CX Files

This special live episode was recorded on January 21, 2026 live in London, UK. This is the 400th episode of the podcast. Lian Rowlands quizzed Peter and Mark about the origin of CX Files and what they plan for the future of the podcast... Thanks to everyone who attended the live event in London last night - it was great to see so many friends of the podcast out in person! https://www.linkedin.com/in/lian-rowlands-a26119/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhillary/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-ryan-montreal/

Happy New Year for 2026 from Peter and Mark at the CX Files podcast. We asked our listeners to send some thoughts about 2025 and the year ahead... If you listen to this episode you will hear messages from the Netherlands, Philippines, UK, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and Brazil... that's North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia all covered! Contributors listed in the order they feature on the podcast: Leo Ooms https://www.linkedin.com/in/leoooms/ Nathan Muniz https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdcoutsourcing/ Lian Rowlands https://www.linkedin.com/in/lian-rowlands-a26119/ Rod Jones https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodjonessouthafrica/ Paul O'Hara https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauloharateleperformance/ Michael Gray https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgray7/ Anna Bessarabova https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-bessarabova/ Michael Clark https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelclarkcx/ Mike Ortegon https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeortegon/ Stephen Loynd https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenloynd/ David Neale https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-neale-08b80011b/ Peter Ryan https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-ryan-montreal/ Mark Hillary https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhillary/ ---- "All I Want for CX-mas (Is the Future)" Composed by Mark Hillary with Suno Verse 1 Snow's falling on the dashboards, Year-end reports are due, Another season of predictions, But nobody knows what's true. From São Paulo to Montreal, Different skies, same screen, Two voices cut through the noise, Talking 'bout what CX means. Pre-Chorus The year's been long, the change came fast, AI hype, then lessons learned, But now we're looking forward, To the value still to be earned. Chorus All I want for CX-mas is the future, Not the buzzwords, not the fear, Just better service, smarter choices, And a little more trust next year. From every brand to every customer, Let's build it human, let's build it right, All I want for CX-mas is the future, And the CX Files on a Wednesday night. Verse 2 Agents, bots, and blended teams, Journeys changing shape, Less about the tech itself, More about escape From broken processes, From friction no one sees, Designing moments that feel simple, Even when the systems aren't easy. Pre-Chorus We've learned that scale needs patience, And strategy beats speed, The future's not autonomous, Unless it serves a real human need. Chorus All I want for CX-mas is the future, Not another pilot that won't land, Just outcomes, empathy, and clarity, Finally working hand in hand. From every continent and culture, One community, one shared view, All I want for CX-mas is the future, And the CX Files guiding us through. Bridge From São Paulo sunshine, To Montreal snow, Two hosts, one question: "Where do we go?" Analysts, founders, leaders, friends, Four hundred stories, and still it never ends. No silver bullets, no easy claim, Just better questions changing the game. Final Chorus All I want for CX-mas is the future, Designed with care, not just code, Where trust is built in every interaction, And experience carries the load. So here's to 2026 and beyond, To curiosity, courage, and insight, All we want for CX-mas is the future, And the CX Files lighting the way each night. Outro So press play, pour a drink, Let the old year fade from view, The future of CX is being written— And it starts with me and you. 🎄✨

Celebrate CX Files Episode 400 — Join Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan Live in London for an Exclusive Networking Event! CX Files Episode 400 Live in London – January 21, 2026 Join Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan, co-hosts of the CX Files podcast, for a special live networking event in London as they celebrate the show's 400th episode! This informal evening brings together members of the global Customer Experience (CX) community for drinks, conversation, and connection. Mark will be flying in from São Paulo, Brazil, and Peter from Montreal, Canada — a rare chance to meet both hosts in person. They will also have copies of the CX Files book - to be launched at this event in London. During the event, Mark and Peter will record a short live segment for the 400th episode in front of the audience, marking this milestone moment in the CX Files journey. Tickets are free, but you do need to register so we can control the numbers. Click this link to register your place for this live CX Files event. https://cxfiles.eventbrite.com

In this insightful discussion, Paul Smith, Principal Consultant at Quinn Growth Advisors, shares his expertise on the future of customer experience. He highlights the rampant AI hype in 2025 and the confusion it caused among buyers. Both guests predict that 2026 will witness more AI pilots transitioning into production and increasing market competition from in-house capabilities. Paul calls for better understanding of customer needs, while David warns of a looming AI bubble. They emphasize the necessity for deeper conversations between buyers and sellers to capture true business value.

Nick Jiwa is the founder and president of CustomerServ. He is based in Houston, Texas, USA. In this episode Nick talks to Peter Ryan about the importance of people in CX - in particular in BPOs. He asks why people have always been central to the customer experience, but now it sounds like everyone is just focused on AI and automation? It's time to refocus on people and culture because this is how brands connect with customers and this leads to the success they need - extra revenue, loyalty, retention etc... https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjiwa/ https://www.customerserv.com/ The Call Center – Still a People Business (Nick Jiwa - Aug 12, 2025) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/call-center-still-people-business-nick-jiwa-sn5lf/ Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the importance of human interaction in customer experience (CX) with Nick Jiwa, founder of CustomerServ. Jiwa emphasizes that despite technological advancements, CX remains a people-centric industry. He criticizes large BPOs for prioritizing tech over people, noting that many have an identity crisis. Jiwa highlights the resilience of the call center industry, projecting its growth from $300 billion to $500 billion by 2030. He argues that AI will enhance, not replace, human roles, particularly in emotional and complex interactions. The conversation underscores the need for a refocus on people, culture, and leadership in CX.

Leigh Hopwood is CEO of the CCMA (Contact Centre Management Association) and Chair of the European Customer Contact Alliance. She is based in London, UK. Peter Ryan called Leigh to talk about the European Contact Center and Customer Service Awards (ECCCSAs), which celebrate their 25th anniversary on November 25th, 2025. It sounds like an Iron Maiden song. On the 25th of November in the year 2025 the ECCCSAs will be 25... Leigh talks about the judging process and the value of the awards to the growth of the wider industry in addition to talking about the logistics of arranging such a large event - the award ceremony itself features over 1,200 attendees from 44 different countries. https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighhopwood/ https://www.ccma.org.uk/ https://ecccsa.com/ ---- Summary: Leigh Hopwood joins the pod to talk about the European Contact Center and Customer Service Awards, celebrating its 25th anniversary on November 25, 2025. The awards, which attract over 1,200 attendees from 44 countries, are judged by industry experts and feature rigorous criteria. Leigh emphasizes the importance of the judging process and the event's role in fostering industry growth and learning. The conversation also touches on the logistics of organizing such a large event and the significance of the awards in recognizing excellence in customer service.

Gerry Brown is known as the customer lifeguard. His ambition is to save the world from poor customer service. Gerry is Canadian and based in the south of the UK. Gerry has written a book titled 'When a customer wins, nobody loses.' He has a podcast and he is a regular speaker and adviser, regularly hosting CX workshops. Mark called Gerry to ask about his book and the post-pandemic CX environment. In particular how can BPOs get more closely aligned with the needs of customers when AI is changing the entire industry? https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerryhbrown/ https://thecustomerlifeguard.co.uk/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Customer-Wins-Nobody-Loses-ebook/dp/B07BFC83MZ/ Summary : Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the evolving landscape of customer experience (CX) with guest Gerry Brown, an independent consultant and author of "When a Customer Wins, Nobody Loses." They explore the shift from traditional customer service to more complex, multi-channel environments, including the rise of AI and automation. Brown highlights the importance of aligning customer needs with BPO services, noting that many organizations still handle customer service in-house. He emphasizes the need for BPOs to offer comprehensive solutions and the growing use of AI for efficiency and cost savings. The conversation also touches on the impact of the pandemic on remote work and the ongoing challenge of integrating legacy systems.

Joining the conversation is Paul O'Hara, EVP of Business Development at Teleperformance, who believes AI will enhance, not eliminate, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). He outlines how AI can empower agents by automating routine tasks, allowing them to focus on complex interactions. O'Hara emphasizes the necessity of blending AI with human expertise for smarter customer experiences. He also discusses the industry's shift toward performance-based pricing and predicts robust growth in BPOs as strategic partners in enhancing customer experience.

Elona Ymeri is the service delivery manager at Assist Digital. She is based in Tirana, Albania. Elona spoke to Mark Hillary about the role of smaller BPO destinations. What can they offer that is harder to find from the big locations? Is the continued influence of AI and other automation technology reducing the need to consider working in locations where large numbers of agents can be found? Elona talked about Albania within this context, but also explored beyond Albania alone to consider other locations in Europe that might have an interesting and innovative new approach to BPO. https://www.linkedin.com/in/elonaymeri/ https://assistdigital.com/ ---- Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan introduce an interview with Elona Ymeri, the service delivery leader at Assist Digital in Tirana, Albania. Alona highlights Albania's mature BPO sector, employing nearly 30,000 people, and its strategic position as a nearshore option for European companies. She emphasizes Albania's cultural alignment, linguistic skills, and the country's investment in AI and digital transformation. Alona also discusses the shift towards intelligent operations, combining human talent with technology, and the importance of compliance and strategic partnerships in the future of BPO.

Joanne Morrison is the founder of Outmarket. She is based in Toronto, Canada. Outmarket is a specialist marketing agency that is focused on BPO and CX companies. Telling potential customers about your services has always been important, but as BPO gets more complex, more international, and AI changes how marketing can function, it is more important than ever to get great advice. Peter Ryan called Joanne to talk about these changes and her advice for marketing in CX in the 2020s. https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-morrison-52299711/ https://www.outmarketbpo.com/ SUMMARY: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the challenges and mistakes in BPO marketing with Joanne Morrison, founder of Outmarket. Joanne highlights underinvestment in marketing, with typical BPO budgets being a fraction of the 2-8% recommended for B2B services. She emphasizes the importance of diversifying marketing efforts and leveraging AI beyond content creation. Joanne also stresses the need for effective post-event follow-up and risk-taking to stand out in a competitive market. She advises using AI for backend tasks like coding and research to improve efficiency and differentiation.