If you’ve been to a Forrester CX event in the US in recent years, you likely know (or know of) Rick Parrish. Rick, who leads Forrester’s CX research practice, has hosted Forrester’s US CX events since 2022 and was leading sessions at the events long before that. He’ll once again play host next month at Forrester’s CX Forums in New York City and San Francisco.

We recently caught up with Rick to talk about what’s new this year, what he’s most excited about, and what it really means to be a great event host.

Q: What are you looking forward to most at this year’s Forums?

RP: A few things come to mind. For one, I’m looking forward to the events being more intimate and focused. That will give attendees the opportunity to meet more people and have deeper conversations, because they won’t be running from room to room quite as much. I’m also really excited that we’re back in New York City and San Francisco. We used to host CX Forums in both cities years ago, and it feels great to return. They’re both fantastic destinations, and it also will be easier for people who live and work in those areas to pop in and take part.

Then, of course, there’s the content. We’ve got a really strong program this year that’s grounded, practical, and focused on helping leaders get the fundamentals right.

Q: Tell us about the significance of this year’s theme, “Build The Experience AI Can’t.”

RP: Every time a new technology comes along, we have to remind ourselves of something pretty basic: Nobody actually wants to interact with a specific technology; what they want is a better experience. Even technology as powerful as AI cannot create compelling experiences on its own — we need to create a human foundation that gives AI purpose, direction, and clarity.

That human foundation consists of things like human creativity, trust, strong customer and market understanding, a compelling vision and strategy, a great employee experience, and quality data. Many organizations are missing that. Leaders may even know they’re missing it, but there’s so much pressure to move fast, not fall behind, and “do something with AI” that they push ahead anyway.

What I love about this year’s theme is that it brings the focus back to fundamentals. We have a make-or-break opportunity to shape AI in a way that earns customer trust and redefines customer value. That human focus feels more important than ever right now.

Q: Attendees will see a couple of new features at the events this year. Could you tell us about those?

RP: There are two I’m especially excited about. The first is the addition of employee experience to Forrester’s Total Experience Score. When we launched total experience last year, we looked at how brand experience and customer experience come together to shape a company’s ability to win and serve customers. This year, we’ve added employee experience — and that’s a really important piece.

Employee experience can either be a tailwind or a headwind for everything a company is trying to accomplish. By incorporating employee experience, we can show organizations not only how well they’re winning and serving customers compared to competitors but also whether their employee experience is helping or holding them back. And just like with CX and brand, we provide actionable drivers — not just a score but clear guidance on what to focus on.

The second new feature is our Total Experience Honor. This is our new flagship annual recognition for companies that are delivering great total experiences and have compelling, insightful stories from which others can learn. We’ll be featuring one honoree at CX Forum East and one at CX Forum West, and I’m really looking forward to sharing those stories on stage.

Q: This will be your fifth time hosting. What do you think is key to being a good host?

RP: A couple of things: One is drawing connections between different aspects of the event. We’re telling one story across the mainstage, and the track sessions build on that story in different ways. It’s the host’s job to make those connections explicit. I love being that connective tissue.

Another is recognizing that hosting isn’t just about being on stage; it’s about helping people feel welcome and oriented throughout the entire event. When I’m not on stage, I love walking around, checking in with people, introducing myself, or sitting down at lunch and just talking. A lot of times, that turns into making an unexpected connection — saying, “You know what, I was just talking to someone else you really should meet” and bringing those people together. At the end of the day, it’s all about helping attendees get the most out of being there.

Q: Do you have any event-day rituals? A go-to breakfast item?

RP: Right before I go on stage, I usually jump up and down a few times to get the blood going. I don’t need to get more excited — events are my favorite part of the year — but it helps channel that energy, get it out of my system a bit, and make sure it comes through the right way on stage.

As for breakfast, I’m a big fan of conference melon. You’ve got your eggs, bacon, oatmeal, all of it — but the melon tray is always the best part. Everyone knows it, too, because it’s always empty by the end. I don’t drink coffee — I’m jittery enough already. I usually drink hot water with lemon and honey because I’m talking all day and need to keep my voice going. People who know me will say, “You talk all day anyway,” which is fair — but at events, it’s on another level.

Join Rick, dozens of other Forrester analysts, and your CX, marketing, and digital business peers at Forrester’s CX Forum East or CX Forum West in June.