How to Influence Customer Perception of Product Value – An Avocado Story

Four weeks ago I stood on a deserted playground. Cold, wet, grey. A Monday morning in February. Watched my six-year-old daughter run and play with her best friend. I was dressed as Indian. A lockdown-compliant birthday party.

As I saw my girl run and laugh, my mind wandered. How did she grow that fast?

“Avocados.” I thought. “Fernando’s avocados.”

I went to buy my first avocados back when we were expecting our daughter. (Potassium, folic acin, omega 3 fatty acids. Good for the baby.)

Had to be organic, so I tried out a new grocery store in another part of town. I find the store, get in, grab some avocados. Making my way to the checkout. 

My mood drops, as always.

Supermarket checkouts stress me out. Cashiers whirl your stuff over the scanner that quickly it starts piling up before you even put your empty basket on the ground. You get looks from the folks waiting in line behind you. (“Man, can you possibly do that ANY slower?”) German thing, maybe.

Not this time, though.

The cashier carefully takes the first avocado. Scans it. Hands it over to me. I look up, confused. The cashier: young man, dark hair, mediterranean type. Name tag says “Fernando”. 

Fernando doesn’t whirl stuff over the scanner. Each piece of fruit he picks up, scans, hands it over. With care. 

Done with my shopping, I rest in the entrance area for a minute. Watching Fernando cash up an old lady in a burgundy-coloured coat, and a teenage girl in yellow chucks buying yoghurt. Again he does it with care. Every single time. People in line don't moan. They smile slightly on their way out.

I have been Fernando’s customer ever since.

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Read it here first: https://pathcon.tech/blog/

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