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.