms in a standards-based way, allowing for a “bring your own AI” model
• Turns complex AI-ERP integrations into modular, reusable SuiteApps, streamlining deployment and lifecycle management
• Aligns AI integrations with NetSuite’s existing extensibility model, eliminating the need for risky workarounds or shadow IT
• Allows partners and ISVs to build, package, and monetise AI-driven SuiteApps, creating a new category of intelligent ERP extensions

What’s more, the NetSuite AI Connector Service will enable NetSuite users to engage with NetSuite data via the user interfaces of popular AI assistants.

Here are more details on why we’re so excited about the new NetSuite AI Connector:

• Sets a new industry standard for AI-ERP integration: While most ERP vendors are adding AI as fixed, embedded features, we are taking a platform-first approach by introducing a protocol-based, extensible architecture. This allows structured, governed, and developer-defined interactions between ERP and external AI systems. It establishes a new benchmark for what enterprise AI integration should look like – secure, flexible, and open – and puts pressure on other vendors to rethink their approach.
• Opens ERP to the agent ecosystem: By enabling integration with third-party AI agent platforms, NetSuite becomes one of the first major ERP systems to support agent-based automation across systems and reinforces our position at the forefront of the agent-driven enterprise software.
• Empowers the SuiteCloud developer and partner ecosystem: Instead of bypassing technical teams with closed AI features, we are putting power into the hands of developers through Custom MCP Tools and the SuiteCloud MCP Server. This creates a new category of intelligent ERP extensions and a new frontier of opportunity for the NetSuite ecosystem.
• Provides customers with long-term flexibility and choice: With support for bring-your-own-AI and an extensible, protocol-based design, we are ensuring our customers gain the freedom to select the AI models and platforms that best align with their evolving needs. This approach enables customers to adapt quickly as technologies advance, ensuring continuous innovation on their terms.

For all these reasons and more, this is a big deal as it reflects a fundamental architectural shift. By exposing ERP data, context, and logic to external AI systems through secure, governed interfaces, we are laying the groundwork for true AI-native ERP: systems that not only automate tasks, but also collaborate with AI to reason, take action, and drive business outcomes.

We will be sharing more details on NetSuite AI Connector Service at SuiteWorld taking place October 6-9 in Las Vegas. If you would like to learn more about how your business can take advantage of it today, please visit NetSuite AI Connector Service.

Contributed by Brian Chess, Senior Vice President of Technology and AI, Oracle NetSuite

Most sole traders spend time and money trying to be seen – whether that is investing in SEO, building a website or running ads. However, visibility is only part of the equation. What happens after someone gets in touch is just as important.

An enquiry arrives – whether it is a web form submission, a text, a DM or a missed call. It should be the start of a new job or customer relationship. However, for many businesses, this is where momentum slows.

Yet, for some solo operators, how enquiries are handled isn’t given the same attention as how they are generated. And without a clear and consistent process for capturing and responding to interest, good leads may go unanswered – not because it is not your intention, but because you are already stretched.

Where growth quietly slows down

In conversations with sole traders across Australia and New Zealand, whether they are mobile mechanics, florists or health professionals, there is a recurring theme: “I’m working non-stop, but I’m still not getting enough business.”

In many cases, the challenge isn’t visibility or marketing. It’s what happens next.

You have done the work to be found. Your website is ranking, your social presence is active, maybe you have even launched a campaign. Enquiries start coming in, but then?

They sit in your inbox, or land in your DMs after hours while you are on the job. You see the notification, intend to follow up, but with everything else demanding your attention, it slips past.

This is where growth often slows, not because of a lack of demand, but because the process for handling that demand isn’t keeping pace. And because it happens quietly in the background, it often goes unnoticed until the pipeline starts to feel dry.

Speed matters more than charm

We all like to think that a business’s quality of offering or product, personality or reputation will carry through to success and growth. However, research consistently shows that when it comes to lead conversion, speed is also fundamental. If your business doesn’t respond within the hour, your chances of converting that enquiry drops dramatically.

It doesn’t mean you need to be glued to your phone 24/7. However, it does mean you need a system – an effective and reliant process. Something that ensures no lead slips through the cracks just because you are onsite, out of range or off duty.

Automation is about buying yourself time to respond properly, without leaving potential customers in the dark.

Where leads are getting lost

Consider for a moment how many channels your customers can use to get in touch. It might be email, text message, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, your website, Google or even third-party platforms.

Individually, each channel makes sense. However, together, they can create a fragmented experience – both for you and your customers. Without a clear and centralised way to manage enquiries, it’s easy for conversations to be missed, delayed or duplicated. It also adds pressure to keep on top of everything, while still delivering your core service.

Creating a single, streamlined system for managing incoming enquiries doesn’t just reduce stress, it also improves your responsiveness, professionalism and conversion. It gives you back control.

Your lead response process is your first impression

Many sole traders assume the sales process begins with a quote. It begins the moment a potential customer reaches out. The way you respond, including how promptly, how clearly and how confidently – shapes the customer’s first impression of your business.

If someone has to follow up just to receive basic information or clarification, confidence in your reliability may quickly erode. Even if your work is exceptional, that early hesitation may linger.

You don’t need to be available around the clock. But being timely, consistent and professional in your initial response goes a long way in building trust from the outset.

Handling enquiries well is a quiet but powerful driver of growth, one that often goes unnoticed until opportunities start slipping through.

If you are looking for a practical way to strengthen your business this month, start by reviewing how enquiries are received, how quickly you are responding and where follow-up might be falling short.

Chances are, your next great customer may have already reached out. The key is making sure they hear back.

Contributed by Elise Balsillie, Head of Thryv Australia and New Zealand

Aussie businesses will pour profits into people, marketing and the workplace over the next 12 months, with fresh data revealing a pivot back to the office and tight profit margins is steering a trend towards lower cost, high-impact non-capital spending.

Marketing, training, tech and even office furniture will take priority for businesses in 2025-26, with a national survey by business loan comparison platform Small Business Loans Australia (SBLA) showing 91 per cent of businesses plan to make non-capital investments to drive immediate efficiency, sales and growth without taking on significant financial risk. 

The figures follow data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that show private capital expenditure fell by 0.1% in the March quarter of 2025 – driven by a 1.3% fall in plant and machinery investment – and is now 0.5% lower than in March 2024.[1] While some sectors seem to be pulling back, businesses overall are forecasting a still-healthy $155.9 billion[2] in capital investment this financial year.

To ascertain which types of capital businesses are investing in this financial year, and what internal and external drivers influence their capital investment decisions SBLA commissioned an independent, nationally representative panel of 200 business owners and decision-makers.

In terms of capital investments, the most popular suggest that a significant proportion of businesses will invest in the more immediate needs of their businesses, such as operational efficiency and ending work-from-home arrangements. These investments are technology and IT hardware (38% of businesses), followed by office furniture and fittings (28%), the latter suggesting office enhancements to bring workers back. A smaller proportion plan to spend on machinery and equipment (22%) and motor vehicles (13%), larger-ticket items that need more financing or longer-term certainty. That one in 10 businesses will invest in sustainable assets could be driven by energy efficiency or compliance needs.

The survey additionally found that the most common non-capital investments are new employees (by 31% of businesses) and skilling up employees (35%). Investment in product or service development (23%), marketing and advertising (22%) and customer experience enhancements (16%) show businesses will also invest to grow efficiency and sales.
Small Business Loans Australia also sought to identify the internal roadblocks that would prevent businesses from committing to capital investment. Narrow financial constraints are the biggest barrier, with tight profit margins (43%), insufficient cash flow (26%) and prioritising debt repayments (17%) likely to impact businesses.

The macro-level or environmental forces that most influence business capital investment are high energy costs (30%), rising interest rates (24%) and economic uncertainty (22%), all of which are real issues in the current economic environment. 

Alon Rajic, founder of Small Business Loans Australia, says: “Business owners are making hard decisions about where to allocate limited funds – and our research shows there is a clear preference for investment that drives efficiency, customer acquisition and workforce capability. While they might not be prioritising big-ticket capital purchases at last year’s levels, many businesses are still planning to invest in growth.

“Our research also revealed that the decision to invest in capital and the willingness to take risks is sensitive to internal and external pressures, the biggest being financial: limited finances, inflation and high interest rates. 

“The good news is that businesses aren’t necessarily slowing down – they’re choosing those investments that have faster returns and lower risk. Businesses are making more selective and considered decisions about how they’ll grow this financial year.”

The full Small Business Loans Australia FY26 capital investment study can be found here.
 

Only one in three (32%) mid-to-senior level business leaders said the last change they led achieved healthy change adoption by employees, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

Gartner defines healthy change adoption as the success elements that leaders can directly influence – getting employees to act on change, on time and in a healthy way that doesn’t adversely impact employee performance and engagement or cause undue stress.

“Changes today are continuous, stacked on top of one another, highly interdependent and often driven by factors external to the organisation,” said Kayla Velnoskey, Director in the Gartner HR practice. “While leaders are used to operating in a VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) environment, the nature of change today has made it ungovernable.”

Ungovernable change has lowered employees’ trust in an organisation’s ability to change effectively. An April 2025 Gartner survey of 141 HR leaders found that organisations experiencing ungovernable change are 1.6x less likely to experience high change trust. Another April 2025 Gartner survey of more than 2,850 employees revealed that 79% of employees have low trust in change.

“Organisations with better than average healthy change adoption report two times higher year-over-year revenue growth rate,” said Ingrid Laman, Vice President, Advisory in the Gartner HR practice. “For companies with more than 50,000 employees, this can equal up to $2.2 billion USD annually.”

Typically, leaders use inspiration and the vision of change to get employees to adopt change, however Gartner analysis found the inspirational approach only works when there is high change trust. When change trust is low, Gartner’s model predicts that only one-quarter of changes led by inspirational leaders would achieve healthy change adoption.

“In Australia, the inability of managers to lead change has been a significant factor contributing to employee dissatisfaction, with manager quality the top reason employees left their employers over the past year,” said Neal Woolrich, Director, Advisory in the Gartner HR practice. “HR leaders have a great opportunity and a duty to address this, by teaching leaders how to build change reflexes in their teams.”

The best change leadership approach is when leaders routinise change, so it becomes instinctive for employees to adopt change as part of the normal course of doing work. Gartner has identified three ways HR can help leaders routinise change to achieve healthy change adoption (see Figure 1).

HR Clarifies Leaders’ Change Role

HR needs to help leaders communicate that constant change is today’s business reality and focus employees on making regular progress on the change journey. This requires business leaders to embrace a new, active role in leading change all the time, not just when it is most intense. Leaders must regularly prepare employees for change and focus on acknowledging progress on interim goals, not the ever-shifting vision for the future.

“To business leaders, this sounds like more work than they have capacity to tackle,” said Laman. “HR can help by showing business leaders that acknowledging the change journey is not more work; instead, it requires them to apply the skills they already have in new ways, redistributing and balancing their time and effort to make change leadership sustainable.”

HR Equips Leaders with Emotion Regulation Tools

Leaders and employees often feel great discomfort when they are asked to lead through or adopt changes. It is hard for leaders to help employees manage these emotions without knowing what’s driving employees’ discomfort. However, if leaders and employees cannot cope with this discomfort, it can create resistance to change.

HR must equip leaders with tools and techniques to regulate the emotional component of change, including resources to help employees self-identify and cope with their reactions to change. Ultimately, leaders are responsible for equipping employees to get to an emotional state where they can act on change despite how they feel.

HR Teaches Leaders to Build Change Reflexes

Leaders who routinise change drive employee action by training intuition, so that change adoption is second nature. HR must help leaders build employees’ change reflexes by identifying what core change skills matter most and finding moments within daily work to practice those skills.

HR should partner with leaders to address the following:

• What are core change skills – skills needed by employees to prepare for and adopt change regardless of the type of change – that employees must practice?
• How and when do they practice these change skills?
• How can leaders get employees to commit to practicing these change skills?

“When leaders routinise change, our model predicts that employees are three times more likely to adopt changes on time and in a healthy way even though they have low change trust,” said Velnoskey.

The Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) hunt for GST fraudsters continues as four more individuals are sentenced following action of Operation Protego.

These recent sentencings reinforce the ATO’s unwavering commitment in investigating and holding all offenders to account.

ATO Deputy Commissioner and Serious Financial Crime Taskforce (SFCT) Chief John Ford said the ATO’s ability to detect and halt GST fraud is unwavering.

‘Our fraud detection and prevention capabilities are advanced thanks to partnerships, technologies, and risk models all working together to stay ahead of fraudsters and criminals,’ Mr Ford said.

Included in these sentencings are individuals who, at the time of offending, were current employees and contractors at the ATO. Once their involvement was identified, their employment ceased.

‘We expect all staff to act with the highest levels of integrity and these individuals violated the trust placed in them by the community.’

‘The community rightly expects all ATO staff to act with the highest levels of integrity. Those who do not meet our values have no place at the ATO,’ Mr Ford said.

Latest sentencing outcomes:

• Kim Orense was sentenced in Penrith District Court to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be released on recognizance after serving 10 months subject to conditions to be of good behaviour for 2 years and to accept the supervision and guidance of Community Corrections, for dealing in money or property that was and which Mr Orense believe to be the proceeds of indictable crime, contrary to subsection 400.4(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). Between October 2021 and April 2022, 14 false business activity statements (BAS) were lodged in Mr Orense’s name, which resulted in him receiving $214,011 in fraudulent GST refunds. He transferred these funds to other bank accounts or associates, including Abigail Ussher, his former partner, who has also been sentenced. A search warrant conducted in June 2022 at Mr Orense’s residence found no business records, invoices, tools or equipment, that would suggest he was carrying out a house repair business that he claimed.
• Abigail Ussher was sentenced in the Penrith District Court to 12 months’ imprisonment, to be released on recognizance after serving 5 months subject to conditions to be of good behaviour for 2 years and to accept the supervision and guidance of Community Corrections, for dealing in money or property that was and which Ms Ussher believed to be the proceeds of indictable crime, contrary to subsection 400.4(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). In 2022, Ms Ussher lodged 3 original and 4 revised BAS and received $117,297 in refunds through an ABN she claimed was for a business that provided crime scene cleaning services. Upon receiving the funds, Ms Ussher transferred them to personal accounts, or other third parties. She transferred funds to Kim Orense, her former partner, who has also been sentenced. An investigation into Ms Ussher’s bank activity and a search warrant on her home concluded that she was not carrying out a business and therefore not entitled to the refunds she had claimed.
• Former ATO employee Menuwarage Ranasinghe was sentenced at Adelaide Magistrates Court to 4 months’ imprisonment with an order that she be released immediately upon giving security by recognizance of $500 to comply with a condition that she must be of good behaviour for 18 months for three counts of the offence of
  obtaining a financial advantage by deception. Ms Ranasinghe lodged three BAS which misrepresented the creditable expenses incurred by her business and, as a result, obtained $16,056.00 in GST refunds.
• Former ATO contractor Baby Dee Zearwie was sentenced at Melbourne County Court to 8 months’ imprisonment, and immediately released on a two-year recognizance release order for 1 count of obtaining a financial advantage by deception by joint commission and 1 count of obtaining financial advantage by deception. Ms Zearwie obtained $87,649.60 in fraudulent GST refunds. She was also ordered to make reparations of $23,709.43.

These matters were prosecuted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth)(CDPP) following a referral from the ATO.

You can confidentially report suspected tax crime or fraud to us by making a tip-off online or calling 1800 060 062.

For more information about Operation Protego including recent sentencings, visit ato.gov.au/protego.

Australia is home to more than 1,221 franchising networks, with the sector generating over $110 billion in turnover each year. However, recent data from the Franchise Council of Australia and FRANdata shows that, as of March 2025, many franchise business owners report feeling the strain, particularly when it comes to securing finance. In fact, access to funding has emerged as a significant challenge across the sector.

Given the scale and significance of this industry to the Australian economy, it raises an important question: how can franchisees access the most suitable funding to support their growth and operations – and how can finance brokers connect franchise owners to the right funding partner?

Offering valuable insights to franchise owners on how to borrow smarter, Banjo Loans’ Strategic Partnerships Manager, Frances Rikard-Bell, outlines three key reasons why partnering with a non-bank lender can offer long-term benefits for both brokers and franchise businesses.

The time and resources to uncover a franchises’ needs

A strong understanding of the franchisees’ business needs, how the franchise got to where they are and where they want to continue evolving to in the future is crucial to determining what funding they need. It takes time to uncover the intricacies within the books beyond the profit and loss statements, with many non-bank lenders having the resources to do so.

Ms Rikard-Bell reiterates the importance of taking time to get to know the client, “When speaking with a client, go a little deeper than surface level numbers to see how you can support their growth. As franchises are cashflow-reliant, it’s important their brokers and lenders are able to help them.”

A more streamlined and faster approval process

Faster approval times and processes ensure franchises can get back up and running in no time. While non-bank lenders still have policies and systems in place, there are fewer hurdles to jump through to receive funding. Lenders can also present various financing solutions that can provide a lifeline during cashflow crunches or unpredictable obstacles.

“If an instrumental part of your client’s business breaks down, such as a coffee machine in a cafe, they’ll need funding very quickly so they are not impacted by customer relationships and revenue changes in the long run and can continue with their day-to-day,” said Ms Rikard-Bell.

Easy points of contact and relationship management

Non-bank lenders can provide easy relationship management and a single point of contact for you and your clients, making it easier to get the answers you need without jumping through hurdles.

For more information on how brokers and clients can get the most out of their franchise funding, visit the A Broker’s Guide to Unlocking Franchise Funding webinar via the Banjo Loans website.

The world of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is fast paced. There’s never enough time, people, or budget to do everything. Yet expectations are higher than ever: customers want instant responses, decision-makers demand better insights, and teams are drowning in repetitive tasks that add little value. 

According to the Productivity Commission, Australia’s headline labour productivity has stagnated, particularly compared to leading economies like the U.S, and CPA Australia reveals that SMBs are particularly impacted, lagging other markets, including mainland China, Hong Kong, India, and Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines when it comes to growth. 

There could, however, be a solution – AI agents. The beauty of AI agents isn’t just in their raw intelligence – it’s in their ability to work together, across tools and tasks, to accomplish outcomes once reserved for large enterprise systems and dedicated teams. And they’re doing it in a way that’s accessible, affordable, and surprisingly easy to deploy.

From chaos to clarity: a collaborative future

One of the biggest breakthroughs is the move toward collaborative multi-agent systems. Imagine multiple AI agents – each with different strengths – working together seamlessly to handle business functions like customer support, content creation, sales outreach, or data analysis. 

Rather than requiring complex engineering diagrams or hardcoded workflows, many modern platforms now offer intuitive, chat-based interfaces. These feel more like delegating to teammates than configuring software. Business users can assign tasks, review outcomes, and iterate – all through conversation. This shift in user experience lowers the barrier to adoption and makes the power of AI accessible to non-technical teams.

Solving real problems in “unsexy” industries

While flashy use cases in creative industries often get the headlines, the real revolution is happening in often-overlooked sectors where spreadsheets, email threads, and manual document reviews have ruled for decades. Think commercial real estate, logistics, insurance, and manufacturing. In these domains, teams – often including the highest paid professionals – can be buried in repetitive work that can be a barrier to growth. Collaboration spans dozens of emails and meetings. 

This is where AI agents can flex their muscles. They have the ability to step in, not to replace humans, but to eliminate the friction that prevents them from doing their best work. They unify siloed data, streamline communications, and automate error-prone processes – all while maintaining compliance and security.

Scaling without the overhead and achieving ROI

Perhaps the most compelling value proposition for SMBs is the ability to scale without scaling headcount. AI agents allow businesses to handle greater volumes of work, take on more clients, or enter new markets – without the traditional burdens of hiring, training, and managing larger teams. That’s not so say they replace headcount, but they allow SMBs who often do not have the capital to invest in new hires when they are bootstrapped, to scale and put themselves in a better position to reach the stage where they can hire the skilled individuals who can catapult their business forward. 

And the impact isn’t just about efficiency. AI agents also unlock new revenue streams. Forward-thinking companies are beginning to create and share their own agent-based workflows with partners and clients, effectively turning AI into a product as well as a productivity tool.

The success of AI agents is measured not in abstract technical metrics but in clear business outcomes: time saved, errors avoided, deals closed faster, and revenue per employee increased. For SMBs that live or die by their margins, this is no small matter.

It’s not about replacing people – it’s about freeing them

The best use of AI doesn’t eliminate people; it elevates them. AI agents take on the mundane so that humans can focus on creativity, strategy, and relationship-building – the things that truly grow a business. 

For too long, SMBs have been left behind by waves of enterprise software that promised transformation but delivered complexity. AI agents change that. They offer fast wins, minimal setup, and tangible results. The businesses that lean into this shift now will be the ones who find themselves not just surviving – but thriving.

In short, if your SMB is still bogged down by manual workflows and legacy tools, the question isn’t whether AI agents can help – it’s how long you’re willing to wait to find out.

Contributed by John-Daniel Trask, CEO at Autohive