Going Bananas

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I’m just back from another Latin American trip, and as always there are things there to discover and share. Two standout tech capabilities for me this year were in the supermarket and the petrol station.

In the supermarket, the method there (in Chile) is to weigh fruit and bread, and then a sticker is printed for the checkout. Previously you need to find a fruit on a screen and press the image – but now things were different. I was especially intrigued to find that that image recognition had been installed into the scales, so that the fruit – in this case, my bunch of bananas – was automatically recognised before being weighed.

Elsewhere in the petrol / service station, particularly Copec which is the local provider, the driver scans the QR code on the pump which connects the fuel bill to the drivers bank account, and makes an automatic payment. With a petrol attendant on hand to open the fuel cap, fill the tank, and refit the cap, there’s not a lot for him to do – except offer to wash your windscreen for a tip.

Maybe we have these techniques somewhere in Europe or in North America – it’s just that I haven’t seen them yet. (I remember that I first saw the concept of ‘Cafe Banking’ in Chile, which is being rolled out elsewhere in Europe, so maybe (like South Africa), the country is a bit of a test bed for new innovations.)

Always best to travel with your eyes wide open when travelling, and not just be a tourist. And after all, isn’t understanding a business or an industry a bit like a banana ? The more you peel off, the more that you know?