SIGN UP TO OUR BI-WEEKLY BLOG POSTS

Celebrating 15 almost 16 Years of CRM Playaz: A Look into The Commonwealth of Self Interest

From left to right: Brent, Ricardo, Paul, and Ray! A perfectly tiered photo with Ray standing the highest.

Celebrating 15 almost 16 Years of CRM Playaz: A Look into The Commonwealth of Self Interest

 

Last week, we had the amazing event in Atlanta, CRM Playaz IRL 2025, hosted by the venerable “Godfather of CRM” Paul Greenberg and Brent Leary, an incredible team working together. This event also marked the 15-16th anniversary of Paul’s and Brent’s groundbreaking CRM Playaz program (vlogcast), a milestone worth celebrating with an amazing group of high achievers, executives, thought leaders, and great companies such as Oracle, Salesforce, and Zoho CRM, Zoom, among others. Over the past 15–16 years, many top enterprise technology thought leaders, Ceo’s executives, and practitioners have been  guests of Paul and Brent’s CRM Playaz program—an incredible achievement in itself.

Apart from meeting those mentioned, we also had the opportunity to connect with many leaders, authors, entrepreneurs, and investors, which made the event especially enjoyable. I also had the privilege to meet Ray Gerber, the senior advisor of the European Customer Experience Organization (ECXO.org), face-to-face for the first time. Ray is truly one of the pillars of ECXO.org, and it was an enriching experience to finally meet him in person as everyone during the event.

During the event, attendees had the opportunity to pick from three books. As I found only one since I arrived late to take it.  Mindshift by Brian Solis,

I had personally brought from Germany for Brian to sign—making this day extra special since I have read almost all his books since Engage. He is not only a wonderful person but also an exceptional professional. What can I say? I truly love reading his books and the unique way he observes and interprets the ever-evolving reality around us all. Brian never disappoints—Mindshift is an exceptional book and his best work so far.

 

Among the books available, I picked The Commonwealth of Self Interest by Paul Greenberg. Upon returning to Munich, Germany, I immediately started reading it. So far, I am on page 149, and I must say in no uncertain terms—there is no fluff, filler or BS, forgive me for the term. The last time I read Paul’s work was the iconic CRM at the Speed of Light, Fourth Edition: Social CRM Strategies, Tools, and Techniques for Engaging Your Customers, which was a top-tier success and an invaluable resource. Not surprisingly, Marc Benioff, co-founder and Chair of Salesforce, has written the foreword for all of Paul’s books.

For those unfamiliar, Paul is a superstar in CRM, customer engagement, and customer experience (CX) worldwide. He is a person who never hesitates to go the extra mile to help people, animals, and especially his beloved cats—both his own and those in his neighbourhood. Paul is a truly unique individual: warm, highly knowledgeable, and always practical in his writing.

My Take on The Commonwealth of Self Interest

One of the chapters I read upfront covers a key point that many people miss all the time: “Customer Centricity is Not Enough.” Paul explains this in an incredibly useful and detailed manner, outlining why businesses must go beyond surface-level customer-centricity and embrace true engagement, which is not what we normally think. This book also features contributions from several experts I deeply admire, such as Silvana Buljan, Ray Gerber, Brian Curran, Brian Solis, Don Peppers, Bruce,  and Joe Pine, among many others. Their work, directly or indirectly, contributes to the richness of this book.

Published in 2019, The Commonwealth of Self Interest emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains a highly practical, insightful book worth reading. It clearly demonstrates how easily CX terminologies are misunderstood and misused, leading to common missteps in areas like customer centricity, engagement, and loyalty.

When I asked Paul how I had never heard of this book before, despite always being on the lookout for great reads, he mentioned that it was not promoted as extensively as it deserved. So, here is my opportunity to recommend his outstanding book from 2019 alongside Brian Solis’ Mindshift, both offering great value from two brilliant minds.

A General Overview of The Commonwealth of Self Interest

Paul Greenberg’s book provides a comprehensive framework for understanding customer engagement and business success. What makes this book truly great is its unusual depth, with many key details and a clear understanding by Paul and his contributors of what is truly practical and essential, and what is not. Some of the core themes explored in the book include:

  • Customer-Controlled Economy: How customers have gained unprecedented control over brand perception and interactions.
  • Customer Centricity vs. Customer Engagement: Understanding the crucial differences and how both concepts can work together.
  • Building Trust in Engagement: The role of trust as a cornerstone for successful relationships.
  • Technology’s Role in CX: Leveraging CRM tools, AI, and data analytics to enhance engagement.
  • Customer Success Strategies: Shifting from reactive customer service to proactive customer success.

The book also highlights several real-world examples of companies that have successfully implemented customer engagement strategies, providing actionable insights for business leaders and CX professionals.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a practical, no-nonsense approach to customer engagement, The Commonwealth of Self Interest is a must-read. Paul Greenberg’s expertise and passion for the field shine through in every chapter, making it a valuable resource for business leaders, CX professionals, entrepreneurs and CRM practitioners alike.

By prioritizing engagement, leveraging technology, and aligning business objectives with customer needs, companies can unlock new opportunities for success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Recommended Reads

 

Some other pictures from this event:

 

Brent Leary and some other pictures of the event!

 

 

 

 

 

By |2025-01-28T14:44:36+01:00January 28th, 2025|AI, Culture Transformations, customer centricity, Customer Strategies, CX books, CX Innovation, Data analytics, expérience client, Experience Design|Comments Off on Celebrating 15 almost 16 Years of CRM Playaz: A Look into The Commonwealth of Self Interest

About the Author:

Ricardo Saltz Gulko is the Eglobalis managing director, a global strategist, thought leader, practitioner, and keynote speaker in the areas of simplification and change, customer experience, experience design, and global professional services. Ricardo has worked at numerous global technology companies, such as Oracle, Ericsson, Amdocs, Redknee, Inttra, Samsung among others as a global executive, focusing on enterprise technologies. He currently works with tech global companies aiming to transform themselves around simplification models, culture and digital transformation, customer and employee experience as professional services. He holds an MBA at J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Evanston, IL USA, and Undergraduate studies in Information Systems and Industrial Engineering. Ricardo is also a global citizen fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Hebrew, and German. He is the co-founder of the European Customer Experience Organization and currently resides in Munich, Germany with his family.
Ten Ways to Turn Organizational Silos into Collaboration Engines
Celebrating 15 almost 16 Years of CRM Playaz: A Look into The Commonwealth of Self Interest
Deep Dive into Loyalty and Experience Drivers in the Tech World—The Blueprint for Building Long-Term B2B Relationships
Enhancing Customer and Agent Experience with AI-Powered Solutions: A Salesforce-Led Market Perspective
Unlocking the Practical CX Power of Design Thinking for B2B Companies: A Step-by-Step Guide
Wishing you and your loved ones a beautiful Season of Light and Joy! ✨ Merry Christmas 🎄, Happy Hanukkah 🕎, and a brilliant beginning to 2025! 🌟
Go to Top