The one-hour workshops will be offered online and in person and are open to everyone, including people who do not bank with ANZ.

The sessions focus on common scam tactics, warning signs, ways to protect personal and financial information, and what people should do if they believe they have been targeted.

They will also direct participants to support services and resources available to people affected by scams.

The national expansion follows 56 scam education workshops delivered by ANZ over the past 12 months, reaching more than 900 participants.

Survey results supplied by ANZ show 98 per cent of attendees said they felt more confident spotting scams after taking part, while the same proportion said they had a better understanding of how to protect themselves.

Another 96 per cent said they better understood where to seek support following a scam, while 97 per cent of participants in associated financial wellbeing workshops said they would recommend them to others.

The announcement builds on the success of ANZ’s community scam education initiatives, which have reached more than 900 participants through 56 workshops delivered over the past 12 months. Survey results from participants show the workshops are making a meaningful difference: 

ANZ Head of Social Impact Janet Liu said scams continued to affect Australians across different communities and circumstances.

“Through our partnership with The Smith Family, we’re helping communities access practical information and tools that can strengthen their resilience against scams and support informed financial decision-making,” Liu said.

The expansion builds on a partnership between ANZ and The Smith Family spanning more than two decades, with the organisations previously working together on financial education and support programs.

The Smith Family CEO Doug Taylor said giving people practical information could help them recognise scam risks earlier and understand where to turn if something went wrong.

“By providing accessible and practical education, we can help people feel more confident identifying scam risks, knowing where to seek support and protecting their financial wellbeing,” Taylor said.

The workshops will cover common scam types, fraud warning signs, information security, steps to take after suspected fraud and available support services.

The program comes as scam prevention remains a major consumer issue, particularly as fraud becomes more sophisticated and increasingly relies on impersonation, social engineering and digital communication to reach potential victims.

The post ANZ and The Smith Family Take Free Scam Education Nationwide appeared first on Tech Business News.

The national Council will advise St Vincent’s – one of Australia’s largest health and aged care organisations, with 12 public and private hospitals and 25 aged care facilities – on how to identify, evaluate and scale AI technologies that improve patient care and clinician wellbeing.

Drawing on St Vincent’s unique presence across public and private hospitals, aged care, research, home and virtual care, the Council will lead a people-centric approach to AI adoption and governance at a time of rapid technological change in healthcare.

St Vincent’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Chris Robinson, said the new Council reflected the organisation’s determination to lead thoughtful and clinically driven AI adoption.

The Council will meet in Melbourne today and Friday and will be facilitated by Jonathan Ruane, a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Dr Robinson said St Vincent’s wanted its 30,000 people to help shape how AI is adopted, rather than simply respond to technological change.

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform healthcare, but only if it is implemented in ways that strengthen, rather than diminish, the human relationships at the heart of care,” Dr Robinson said.

“The purpose of the St Vincent’s AI Clinical Council is to bring together clinical expertise, operational experience and community perspectives to help identify where AI can make the greatest difference for patients, residents and staff.”

Dr Robinson said the St Vincent’s national footprint provided an ideal environment to understand both the opportunities and risks associated with AI across the continuum of care.

“Because we operate across hospitals, aged care, research and care in the home, we are exposed to a wide range of patient needs, clinical environments, and levels of digital maturity.”

“That gives us a unique perspective on how AI can be used safely, responsibly and equitably across the health system for the benefit of people – both who are cared for by the system and who work in the system.”

The establishment of the Council supports St Vincent’s broader ambition to deliver half of its services in the home or through digital channels by 2030, a goal the organisation believes will require the application of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.

The Council will not replace existing clinical, governance or approval processes. Instead, it will help ensure decisions about AI are informed by frontline clinical expertise, operational realities, and the voices of patients and residents.

Dr Robinson says the St Vincent’s approach would be guided by a simple principle: ‘human care first; AI where it helps.

“Healthcare is fundamentally a human relationship. No technology can hold a frightened patient’s hand, comfort a family in distress, or sit beside someone approaching the end of their life,”

“Technology must always remain in service of the clinician-patient and carer-resident relationship,”

“It’s why we’ve also written to the Prime Minister encouraging him to make sure that health and aged care has a seat at the table in devising the Australian Standards for AI use,”

“As AI becomes increasingly embedded in healthcare, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to help shape the conversation nationally,”

“Our focus is not just on what AI can do, but on how it can support human dignity, equity, trust and better health outcomes,” said Dr Robinson.

The post St Vincent’s Launches National AI Clinical Council To Help Shape The Future Of Healthcare appeared first on Tech Business News.

The direct API connection is designed to eliminate manual data entry, streamline complex wage calculations and protect small-to-medium enterprise (SME) owners from severe legal liabilities associated with Australian wage theft legislation.

Maintaining payroll accuracy across Australia’s intricate modern award system is one of the most significant operational challenges facing resource-constrained SME business owners.

Manual re-entry of timesheet data, misinterpreting penalty rates and managing timecard discrepancies regularly lead to accidental payroll underpayments.

Under strict Fair Work Ombudsman regulations and recent federal legislation criminalising intentional wage theft, even inadvertent administrative errors can trigger devastating statutory penalties, back-pay audits, and reputational damage.

Mollie Eckersley, Associate Director of Operations, ANZ, BrightHR Australia, said, “Processing payroll manually or relying on disjointed spreadsheets is a major vulnerability for small businesses,”

“Australian modern awards are extraordinarily complex, with penalty rates, overtime and allowances changing based on specific shift patterns. When managers are forced to manually transfer timesheets into payroll software, human error is almost inevitable.

“Direct integration between BrightHR and Xero removes that human touchpoint entirely, ensuring every calculated hour translates instantly and accurately into correct pay,” said Eckersley.

Eliminating human error

The direct synchronisation between BrightHR and Xero Payroll connects workforce scheduling directly to the payroll engine. By automating the data flow from digital clock-in tools directly to payroll calculations, it guarantees end-to-end operational visibility. Key capabilities include:

• Direct cloud syncing: Automatic transfer of verified digital timesheets, rosters, and leave approvals straight into Xero Payroll, eliminating CSV exports and manual re-keying.
  
  
• Automated award rate calculation: Real-time application of award rates, allowances, overtime and penalty rates ensures payroll compliance across all employee classifications.
  
  
• Wage theft prevention and audit trails: Robust digital record-keeping that logs clock-in/clock-out locations, manager approvals, and pay adjustments, satisfying mandatory statutory seven-year record retention mandates.
  
  
• Streamlined employee self-service: Instant synchronisation with the BrightHR mobile app, allowing employees to view rosters, log hours, and check leave balances transparently.

Protecting business reputation

Beyond administrative time savings, automated payroll alignment plays a crucial role in safeguarding business reputation.

At a time when regulatory scrutiny is at an all-time high, proactive compliance technology provides small business owners with the peace of mind required to focus on growth.

“Compliance is no longer just a back-office admin task; it is a fundamental pillar of risk management and employee trust,” said Eckersley

With strict enforcement around wage compliance, business owners cannot afford to take risks with manual systems. Integrating BrightHR with Xero gives SMEs enterprise-grade compliance accuracy, protecting employers from unexpected liabilities while ensuring staff are always paid correctly,” she said.

The post BrightHR Launches Xero Payroll Integration to Tackle Wage Theft and Simplify Compliance appeared first on Tech Business News.

The dining marketplace app is this month (October 2026) launching Caviar Reserve, a new paid membership that turns everyday spending into Dining Credit immediately redeemable at restaurants, bars and cafes that are part of the EatClub network.

The launch comes as a major change to Australia’s card payment system took effect from 1 October, with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) reducing the maximum interchange fee on domestic consumer credit from 0.8% to 0.3%.

The changes are prompting adjustments across the rewards market, with some banks already reducing points earn rates, tightening spending caps and changing airline transfer rates.

Caviar Reserve is not tied to any particular bank. The EatClub Digital Card can be linked to any existing debit or credit card as the underlying payment method.

To earn Caviar Reserve Dining Credit, members simply pay for purchases using the EatClub Digital Card tied to the debit or credit card linked to their EatClub account.

The proposition is relatively unusual in the Australian rewards market, and it comes at a pertinent time for consumers and Australian hospitality businesses.

While established programs reward everyday spending with shopping discounts, points or airline rewards, and dining programs reward customers for spending at restaurants, EatClub is combining the two and allowing eligible everyday purchases such as groceries to generate credit specifically for future dining.

For hospitality businesses, the proposition is equally beneficial by encouraging future customers based on Australians’ everyday spending.

Unlike traditional rewards programs where points are accumulated for future redemption, Caviar Reserve gives members a tangible reward they can put towards their next meal.

Members earn Dining Credit through eligible everyday purchases including groceries and spending outside the EatClub network, with that credit redeemable at the thousands of participating EatClub restaurants, bars and cafés across Australia.

“For restaurant partners, Caviar Reserve creates another reason for customers to return, helping to drive spend into the hospitality sector at a time when consumers are increasingly conscious of where their money goes,” said EatClub CEO and Co-Founder, Pan Koutlakis.

“Australians are clearly looking for more value from the money they’re already spending, and hospitality businesses need to keep giving customers more reasons to walk through the door,”

“Caviar Reserve connects those two things. Members can earn Dining Credit on eligible everyday purchases, then put that value towards their next meal,”

“It’s a different way of actioning rewards by taking value from the spending that is already happening and directing it towards Australians’ dining out which directs more spending back into the hospitality industry.”

“We’ve already seen through EatClub Earn that people are using their EatClub cards for everyday spending outside our restaurant network. Since launching in December 2025, we’ve captured millions of dollars in out-of-network spending.”

“Caviar Reserve builds on that behaviour and takes it a step further at a pivotal period for Australian consumers and businesses, creating more opportunities to bring people back to our restaurant partners,” said Mr Koutlakis.

EatClub Caviar Reserve launches in Australia in October 2026.

EVERYDAY SPENDING. MORE VALUE FOR DINING OUT.

Caviar Reserve members can earn Dining Credit through eligible everyday transactions, with benefits including:

• More Ways to Earn: Earn Dining Credit on eligible everyday spending, including purchases outside the EatClub network.
  
  
• Earn on groceries: Earn 3% Dining Credit on eligible grocery purchases.
  
  
• Earn on everyday purchases: Earn 1% on other eligible transactions, with additional earning opportunities across the EatClub network.
  
  
• More value when dining: Access enhanced Dining Credit earning and additional dining benefits through EatClub.
  
  
• More flexibility: Redeem EatClub deals up to seven days in advance and enjoy an additional 30 minutes to settle the bill.

Caviar Reserve costs $9.99 per month, with a small transaction service fee applying. Terms and conditions apply, including exclusions on certain purchases.

A NEW REWARDS MODEL THAT PUTS HOSPITALITY BACK IN THE PICTURE

While traditional credit card rewards are built around points, frequent flyer programs and other cardholder perks, Caviar Reserve takes a different approach: rewarding everyday spending with value that can be used for dining out.

For members, that means turning purchases they were already making into a future restaurant experience.

For EatClub’s participating venues, it means another mechanism to encourage repeat visits and incremental customer spend.

Importantly, Caviar Reserve rewards are funded separately from EatClub’s restaurant partner arrangements.

Participating venues are paid as normal, with no additional cost for Caviar Reserve rewards.

The launch builds on EatClub’s broader mission to help people discover and enjoy great dining experiences, while helping hospitality venues maximise capacity and bring more customers through their doors.

EatClub was developed with renowned chef Marco Pierre White, whose association with the platform reflects its focus on making great dining more accessible. Caviar Reserve extends that proposition beyond the restaurant, connecting everyday spending with future dining experiences.

The post As Banks Cut Rewards, EatClub Bets On Everyday Spending To Fill Restaurants appeared first on Tech Business News.

Artificial intelligence has made translation faster and cheaper than at any point in the industry’s history.

But new comparative research is revealing a harder truth for businesses relying on the technology. Not all AI models translate to the same standard.

The gap becomes even wider when content moves beyond the world’s most commonly used languages.

The scale of the shift is already visible in the data. Intento’s ninth annual State of Translation Automation report, which evaluated 46 machine translation engines and large language models across 11 language pairs, found no single off-the-shelf model held the top spot across the board.

Instead, workflows that combined and cross-checked multiple models produced the best result in nine of the eleven language pairs tested, a result the report’s authors say reflects a broader move away from single-engine translation toward layered, verification-based approaches.

That pattern shows up clearly in comparative testing run by Tomedes, a professional translation company, which benchmarked leading AI models against the same source material.

On a mixed batch of technical and marketing text, one model produced the most natural, human-sounding output for major European languages, while a second model handled technical instruction manuals more precisely but struggled with marketing idiom and slang.

A third model corrected typos reliably but fabricated facts in two separate sentences when the source content involved recent events, an error type distinct from the grammar mistakes that used to define machine translation.

In a related test on current-affairs content, one model scored 92% on factual accuracy against a rival’s 85%, largely because the weaker model’s training data had not caught up with recent developments.

The benchmarking gets more pronounced once language complexity is factored in. Single AI models plateau at roughly 84 to 87% accuracy on French, German and Spanish, according to the research, largely due to formatting errors and terminology drift that persist even in advanced systems.

For a morphologically complex language like Polish, that figure drops to 76%.

When outputs from multiple models are reconciled against each other rather than taken at face value, accuracy climbs to 93 to 95% for major Western and Southern European languages, and to 88% for Polish, a gap the researchers attribute to the fact that different AI models tend to make different kinds of mistakes rather than the same ones.

Ofer Tirosh, CEO of Tomedes, says the findings point to a mistake many companies are still making by default.

“The assumption a lot of businesses carry into international expansion is that one capable AI model will perform consistently no matter which market they are entering,” Tirosh said.

“What the data actually shows is that performance is highly language-dependent. A model that looks reliable in French can lose ten points of accuracy or more the moment you move into a market with a more complex grammar structure.”

“Businesses that check AI output against more than one model, rather than trusting a single result by default, are the ones catching the errors before they reach a client or a regulator.”

The stakes attached to getting this wrong are commercial, not just linguistic.

CSA Research’s global survey of more than 8,700 consumers found 76% prefer to buy products described in their own language, and 40% say they will never buy from a website in another language at all.

For a business entering a new market, a translation that is subtly wrong, rather than obviously broken, is arguably the more expensive failure: it does not bounce a customer immediately, it slowly erodes the trust the brand needed to close the sale.

That risk is reshaping how companies budget for AI translation in the first place.

Rather than defaulting to a single subscription or AI model for every job, more businesses are matching their translation approach to the project in front of them.

The shift in how businesses are using AI to go global reflects the way companies increasingly use translation on demand.

For many businesses, translation is becoming a project-driven service rather than a constant background utility.

The direction of travel across the research is consistent: the businesses gaining ground are not the ones betting on a single AI model being good enough everywhere, but the ones treating cross-model verification as standard practice before content reaches a customer, a contract or a regulator.

As global businesses compete to enter new markets faster, the difference between checking one AI model and comparing several is becoming increasingly important.

Cross-checking translations across multiple models is emerging as a higher professional standard, particularly where accuracy matters.

Businesses that are slow to adapt could face costly mistakes when poor translations reach customers, partners or regulators.

The post Global Business Faces a New Language Test as Companies Turn to AI for a Competitive Edge appeared first on Tech Business News.

The international banking group is working with BT International to deploy a cloud-native trader voice platform hosted on Microsoft Azure, in what BT says is one of the first live deployments of its kind within a banking trading environment.

The system is already operating across 17 countries and is being used by more than 2,400 UBS traders, with capacity to expand as the rollout progresses.

The shift is significant because trader voice infrastructure operates under demanding security, reliability and regulatory requirements.

Unlike conventional business communications, trading systems must provide highly resilient services while maintaining call recording, monitoring, data sovereignty and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

BT International, through its specialist BT Trading & Command business, said the project demonstrates that regulated trader voice workloads can successfully be moved from traditional infrastructure into public cloud environments.

UBS consolidates 20 trading platforms

At the centre of the project is BT Trading’s Enterprise Cloud platform, which is hosted within Microsoft Azure.

UBS is using the technology to consolidate an estate of 20 trading communications platforms into a single standardised global system.

The platform provides secure carrier-grade voice services through the cloud, including end-to-end encryption, integrated recording and monitoring capabilities.

It also includes communication application server oversight middleware designed to support regulatory compliance requirements.

Maintaining data sovereignty is another major component of the deployment, with the platform designed to meet local regulatory requirements while keeping relevant information within required jurisdictions.

For UBS, reducing the number of communications platforms could also simplify the infrastructure required to support trading operations across international markets.

Cloud adoption reaches the trading floor

Businesses have been moving conventional voice and collaboration systems into cloud environments for years, but financial trading infrastructure presents considerably greater technical and regulatory challenges.

Trading floors depend heavily on continuous communications between traders, counterparties and markets, meaning outages or performance problems can have immediate operational consequences.

Banks must also meet extensive requirements surrounding communications recording, monitoring, security and retention.

The UBS deployment therefore represents another step in the financial sector’s gradual movement of critical infrastructure away from dedicated on-premise systems and towards cloud-based platforms.

The companies say the unified platform will improve operational efficiency, reduce complexity and provide UBS with greater flexibility as its trading infrastructure develops.

It could also provide the technical foundation for future technologies including automation and artificial intelligence-based analysis of trading communications and operational data.

For traders, the objective is to provide a consistent communications environment regardless of where they are operating.

Brandon Benson, managing director at UBS, said, “BT was chosen as our preferred technology partner with the capability to deliver a fully integrated solution that meets our technical, regulatory and operational requirements.

“This ensures our traders have a robust, flexible and future-proof communication platform.”

Joris van Oers, managing director, sales & commercial, BT International, said, “This marks a significant milestone for the industry.”

“UBS’ transformation demonstrates that cloud can now meet the highest standards of security, compliance, and performance,”

“As a trusted partner, we’re proud to support UBS in building a future-ready foundation for its global trading operations.” he said.

The rollout highlights how cloud infrastructure is moving deeper into parts of the banking sector that have traditionally remained dependent on specialised hardware and tightly controlled private systems.

For financial institutions operating across multiple markets, the ability to consolidate those systems while continuing to meet local regulatory and data sovereignty requirements could become an increasingly important part of broader infrastructure modernisation strategies.

The post UBS Modernises Trading Communications With BT Cloud Technology appeared first on Tech Business News.

Travel eSIM provider Holafly has added a recurring backup data allowance to its eSIM offering, addressing connectivity gaps that can arise when travel extends beyond a customer’s original plans.

The feature, called Always On, is included with both short-trip eSIMs and monthly plans at no additional cost. Holafly says it is designed for situations such as delayed return flights and extended layovers, when travellers may still need mobile access after their main plan ends.

The update gives the company’s service a role beyond the duration of an individual purchase. For travellers, that means a reserve for essential tasks while arranging the next stage of a journey.

The benefit is included with Holafly’s eSIM for the US, which offers unlimited data during the purchased travel period. Always On provides a separate, limited allowance once that primary plan finishes, extending access beyond the original booking.

According to Holafly’s Always On feature page, the backup works automatically in more than 150 destinations, including Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Customers must keep their Holafly eSIM installed to continue receiving the benefit.

For travellers, the distinction is between a plan ending and the journey actually being over.

A delayed departure can leave someone needing to check flight updates, contact accommodation, or arrange transport after their purchased connectivity expires. Building a reserve into the existing eSIM could reduce the need to find another connection immediately. 

From a product perspective, this gives Holafly a continuing relationship with customers beyond a single trip.

The monthly reset also makes keeping the eSIM installed useful for future travel, provided the destination is supported. Customers understand that the backup allowance has its own usage limits and conditions.

The 1GB allowance refreshes every 30 days from installation. Unused data expires at the end of each cycle and does not accumulate.

Hotspot use and data sharing are excluded, with the backup intended for use on the customer’s own device. Customers can manage their plans through the Holafly app.

Holafly’s approach illustrates how an eSIM provider can build continued access into its product offering. The practical value lies in supporting the period between a paid plan ending and a traveller deciding what connectivity they need next.

The post How eSIM Providers Are Rethinking Connectivity With Built-In Backup Data appeared first on Tech Business News.

Perth-based training provider ATI-Mirage who provides structured Excel training in Perth, says seemingly minor Excel habits can create larger productivity problems when spreadsheets are used repeatedly across a workplace.

“For businesses that rely on spreadsheets for financial reporting, administration, sales figures, inventory or operational data, inefficient practices can become more than an inconvenience.”

Repetitive manual work increases the opportunity for figures to be entered incorrectly, formulas to be overwritten or reports to become inconsistent.

Excel’s Hidden Productivity Problem Is Costing Businesses Time and Accuracy

Excel remains deeply embedded in modern business despite years of investment in dedicated finance platforms.

A September 2026 Parseur survey found 88% of business leaders had encountered errors in document-derived data at least sometimes, while 69% said they found errors sometimes, often or very often.

The findings underline why poor spreadsheet structure, manual data handling and formula mistakes can carry wider consequences than a single incorrect cell.

The pressure to improve data handling is also increasing as workplaces adopt more automation.

Microsoft’s 2026 Work Trend Index analysed trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals and surveyed 20,000 AI-using workers across 10 countries, highlighting how quickly routine office work is shifting towards automated systems and AI-assisted processes.

In that environment, basic Excel mistakes such as manual calculations, weak formula referencing and poor data structure increasingly risk becoming bottlenecks in otherwise automated workflows

Manual calculations remain a common problem

One of the most avoidable spreadsheet problems occurs when workers manually add figures, copy information between worksheets or update totals by hand.

A spreadsheet containing hundreds or thousands of entries can quickly become difficult to maintain when calculations depend on manual changes.

Excel formulas including SUM, IF and lookup functions allow information to be calculated or retrieved automatically when the underlying data changes.

ATI-Mirage says its Excel courses cover calculations and formulas, alongside sorting, filtering, tables and more advanced data analysis techniques.

For businesses, the distinction matters because automated calculations can reduce the number of repetitive changes employees need to make when preparing recurring reports.

Mouse-heavy workflows can quietly slow workers down

Another productivity issue is the amount of time spent navigating menus and moving between spreadsheet areas with a mouse.

Individually, the difference between clicking through menus and using keyboard commands may amount to only seconds. Across employees performing the same actions hundreds of times each week, however, those small delays can accumulate.

Keyboard navigation, selection shortcuts and commands for frequently repeated tasks can significantly reduce the number of steps needed to work through large spreadsheets.

Poorly structured data can cause bigger problems later

How spreadsheet data is arranged can also determine whether Excel’s more powerful features work correctly.

Merged cells, unnecessary blank rows, inconsistent formatting and numbers stored as text can interfere with sorting, filtering, formulas and data analysis.

A spreadsheet may appear visually organised while still being poorly structured for analysis.

The problem often becomes apparent only when another worker attempts to use the data for reporting, build a PivotTable or import the information into another system.

Formula references can create hidden reporting errors

Copying formulas across a spreadsheet can introduce another category of error when workers do not understand the difference between relative and absolute cell references.

A formula that produces the correct result in one cell can begin referencing entirely different values when copied into another area of a worksheet.

Hardcoding figures directly into formulas can create similar problems because later changes to the spreadsheet may not flow through automatically.

These errors can be particularly difficult to detect because the spreadsheet itself continues to operate. Unless somebody checks the underlying formula, an incorrect figure can remain inside a report without generating an obvious Excel error message.

PivotTables remain an underused analysis tool

Large spreadsheets also create problems when workers attempt to manually filter, count and reorganise data to produce summaries.

PivotTables can analyse thousands of rows and group information quickly, but they can appear complicated to workers who have never used them.

Once configured, the feature can rapidly summarise sales figures, expenses, transactions, customer information and other business data without modifying the original dataset.

5 Common Excel Mistakes and How Proper Training Can Help

1. Doing manually what a formula could do

The single most common mistake is entering or calculating data by hand when a formula could do it instantly. Manually adding columns of numbers, retyping values across sheets, or updating totals by hand is slow and, worse, error prone. A single mistyped figure can flow through an entire report before anyone notices.

Proper training introduces the core functions that remove this risk, from SUM and IF through to lookup functions that pull data automatically. Learning when and how to use them turns a fragile spreadsheet into one that updates itself reliably.

2. Relying on the mouse instead of shortcuts

Many people navigate Excel entirely with the mouse, clicking through menus for actions they perform dozens of times a day. It feels normal, but it adds up to a significant amount of wasted time over a working week.

A good Excel course covers the keyboard shortcuts and navigation techniques that experienced users rely on. These small efficiencies compound quickly, and most people are surprised at how much faster they work once the habits are in place.

3. Messy, inconsistent data structure

Merged cells, blank rows, values stored as text, and inconsistent formatting are some of the biggest causes of frustration in Excel. They may look tidy, but they break sorting, filtering, and analysis, and they are a frequent reason formulas return errors or PivotTables refuse to work.

Training teaches the principles of clean data structure: keeping information consistent, avoiding merged cells in data ranges, and setting spreadsheets up so they can be analysed later. Building good structure from the start saves hours of rework down the track.

4. Formula errors from poor referencing

Formulas that work perfectly in one cell often break the moment they are copied elsewhere. This usually comes down to a misunderstanding of relative and absolute cell references, or from hardcoding values directly into formulas rather than referencing cells.

This is one of the areas where a guided Excel course in Perth makes the biggest difference. Understanding how references behave, and how to troubleshoot common errors, gives you the confidence to build more complex formulas without them falling apart.

5. Avoiding PivotTables and analysis tools

When faced with a large set of data, many users try to summarise it manually, copying, filtering, and counting by hand. PivotTables can do the same work in seconds, yet they are often avoided because they seem intimidating.

Hands-on training removes that fear. Once you have built a few PivotTables with guidance, summarising thousands of rows becomes one of the fastest and most useful things you can do in Excel, along with related tools for cleaning and visualising data.

Spreadsheet skills remain relevant despite increasing automation

The growing use of artificial intelligence and business automation has changed how companies process information, but spreadsheets remain deeply embedded in everyday business workflows.

That makes spreadsheet literacy an ongoing productivity issue for organisations that depend on Excel for reporting, administration and decision-making.

For employers, the broader issue is less about whether workers can open Excel and enter information, and more about whether they are using the software efficiently enough to avoid unnecessary manual work and prevent spreadsheet errors from finding their way into business reports.

With spreadsheets continuing to underpin everything from small-business bookkeeping to corporate reporting, seemingly minor Excel habits can become significant when repeated across an organisation

Excel remains deeply embedded in global business, with Microsoft reporting more than 450 million paid Microsoft 365 commercial seats in fiscal 2026.

With more businesses using Excel through Microsoft 365 alongside automated reporting and AI tools, errors in formulas or poorly structured data can spread into reports and business decisions much faster.

The post 5 Common Excel Habits Could Be Costing Australian Workplaces Hours of Productivity appeared first on Tech Business News.

The criticism goes beyond slow responses.

Some customers say iMile’s chatbot creates the impression that support requests are being escalated or handled by customer service staff, only for subsequent responses to remain generic and automated.

That raises a more serious question about transparency when a customer believes they are dealing with a person but may still be interacting with software.

Tech Business News has encountered the issue directly, with iMile’s support system indicating that contact with a real person was being arranged despite the conversation continuing in a manner consistent with automated responses.

The experience appears far from isolated.

Customers Say They Cannot Reach Human Support

A review of complaints posted by Australian and international customers reveals a recurring pattern involving chatbots, automated emails and an inability to speak directly with staff.

One Australian Trustpilot reviewer said they had three packages worth more than $500 stuck with iMile and repeatedly received automatic responses saying a ticket had been raised.

“I just want my $500+ items and I cannot seem to speak to anyone,” the customer wrote.

Another reviewer described the company’s phone number as effectively leading back to a chatbot, saying it was “impossible to speak to a human person”. The same reviewer said the company’s chat service did not resolve the issue and emails went unanswered.

An Australian reviewer who experienced an undelivered parcel said iMile provided only an automated response when they sought an explanation.

The customer said their parcel had been marked as out for delivery throughout the day but never arrived, after which attempts to contact the company resulted in a bot rather than meaningful customer support.

Another customer said they called, emailed and used iMile’s website assistant in an effort to change a delivery address, but each channel either redirected them elsewhere or returned automated information.

“And in all of this there was no human in sight,” the reviewer wrote.

Thousands Of Poor Reviews

The scale of dissatisfaction is significant.

As of October 6, iMile’s Trustpilot profile had more than 7,100 reviews and a TrustScore of around 1.3 out of five.

Approximately 92 per cent of reviewers had given the company one star, according to the platform.

Australian consumer site ProductReview.com.au tells a similar story.

iMile has a rating of approximately 1.3 stars from more than 1,100 reviews according to productreview.com.au, with around 95 per cent of feedback classified as negative.

The site’s summary identifies communication problems and unhelpful automated responses as recurring themes.

Those reviews also contain allegations of parcels being delivered to the wrong address, delivery attempts being recorded when customers say nobody arrived, parcels being left in unsafe locations and support staff failing to provide usable information.

One Australian Capital Territory customer alleged iMile repeatedly promised that pickup arrangements would be made but failed to provide the promised details.

“They lie about literally everything,” the reviewer wrote, alleging fake delivery attempts and ineffective communication.

Such comments remain individual customer allegations and do not independently establish wrongdoing by the company.

Melbourne Customers Among Those Complaining

Complaints from Victorian customers are also appearing regularly.

One Melbourne reviewer said three deliveries had been taken to the wrong address within a month, despite the packages being correctly addressed.

The customer said they had notified iMile on each occasion but continued experiencing the same problem.

Another Victorian customer told ProductReview that a driver threw a package containing expensive computer components several metres towards the front door.

The reviewer said attempts to complain resulted in communications that appeared to be templated and failed to address the specific questions being raised.

Other Australian customers have complained about supposed attempted deliveries while they were at home.

One Trustpilot reviewer said the company claimed it had attempted to deliver a parcel despite the customer specifically remaining home waiting for it.

Another Australian customer said support staff appeared unable to communicate with warehouses or delivery drivers, describing the service as providing the appearance of customer support without the ability to actually resolve problems.

iMile Does List Australian Contact Details

Despite complaints about customers struggling to reach staff, iMile operates through an Australian registered company.

Its Australian legal notice identifies iMile Delivery & Logistic Pty Ltd, with a registered office in South Granville, New South Wales.

The company lists an Australian customer service telephone number and email address on its website.

Australian Business Register records show iMile Delivery & Logistic Pty Ltd has been active since January 2023 and is registered for GST.

The problem being reported by customers therefore appears less about an absence of published contact channels and more about whether those channels provide effective access to people capable of resolving delivery disputes.

Support Systems Need To Be Clear About Whether A Human Is Involved

Automated customer service itself is commonplace and can resolve basic tracking and account enquiries quickly.

Problems emerge when users cannot determine whether they are interacting with a machine or a person.

If a chatbot tells a customer that they are being connected with a real representative, consumers reasonably expect the next interaction to involve a human.

A system that continues providing automated answers while presenting itself as human-assisted risks leaving customers with a false understanding of who, or what, is handling their complaint.

That becomes particularly important when the issue involves lost goods, disputed proof of delivery, damaged property or parcels worth hundreds of dollars.

In those cases, customers generally need more than a tracking lookup. They need someone capable of investigating the driver’s actions, contacting a depot or making a decision.

Complaints Extend Beyond The Chatbot

Customer service is only one part of the criticism surrounding iMile.

Recent Australian reviews include allegations of false delivery attempts, parcels being left exposed to weather, incorrect delivery locations and packages being returned to depots despite tracking systems indicating they were scheduled for delivery.

ProductReview users have separately alleged parcels were placed at incorrect properties and, in one instance, that a customer had to locate parcels themselves after receiving delivery photographs showing the wrong location.

Again, these reports represent individual customer accounts rather than independently verified findings against iMile.

There is currently no evidence in the sources reviewed by Tech Business News of an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission enforcement action concerning iMile’s chatbot or customer support practices.

The Bigger Problem Is Accountability

The volume of complaints suggests iMile has a broader customer service problem to address. However, customers can accept that deliveries occasionally go wrong.

What they are less likely to tolerate is being unable to reach anyone capable of explaining what happened.

For a logistics company increasingly handling parcels from major international shopping platforms, automated support may reduce operating costs, but it cannot replace escalation when a delivery genuinely requires investigation.

If iMile’s system represents that a customer has been transferred to a real person, the company should also make it unmistakably clear when that transfer has actually occurred.

Anything less risks further damaging trust in a delivery network already attracting thousands of highly critical customer reviews.

Tech Business News has sought comment from iMile regarding its use of automated customer service, the circumstances in which customers are transferred to human representatives, and complaints that users are unable to reach staff capable of resolving delivery problems.

Requests for comment from Imile.com were rejected. Instead, the response was a request to complete customer survey form.

The post iMile.com Faces Growing Customer Complaints Over Deliveries & Support Failures appeared first on Tech Business News.

Geoscience Australia recorded the magnitude 4.8 earthquake shortly after 2am, with the epicentre about six kilometres north-east of Korumburra in South Gippsland.

The earthquake was recorded at a depth of about 10 kilometres and was felt across metropolitan Melbourne and regional areas.

More than 16,000 felt reports were lodged with Geoscience Australia following the initial tremor, highlighting the wide reach of the event.

Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake Hits Melbourne Victoria

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Epicentre located at Leongatha, 130km south-east of Melbourne just after 2am

Aftershocks could continue for weeks

Seismology Research Centre chief scientist Adam Pascale said dozens of aftershocks had already been recorded following the earthquake.

The largest aftershock reached magnitude 3.1 at about 2.56am.

“I can see [aftershocks] popping off every couple of minutes and they’ll probably go on for weeks,” Pascale said.

“There’s potential for another of similar, or potentially larger, magnitude in the first few days or weeks afterwards.” he said/

Aftershocks are common following earthquakes as stresses in the surrounding rock adjust after the initial rupture.

No major damage reported

Victoria State Emergency Service confirmed crews had been alerted following the earthquake, although there were no immediate reports of significant building damage or requests for assistance.

The tremor was felt across a broad section of Victoria, including metropolitan Melbourne and regional centres.

The event is the largest earthquake recorded in Victoria since a magnitude 5.0 tremor near the Great Ocean Road in October 2023.

Victoria remains seismically active

Saturday’s earthquake adds to a series of significant seismic events recorded across Victoria in recent years.

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Mansfield in September 2021 and was felt across south-eastern Australia, causing damage to some buildings in Melbourne.

Victoria also experienced a magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Rawson in June 2023, while smaller tremors have continued to be recorded across the state.

Scientists have previously said this type of seismic activity is consistent with the stresses that build within the Australian tectonic plate.

Although Australia is located away from major plate boundaries, earthquakes can still occur when accumulated stress is released along faults beneath the continent.

SES urges residents to remain prepared

Victoria SES said the earthquake was a reminder for residents to know what to do when shaking occurs.

People indoors are advised to drop to the ground, take cover under sturdy furniture where possible, protect their head and neck and hold on until the shaking stops.

Residents should also remain alert for aftershocks and check buildings for damage where it is safe to do so.

The post Victoria’s Biggest Earthquake in Three Years (Magnitude 4.8) Shakes Melbourne appeared first on Tech Business News.