Insight Out - An Equifax Podcast

It’s no secret that the construction industry has faced significant challenges over the past few years, and insolvencies remain at historically high levels. However, Equifax data suggests there might be green shoots emerging…although only for some segments of the building and construction sector. Join Carrie Cheung, Head of Insights, and Brad Walters, Head of Product & Ratings Services, as they discuss:

• Emerging financial trends across the industry and their implications
• The knock-on effects of these trends might be for infrastructure development and housing supply development goals
• How these trends could impact home buyers
• And more!

Consumer confidence got an end of year bump in Q4 of 2024 - but is this uptick premature? Equifax modelling suggests that the positive impact of a rate cut will only be seen six to nine months down the track. Join Carrie Cheung, Head of Insights, and Kevin James, Equifax Chief Solutions Officer, as they discuss

• What the emerging trends in consumer credit mean for lenders
• Whether consumers are at risk of overextending themselves
• The trends Equifax expects to see in consumer credit demand over the coming months
• And more!

• How all classes of insurers can get a better understanding of what is happening in the broader insurance industry
• The potential challenges of data gained from "Self disclosure" for Insurers
• The value data verification can have for various insurance products
• What data points and processes will serve insurers best
• And more!

• Some of the common blind spots in the insurance industry
• Potential market gaps in the insurance segment when it comes to use of data
• Improving both the customer journey and insurers’ risk management
• Learnings from global markets to optimise data use in the Australian Insurance Industry
• And more!

The ATO debt increased 13% between 2021 and 2022, reaching $61.6bn. Are credit professionals having to adapt their lending processes to ensure their risk exposure is being managed effectively?

Join Equifax host Scott Mason, ATO Assistant Commissioner Claire O'Neill and AICM CEO Nick Pilavidis for a discussion about commercial tax default data and a deep dive into what credit professionals can learn from the past six months of collection activity, including:

• the impact of tax debt disclosure on the credit environment

• how tax debt levels are evolving post-Covid

• myths uncovered about debt recovery and wind-up activity

• insights for reduced risk exposure

This episode was recorded in December 2022.

Employee payroll information is an attractive target for threat actors. Imaad Mohammad, Head of Product Management at Equifax Workforce Solutions, and Sarah Moorehouse, Head of Employer Services at Equifax Workforce Solutions delve into how automated employment income verifications can help employers, employees and financial institutions alike.

Join Sarah and Imaad as they discuss:

• Why employers should move away from printing or downloading payslips

• The key questions employers must ask themselves while conducting employment income verifications

• The purpose and key benefits of Equifax Verification Exchange

• And more!

This episode was recorded in September 2022.

Fraud is a top challenge for online retailers as they look to reduce customer friction while also managing risk. Join Rich Stuppy, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Kount, and Tehani Legeay, General Manager of Fraud & ID at Equifax, as they discuss:

• The top fraud threats currently facing online retailers

• The biggest things impacting online retailers' ability to fight fraud

• How retailers with fewer resources can keep themselves safe from fraud

• How global learnings can help retailers better understand and protect themselves against bad actors

• And more!

This episode was recorded in August 2022.

The mortgage market in Australia is changing rapidly, and brokers are having to adapt at speed. Explore how brokers are keeping up with the pace of change, with James Forbes, Equifax General Manager of Consumer, and Peter White, Managing Director at Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA).

Join James and Peter as they discuss:

• How rising interest rates and inflation are impacting the workload of brokers

• Why consumers are turning to brokers for help during turbulent economic times

• Purchasing and refinancing trends

• The evolving role of technology and how brokers are adopting technology in their practices

• And more!

This episode was recorded in August 2022.

Explore the evolution and future of BNPL with Mark Thomas, Equifax Head of Financial Services, and Alberto Fernandez, Head of Insights at Latitude Financial Services:

• Why has BNPL exploded in the recent past?

• What trends and challenges might come up as the market matures more in the near future?

• What might be ways to open up the pathway to profitability in the channel?

• What role BNPL plays for merchants and how will it develop in the future

• How does financial literacy play in this segment and how do you lend responsibly?

This podcast was recorded in May 2022.