Need Web Service Consumption Assistance

I'd use Xpath via CF's XMLSearch function to search the result document and pull out the data you need.  See a basic sample below.  If this sample doesn't fit your needs please let me know.

For an overview of Xpath see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms256115.aspx

<!--- sample data --->
<cfsavecontent variable="serviceResult">
    <result>
         <ROWSET>
              <ROW num="1">
                   <CUSTOMER_NUMBER>019889</CUSTOMER_NUMBER>
                   <CUSTOMER>MOUNTAIN BUILDING SUPPLY, INC #8228</CUSTOMER>
                   <PLATFORM>500</PLATFORM>
              </ROW>
         </ROWSET>
    </result>
</cfsavecontent>

<!--- use XML functions to parse and search serivceResult data  --->

<!--- we expect the results from the service to be XML, but its always good to check --->
<cfif IsXml(serviceResult)>
   
    <!--- create an XML object that CF's XML functions can use --->
    <cfset xmlResult=XmlParse(serviceResult, true) />

    <!--- check for a customer number of 019889, will return an array of matching objects
    Note that second parameter for XmlSearch function is an Xpath expresssion
     --->
    <cfset customerSearch=XmlSearch(xmlResult, '/result/ROWSET/ROW/CUSTOMER_NUMBER[.="019889"]') />
    <cfif ArrayLen(customerSearch) gt 0>
        Customer found
    <cfelse>
        Customer not found
    </cfif>
</cfif>