It’s always been a worker’s greatest dilemma. Do you focus on the lowest hanging fruit and obtain a small win, or roll up your sleeves and invest in the more difficult, yet more rewarding victory?
This conundrum can be compared to the work of a grocery store merchandiser.
The avocados aren’t selling as quickly as projected. This means we have two different shipments on the floor available for customers to purchase. The display is a pile, and the selection of the best avocado is ultimately up to the shopper, but the merchandiser plays a major role in the decision-making process.
Should the merchandiser put the older avocados on top to attempt to not let them spoil, but potentially risk the adverse effect it could have on the freshness of the selection? Or, should the merchandiser lead with the newest and freshest avocados, but risk the fact that the older set will most likely spoil without ever being sold?
If you always put your customers first, in most scenarios, you should place the best version of your product in front of your customers before anything else. So in this scenario, the merchandiser should let the avocados spoil. Yes, the grocery store may lose money on perished goods, but at least you retain the satisfied customer that will undoubtedly come back again. We don’t know for sure if that customer would have come back if they found out their avocado grew rotten before they could consider eating it.
To summarize, go for the bigger wins when it effects you personally. When it pertains to others, it’s the little things that matter most.