Asia-Pacific organisations honoured for digital transformation
Smart Communications has announced the recipients of its 2025 SCALE Awards, recognising organisations across Asia-Pacific for achievements in digital transformation and customer engagement.
The awards were presented as part of the company's annual Innovate conference, which gathered customers, partners, and industry speakers for discussions around digital-first customer experience trends and the latest developments in its SmartCOMM and SmartIQ platforms.
Among this year's honourees, ING was recognised in the Future Focused category, Westpac received the Best Customer Experience award, Bupa was acknowledged for Smarter Together, and Synergy Group won the Go-To-Market Partner category.
The awards highlight organisations that have distinguished themselves through strategic innovation, collaborative leadership, and a forward-looking approach to Customer Communications Management. According to Smart Communications, these companies have realised measurable impacts in customer engagement and digital transformation initiatives across the region.
Nick Smith, SVP Sales APAC and EMEA at Smart Communications, commented on the achievements of the awardees, stating: "Every day we work with industry leaders who have innovation at the heart of all they do, so this is an opportunity to spotlight these industry leaders for their innovation. Their success stories are a testament to what's possible when technology and business vision align, and we are glad to have been a part of their journey to excellent customer communication."
The Innovate 2025 event featured a keynote presentation by Simon Tindal, Chief Technology Officer at Smart Communications, focused on demonstrating the capabilities within SmartCOMM and SmartIQ, including how enterprises can use these technologies to increase automation, boost completion rates, and provide consistent customer outcomes across a variety of communication channels.
As part of the conference agenda, panel discussions included representatives from Suncorp, Bupa, and AMP, who shared insights on the challenges facing their industries, strategies that have produced tangible results, and major lessons learned throughout their digital transformation journeys.
The event concluded with a session led by Mark Donohue, Chief Executive Officer of iSky Research, who explored how industry leaders are setting benchmarks, what current customer expectations look like, and how companies can leverage actionable insights to improve customer experience.
Smart Communications continues to expand its capabilities within its Conversation Cloud offering, supporting integration and collaboration with other platform vendors globally. This approach is aimed at facilitating seamless ongoing conversations for enterprise clients in sectors such as financial services, insurance, and healthcare.
The company noted that these highly regulated industries face strict requirements for compliance in customer communications. Smart Communications' solutions combine a range of communication tools into a single platform, enabling faster response times through automation, providing analytics for improved decision-making, enhancing personalisation, consistency, and helping organisations meet regulatory obligations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
5 days ago
- Scoop
New Bill To Boost Labour Market Flexibility
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says amendments to the Employment Relations Act will improve labour market flexibility and help businesses to grow, innovate, and employ with confidence and certainty. 'Today I'm announcing the introduction of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill to Parliament, marking a key milestone in this Government's efforts to help New Zealand businesses employ or contract with confidence and create more and better opportunities for workers,' says Ms van Velden. The changes give effect to several ACT–National Coalition Agreement commitments, including to provide greater certainty for contracting parties. 'Workers and businesses should have more certainty about the type of work being done from the moment they agree to a contracting arrangement. 'The new gateway test introduced in this Bill will provide greater clarity for businesses and workers around the distinction between employment and contracting arrangements. This will provide greater certainty for all parties and will allow more innovative business models,' says Ms van Velden. The Bill will also make changes to simplify the personal grievances process including two significant changes. 'The amendment to personal grievances will reduce rewards for bad behaviour and reduce costs for businesses in the process. Under current law, if a personal grievance is established the Employment Relations Authority or Employment Court may award remedies including reinstatement into a role, and compensation for hurt and humiliation. The changes make clear an employee whose behaviour amounts to serious misconduct will be ineligible for remedies. 'This change will ensure that hardworking New Zealanders don't see bad behaviour rewarded,' says Ms van Velden. The Bill also introduces an income threshold of $180,000 above which a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal cannot be pursued. High-income employees often have a major impact on organisational performance, getting the right fit is crucial. This change will provide greater labour market flexibility, enabling businesses to ensure they have the best fit of skills and abilities for their organisation. It allows employers to give workers a go in high impact positions, without having to risk a costly and disruptive dismissal process if things don't work out, benefitting those seeking to move up the career ladder.' Another change will cut compliance at the beginning of employment. By removing the '30-day rule' employers and employees will now be free to negotiate mutually beneficial terms and conditions from the start of employment. 'I am committed to building business confidence, ensuring a strong economy that will lift wages, create opportunities, and help Kiwi workers get ahead,' says Ms van Velden. The public and interested groups will have a chance to submit on the Bill when it is at Select Committee.
Scoop
05-06-2025
- Scoop
Nelson City Council Adopts Annual Plan 2025/26, Confirming 6.5% Rates Increase
Nelson City Council has formally adopted its Annual Plan 2025/26, retaining the forecast average rates increase of 6.5%. The Annual Plan was adopted by Elected Members in a Council meeting on 5 June 2025, confirming it will proceed without significant changes from what was consulted on as part of Year Two of the Long Term Plan 2024-34. Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says the Annual Plan strikes a deliberate balance between financial prudence and investment in the city's long-term prosperity. 'This Annual Plan is about maintaining the services and infrastructure that underpin our lifestyle while facing up to the financial squeeze that's affecting households, businesses, and councils alike. 'Cost pressures have been considerable, with electricity costs up 20% and a new government water levy adding $290,000 a year. We've had to make difficult choices to stay on track, but we've delivered a 6.5% rates increase that is among the lowest of New Zealand's 78 councils.' In the Annual Plan, Council has also agreed to reduce the proportion of commercial rates from 22.6% to 22.3%. Project timing and budgets have been adjusted to manage inflation and revenue impacts. These include deferring the $2.6 million Civic House roof and ceiling tile upgrades to 2026/27, and postponement of the $1.3 million joint cemetery capacity purchase to 2027/28. Council has also re-phased funding to respond to storm recovery needs and upgrade the city's infrastructure to enable new development. This includes $778,549 in 2025/26 for the Haven/St Vincent culvert renewal, with additional funding carried forward from previous budgets, as well as $1.65 million for stormwater improvements on York Terrace and $773,000 for resilience works on Cleveland Terrace. In support of the local economy, Council has approved a $40,000 grant to the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce to continue business mentoring services following the closure of Business Assist. Mayor Nick says the Plan highlights a shift in Council's priorities from storm recovery and repairs, to plans that advance revitalising the city. 'Over the past two years, our focus has been on recovery from the August 2022 storm — the most severe natural disaster in Nelson in over 50 years. With much of that repair work now well advanced, our attention is turning to city revitalisation. This includes projects like Bridge to Better, the new bus hub at Millers Acre, a new playspace at Rutherford Park, the Marina Promenade, and the launch of a new Arts Development Agency. 'These projects are more than just infrastructure — they are about preparing Nelson for the next generation, attracting investment, strengthening our links with the sea, and enriching community life.' The final Annual Plan 2025/26 will be published online and made available at Council's Customer Service Centre and local libraries from 1 July 2025.
Scoop
31-05-2025
- Scoop
‘We Erred' – Stadium Policy That Threatened Nelson Giants Reversed
The future of Nelson's basketball club looks brighter after a change of heart over a food and drink policy. Nelson City Council and Trafalgar Centre manager CLM (Community Leisure Management) have agreed to give three community groups exemptions to a policy that otherwise gives CLM exclusive food and beverage rights at the NBS Nelson Giants' home court. Four weeks ago, the Giants warned the council that the policy would 'likely kill' the basketball club, which derives about 14% of its income from food and drink sales. The policy was adopted without consultation with key users of the Trafalgar Centre when the contract for the facility was renegotiated last year. On Tuesday, the council's Tenders Committee met confidentially to discuss the issue and Mayor Nick Smith announced on Friday morning that a solution had been found for the city's 'beloved' club. 'The prospect of the Giants not being part of Nelson was just untenable,' he said. 'We erred in not engaging with our anchor tenants, like the Giants, when the change was made. You live and learn.' The Giants, the NBS Dancing for a Cause charity fundraiser, and Te Tauihu o te Waka a Maui Māori Cultural Council kapa haka are the three users of the centre that were granted exemptions from the policy until the end of the contract on 30 June 2027. The policy had been changed to align with other 'premier' venues around the country, and to reduce costs to ratepayers who subsidise the facility by $2 million annually. 'I have no apologies for the fact that we want to minimise the cost to the ratepayer,' Smith said. 'The bit we did not understand was just the scale of the impact that would have on the finances of an organisation like the Giants.' The addition of the policy allowed the council to secure a 'significantly' cheaper contract for CLM to manage the facility, but some of those savings will now be paid back to CLM as compensation for the variation to the contract. Smith said the cost of the variation for the council would not be disclosed because it was commercially sensitive. Next year, the council will conduct a high-level strategic review of the Trafalgar Centre, which will include engagement with groups that use the facility, to ensure that the new 2027 contract will work for the community. It was possible that other groups will secure exemptions through that process, Smith added. Giants head coach and manager Mike Fitchett said securing the exemption was a 'massive relief'. Since his presentation to the council a month ago, he said he had been 'surprised' by support from the community. 'It's fair to say we're pretty overwhelmed with the support we received.' Last Saturday afternoon, Smith was presented with a petition urging the council find a solution. 'For that to generate 1200 signatures, and in a pretty quick time – it was fantastic for us. We know we're really well supported, and this was another indication of that for us,' Fitchett said. CLM Nelson community venues manager Mark Mekalick said the company was 'proud' to be a gold partner of the Giants. 'Community's at our heart and the Giants are a big part of this community, so it wasn't a hard decision to make,' he said. 'We want this venue to feel like their home.' Dancing for a Cause trustee Michelle Byczkow was 'really grateful' to the council, mayor, CLM, and councillor and contestant Campbell Rollo that the fundraiser had been granted an exemption. 'It just provides a really promising outlook for another successful event in 2027.' She said that this month's biennial event had raised $670,000 for the Nelson Tasman Hospice, surpassing her expectations. 'That support has followed through to everyone getting behind us and saying how they were feeling about the way that we and the Giants, and other community groups, were being disadvantaged.' The fundraiser had already negotiated its event hire agreement for its 2025 event and was therefore unaffected by the policy this year. But she said losing food and beverage rights, which were normally supplied by sponsors for free, for the 2027 event could have made the event not financially viable. 'That's not even somewhere that I want my mind to go.' She called the three exemptions a 'good step', but said the fundraiser would be lobbying for 'as many local community groups and charitable groups as possible' to also get exemptions in the 2027 centre contract. In the meantime, Fitchett was confident that the Giants would make the play-offs. 'We are still looking to pick up our first win of the season at the Trafalgar Centre, but we believe we can win six or seven of those last seven games to sneak in there.' Smith was cheering the club on: 'Go the Giants!'
