With the recent unveiling of one of the big banks new-style branches, it got me thinking about what other changes consumers can look forward to this year. Personally I’m struggling to get right brain and left brain happily working in tandem after the holidays – but I’m impressed by their focus on improving consumer experience and getting right down to business.

They’re removing security screens and being more open plan, installing digital displays, creating a kids corner, having iPads to hand and embracing aromatherapy (jasmine and grapefruit was the scent at the media preview).

And it’s not only the banking sector that is jumping up and down to improve consumer experience and, in return, their competitiveness. There has been a growing Australia-wide buzz around consumer experience and it looks like digital will be the channel businesses embrace to make a competitive difference in 2012.

According to telecoms.com the telco sector is also making lasting change and 2012 will be a real decider as to which players will dominate. They predict one major change area will be data sharing and getting more creative and generous with sharing data across multiple devices – as well as the death of the notebook and the continued rise of tablets. We are yet to have a date for the launch of iPad3 but it can’t be too far away.

Even the government are doing something actionable and standing behind the recommendation that all Australians would be online by 2020. This, according to a report at the end of 2011, would be to give all Australians a fair go in the digital era. Can we take it, then, that access to being online has become a vital requirement for all Australians, not just a 'nice to have'?

It’s exciting to see consumer experience improving as more and more businesses realise that in the growing world of digital technology and social networking, the consumer has never had so much power.

-Caroline Herrman

Reference: http://www.telecoms.com/38181/customer-experience-predictions-for-2012/