my $xml = <<'EOD' ;
<root>
<instance>
        <contact>
                <customerfid>101</customerfid>
                <firstname>Steve</firstname>
                <lastname>Jobs</lastname>
        </contact>
        <contact>
                <customerfid>102</customerfid>
                <firstname>mark</firstname>
                <lastname>blue</lastname>
        </contact>
</instance>
<instance>
        <contact>
                <customerfid>444</customerfid>
                <firstname>john</firstname>
                <lastname>Doe</lastname>
        </contact>
</instance>
</root>
EOD

my $data = XMLin( $xml, forcearray => ['instance', 'contact']) ;
print Dumper( $data ) ;

foreach $n (@{$data->{'instance'}}){
foreach $m (@{$data->{$n}{'contact'}}){
foreach $key (keys %{$data->{$m}}){
print "key: $key \n";
}
}
}

##</code><code>##

$VAR1 = {
      'instance' => [
                    {
                      'contact' => [
                                   {
                                     'firstname' => 'Steve',
                                     'customerfid' => '101',
                                     'lastname' => 'Jobs'
                                   },
                                   {
                                     'firstname' => 'mark',
                                     'customerfid' => '102',
                                     'lastname' => 'blue'
                                   }
                                 ]
                    },
                    {
                      'contact' => [
                                   {
                                     'firstname' => 'john',
                                     'customerfid' => '444',
                                     'lastname' => 'Doe'
                                   }
                                 ]
                    }
                  ]
    };