2026 marks an inflection point for Customer Operations. Technology is accelerating, expectations are rising, and the organisations that thrive will be those willing to reset how they think and redefine how they work. But this shift is not simply about adopting new tools or reorganising teams. It requires something deeper:

A change in mindset, and a recognition that every decision touches a system, a living, interdependent system of people, processes, technology, and culture. For too long, our industry has tried to fix problems through isolated initiatives: new KPIs, new tech, new dashboards, new processes. But as many of the articles in this guide show, these interventions rarely land if the underlying system is unchanged.

To mark our 25-year anniversary we will be doing something different by expanding the Best Practice Guide with different editions throughout the year. This first digital edition was launched alongside our Best Practice Programme in January 25. The second edition includes additional articles and launced at our Customer Strategy & Planning conference on 29th April 25. The third edition will include the case studies from The Forum Awards, with all Innovation & Transformation, Partnerships and Best Practice finalists in time for our Best Practice Showcase in June 25. We have yet to decide if there will be a fourth edition in 2025, or if we will just start the creation of the 2026 Best practice Guide. What is important is that we continue to provide this valuable resource for our community of best practice and demonstrate how we are moving forward.