Happy New Year from cXm Professionals Association!

As we welcome 2026, we’re excited to kick off a new year of knowledge sharing, collaboration, and professional growth within the customer communications industry. We’ve already announced our first educational event in the 2026 Educational Series, From CCM to CXM: Navigating the Next Era of Customer Communications, presented by Mia Papanicolaou and Elizabeth Stephen. This first educational event sets the tone for what’s ahead for 2026.

This year’s Educational Series focuses on our industry’s core operational area, the Communication Production Workflow, as we have classified it within our published Body of Knowledge. Our goal is simple but ambitious: to guide industry professionals, from those new to customer communications to seasoned practitioners, through the lifecycle of how communications are created, managed, delivered, and optimized in today’s evolving environment.

Customer communications have never been more complex, or more critical. Organizations are balancing regulatory obligations, operational efficiency, customer experience expectations, and rapidly evolving delivery channels. Understanding the end-to-end workflow is essential not only to operate effectively but to modernize responsibly.

Throughout 2026, we’ll explore the Communication Production Workflow from data to delivery, examining both foundational concepts and emerging practices that are reshaping how our industry works. This exploration will be supported by participation from organizations including Bluecrest, Quantre Solutions, Crawford Technologies, Joanne Gore Communications, McGrewGroup, Solumar Systems, innovatix, as well as invited EDPs and industry thought leaders.

Looking Ahead: Practical AI in Customer Communications

No discussion of the modern Communication Production Workflow would be complete without addressing AI. Throughout the year, we’ll explore practical, responsible uses of AI in customer communications, where it can genuinely improve efficiency, accuracy, and insight, and where human oversight remains essential.

The focus is on learning from real-world providers and use cases, examining how AI is being incorporated into customer communications management, from development and operational execution to modern channel delivery.

Join Us for the Journey

The 2026 Educational Series is designed to be inclusive, practical, and relevant. Whether you are building foundational knowledge or expanding your experience, we look forward to learning together, sharing perspectives, and helping elevate customer communications professionals.

Here’s to a productive, insightful, and innovative year ahead.

Advancing CCM and CXM together,

Scott Mulkey, M-EDP
Founder & President