Tighter than the rest; it would make a great skit on a Bruce Springsteen song wouldn’t it? Research for NCR by BuzzBack Market Research has shown that, out of the five countries surveyed, Aussie consumers are the biggest bargain hunters.

Sixty-nine percent of Australian respondents said they have switched retailer or bank to get a better deal. We are prepared to pay a bit more though, for convenience. Phil Chant from NCR says the need for speed can be satisfied by more self-service options through multiple channels. For example, the survey showed that 44 percent of people want to pay bills with their mobile phone. That figure is, of course, only going to increase.

But how do companies get the balance right between automation and personalisation, between machines and people? Have a listen in today’s BTalk podcast.

First published on CBS News