FEATURE: Big data and financial services

Technology has changed the way friends interact with each other, the way people think and express themselves and, above everything, it has changed the way people buy. Consumers want to be able to buy anything, at any time, through any device. Companies in all sectors are going to great lengths to meet this demand. The use of data, data analytics and big data has given businesses the deepest understanding of their customer base they have ever had. In many areas, Australia's financial services industry is at the forefront of this trend. In many others, there is still much work to do, Laura Millan writes.