As President and Managing Director, Mario Matulich oversees overall business operations and strategic growth initiatives for Customer Management Practice (CMP), a leader in delivering market research, events, and communities to organizations that value customer centricity.

With 17+ years of experience, Mario has helped transform an events company into a leading provider of market analysis and industry connections by developing a winning culture built on confidence, innovation, poise, collaboration, and “customer first” quality standards. Today, CMP is a trusted partner and resource that serves multiple functions and disciplines throughout the customer journey.

Tell us about Customer Management Practice and how it is a leading market intelligence firm for the CX industry.

Customer Management Practice (CMP) is a market intelligence firm that delivers research and community to businesses and organizations striving for excellent customer relationships. With a focus on end-to-end customer journey analysis and industry connections, CMP provides valuable resources through large-scale conferences, events, and personal curations.

As a steadfast advocate for customer-centricity, CMP is unwavering in helping businesses across all industries enrich and enhance the customer experience and is hyper-focused on how future work trends impact customer contact. Rooted in the foundation of industry-leading live and virtual event communities, such as Customer Contact Week Digital and Customer Contact Week (CCW), CMP’s research division is backed by the depth of expertise and credibility of its industry-leading events. =

In short, CMP enables contact center executives to make faster decisions amid transformation and uncertainty through rigorous and provider-agnostic research, data-driven analysis, expert advice, and community insight.

Customer Contact Week, the largest CX event series in the world, is powered by CMP. Tell us what role CCW plays in advancing the industry.

For over 25 years, CMP has been the leading voice in the customer contact industry through its flagship event series, CCW. CCW brings together the industry’s top professionals for in-person and virtual events that provide a comprehensive view of the customer experience. From keynotes and panel discussions to workshops and online events, CCW offers a unique platform for attendees to network, learn, and gain access to exclusive data and research.

With a focus on delivering impactful outcomes for companies across a wide breadth of industries, CCW is the industry’s go-to event series for those seeking to grow their market share and stay ahead of the curve in the customer contact industry. Previous keynote speakers at CCW Vegas, its flagship event, include executives from Marriott, Uber, Capital One, AMEX, and more. Martha Stewart, Abby Wambach, Jon Taffer, and other celebrity speakers have graced the CCW stage in recent years, providing exclusive and pivotal insight on CX practices and trends.

How does CMP Research support companies in transforming customer contact operations?

CMP Research provides the roadmap through its insights, data, and advisory services, designed to equip executives with a clear understanding of their performance relative to their peers and best practices in the industry. CMP’s research is based on objective data, models, and client community perspectives rather than personal opinions and experiences, and offers practical tips and recommendations to improve contact center operations.

The division is significantly growing as we just launched a new technology assessment framework last year – Prism. Customer contact and CX executives can obtain critical insights from Prism to fuel growth. It uses a rigorous, criteria-based evaluation system to assess vendors for the investment benchmarks most important to customer contact and CX executives, including price, customization, flexibility, integration capability, and more.

You’ve been in the CX industry for over two decades. What drew you to this career path, and what continues to drive your passion?

I started my career with a short stint as a minor league baseball player, playing for the Cleveland Guardians organization. My father was a New York City Firefighter, so I grew up in humble beginnings. Many won’t connect my background with a profession in customer service and experience, but it was these exact direct and indirect experiences – working within teams, supporting teammates, interacting with many people from diverse backgrounds – that drew me to this great industry. From there, it was a little bit of good fortune.

I have been working within the customer management space in various capacities since 2005, first working with the end user practitioners, helping them leverage our various conferences and exhibitions to reach their different objectives. Later on, I worked more exclusively with the solution-providing market to help them more effectively access the prospects that needed their various offerings.

However, in recent years, we have been able to define and pursue the CMP mission, which is to deliver market research, events, and communities to all organizations that value customer centricity.

What are some of the biggest pain points companies face today in CX, and how does CMP help address them?

Every business has a customer, and providing exceptional customer service is a non-negotiable requirement for any business or organization that desires to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced and competitive market. However, not all businesses or organizations genuinely comprehend how to retain their existing customer base and attract new ones, especially through the economic and demographic shifts in the marketplace.

CMP enables contact center executives to make faster decisions amid transformation and uncertainty through rigorous and provider-agnostic research, data-driven analysis, expert advice, and community insight. With expertise across multiple industries, including, but not limited to, finance, healthcare, and insurance, CMP offers unique and indispensable solutions that empower contact center executives, as well as customer experience (CX) professionals, to tackle challenges confidently.

In a world where customer loyalty and lifetime value determine the winners, companies of all shapes and sizes must understand how customer experience directly impacts customer loyalty, lifetime value, and overall competitiveness in the market. As a result, customer experience is the new battleground for companies competing for market share.

We’re seeing rapid growth in AI and automation. How do you see advanced technologies shaping the industry over the next decade?

The future of generative AI in businesses of all sizes holds significant potential for transformation and growth. Large corporations will likely experience supply chain optimization, advanced automation, and data-driven decision-making, while small- to mid-sized businesses will utilize AI to streamline operations, enhance the customer experience, and optimize e-commerce, as well as marketing and sales. The key to success for businesses of all sizes will be to adapt and integrate AI technologies effectively while considering their unique needs and restraints.

From a customer experience standpoint, the impact of AI will be transformative and immensely beneficial. With AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of customer data, businesses will be able to easily anticipate consumer needs, tailor recommendations, and resolve issues proactively.

As research and technology advance, businesses are poised to unlock groundbreaking solutions that will revolutionize numerous industries, particularly in customer support and experience.

Beyond CCW, how else is CMP fostering long-term communities and networks for CX professionals?

CMP is leading the charge, providing clients with the ability and confidence to make better decisions faster during times of transition and change. With a sole focus on customer contact, CMP stands apart from its competitors in the space as the company that brings together a supportive community to demonstrate real-world solutions and drive positive change in the customer service industry. Through rigorous research and cutting-edge tools, CMP empowers business leaders to understand and engage with their customer agents more effectively, leading to a better customer experience.

If you could give one piece of advice for executives looking to elevate CX strategies, what would it be?

I am going to cheat and share two pieces of advice. Firstly, something that was shared early in my professional career was “prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” which came from my mentor and a partner in CMP, Rob Shannon. Secondly, “outwork everybody,” which was shared early in my life by my father. Both pieces of advice have served me well in my career and personal life.

Both ring true in CX.

Put people first: empathize and define the challenges impacting people regardless of the environment or scenario, but also know that even your best can sometimes fall short. Treat your customers well, treat your employees even better, and always give it your all.

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