Ever paid for something that sounded amazing…

Only to turn up and realise you’d been absolutely mugged off? That’s exactly what happened back in 2008, when thousands of families flocked to what was promised as a magical Christmas wonderland in the New Forest – “Lapland” they called it.

What they got? A muddy car park, a few sad-looking decorations, and a Santa who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. Kids cried, parents fumed, Trading Standards got involved… And within days, it was shut down. It was one of the biggest seasonal flops the UK’s ever seen (probably second only to the Willy Wonka Experience!) – and all because someone massively over-promised and seriously under-delivered.

Now, I know you’re probably thinking… Chadd, I’m not Santa Claus, I don’t sell experiences and crying kids is never a part of my working day… But there’s a serious point here for every business owner to understand. Over-promising and under-delivering is one of the fastest ways to destroy trust in business. I don’t care whether you’re selling Lapland tickets, logistics services, or coaching – it’s all the same. Because people remember how you made them feel. And if you’ve promised them magic and delivered a mud pit… that sticks.

In my world of freight forwarding, I see this all the time… Forwarders promising that they can do anything, anywhere, faster and cheaper than anyone else. And then Delays. Excuses. Poor service. Radio silence when it really matters. It doesn’t take long for customers to clock on. And once you’ve broken that trust, it’s ten times harder to win it back.

That’s why, at Millennium, I’d rather be honest upfront than oversell something we can’t deliver. I’d rather under-promise and over-deliver – because that’s how you build real relationships. Long-term ones. Ones where people come back again and again, because they know you mean what you say.

Same goes for the coaching side of what I do. I’ve seen business owners talk a big game… fancy branding, slick websites, bold promises – but behind the scenes it’s all held together with duct tape and hope. Don’t get me wrong, ambition’s brilliant! You should be excited about what you’re building, what you’re offering and how you can help people…  But be sure you can deliver. Because that’s what builds long-term, sustainable growth in business. 

So here’s something to think about… where in your business might you be over-promising and under-delivering? What do you want to do better in 2026? I’d love to hear your thoughts?