A year to remember, or a year to forget? CoreData’s review of 2020

In 2020 we all had to adapt quickly to a suddenly changed world, and to find new and innovative ways of doing business and interacting with clients. But it was …

Why insurers face a perfect storm as Australians’ ‘surge capacity’ is tested

It started as a health crisis and quickly became an economic crisis. Now, six months on from the initial COVID-19 lockdown in Australia, we are arguably experiencing one of the …

Business recovery hampered by critical skills gaps

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many businesses are turning their attention to recovery. But a range of challenges have emerged as potential roadblocks, with CoreData’s latest COVID-19 Pulse Check of …

The Long Read: The rise (or fall) of the “new poor”

Economic development has provided untold opportunities for upward socioeconomic mobility. It’s even spawned a term to describe those who have accumulated wealth quickly and risen through the social ranks: the …

How to recognise the new face of financial hardship

Almost three quarters of Australians now experiencing financial vulnerability or hardship were able to pay their bills with money to spare before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. CoreData’s latest COVID-19 Pulse …

CoreData’s COVID-19 Snapshot: Banking and lending

In early March, Australia’s top banking executives sat down with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in a meeting originally intended to discuss the impact of the bushfire season on the local economy. …

In a post royal commission environment, price isn’t everything

In a world where constant changes and an increasing compliance burden on both lenders and brokers are the new norm, careful consideration and implementation of policy and process changes post-royal …

What game theory teaches us about customer service

Two men are arrested after holding up a bank and held separately for questioning by the police. How should each of the thieves behave to achieve the optimal outcome? And …

Libra: Why Facebook’s currency will bring more convenience and more threats

To some people, the “whitepaper” and “blockchain” are synonymous with “scam”. But when Facebook, the social network giant with 2.4 billion monthly active users, announced its grand plan of a …

From the Catholic Church to Leonard Cohen: why zero point zero should frighten you

The idea of nothing has an interesting history in mathematics, and there’s even a theory that the Catholic Church tried to outlaw the concept of zero because the idea of …

Rethinking the risks and returns of misconduct

Like many Australians, I did a fair bit of travelling around the country over Christmas and New Year, which involved driving thousands of kilometres across NSW, Queensland and Tasmania. The …

Can the Royal Commission create a new industry hero?

From myth and the first recorded stories in ancient history to present-day movie blockbusters, humans appear to be obsessed with the idea of the hero. The “hero’s journey” narrative pops …

Banking on inertia post the Royal Commission

Although the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry is probably nowhere near its conclusion, it certainly has already had an impact on the public’s …

Why lazy customers could save you today but kill you tomorrow

In most businesses, customer apathy is not a good thing. If your customer is apathetic, they’re unlikely to feel loyal towards your business, let alone be an advocate for your …

Chicken Little, ostriches and the real role of leaders

On June 4 and 5 the heads of leading financial planning licensees met in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney for the annual Professional Planner Licensee Summit. It’s fair to …