use XML::Simple qw(XMLin);

$data = XMLin(\*DATA);

use Data::Dumper;
print Dumper($data);

__DATA__
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" standalone="yes" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="notes.xsl"?>
<UPDATE>
<COMMANDPARMS>
</COMMANDPARMS>
<TIMING>
<CUSTID> 192343-13</CUSTID>
<STARTDATE>20090414</STARTDATE><STARTTIME>10:36:46</STARTTIME>
</TIMING>

<TMMR><DATE>20090414</DATE><TIME>18:40:39</TIME><CEO_ID>12943-56A</CEO_ID><CEO_ID_SORTED>217.064.098.066</CEO_ID_SORTED><MANUID>80</MANUID><STATUS>Open</STATUS><NOTES><![CDATA[Last checked on 14Aug
]]></NOTES><SERVICE_INFO><![CDATA[:^Ls3weNp2Y
]]></SERVICE_INFO><CONTENT1><![CDATA[]]></CONTENT1><CONTENT2><![CDATA[]]></CONTENT2></TMMR>
</UPDATE>