Every year without fail, we go away as a famly.

Two weeks, somewhere hot where I can put my feet up and enjoy the sun on my face and a beer in my hand. It’s the one time I properly switch off. No emails. No calls. No freight. Just sun, sangria and some serious relaxation.

Every year for nearly a decade, we’ve gone to Lanzarote. Same kind of villas. Same pools. Same little BBQ corner where I’ve overcooked more sausages than I care to admit. It’s become a bit of a tradition now. We know the area. The resort works. Everyone’s happy. But this year the family had other ideas. They wanted to go somewhere different…somewhere new. Fair enough, I thought. Change is good. I can get on board with that – as long as they’re going to come up with the suggestions and do the research. 

So I said, “Ok. Find somewhere. Let me know, and I’ll get it booked.” And then… nothing. Weeks went by. A few vague suggestions got thrown around the group chat. Someone mentioned Portugal. Someone else said Greece. But no one made a decision. No one actually did any research, sent any links or made any proper comparisons. So eventually, I decided time was running out and I did what I always do. I booked the same holiday in the same resort in Lanzarote. Same flights. Same hire car. Same supermarket run when we get there. I went with certainty. And I’m not unusual in making that choice. It’s basic human nature… 

You see, when faced with too many options – or when things feel a bit uncertain – people don’t always chase the new and exciting. More often than not, we default to what we know. What’s familiar. What feels safe. It’s not about fear. It’s not even about comfort, really. It’s about control. There’s something reassuring about knowing what to expect. Even if it’s a bit rubbish…Even if you know deep down there might be a better option out there.  If the current one works – or at least doesn’t break – most people won’t budge. Because certainty is “safer” than the unknown. 

The same thing happens in business. Let’s say you’re trying to win a new customer. They’ve been using the same freight forwarder for years. They’ve built a relationship. There’s history there. You might think you’re just offering them a new supplier. But what you’re actually asking them to do… is take a risk. You’re asking them to walk away from something familiar – and trust that you won’t let them down. That’s a big ask. Especially in this industry, where timing matters, mistakes are costly, and reputations are on the line.

So if you want them to make the leap? You’ve got to remove the fear. You’ve got to create certainty.And that doesn’t come from a glossy brochure or a slick pitch. It comes from consistency. From showing up again and again with the same standards, the same service, the same “we’ve got this” attitude. It’s in your brand. Your emails. The way your team answers the phone. It’s in the promises you make – and whether you actually deliver on them. Because when someone’s weighing up whether to stay with what they know or take a chance on you, the difference won’t be your pricing, or your logo, or your fancy website… It’ll be whether they believe – really believe – that they can count on you. And if they do take that leap? You better show up and deliver on your promise… Because consistency might win their attention… But reliability? That’s what keeps them coming back.

What about you – ever found yourself sticking with what you know, even when you thought about making a change? Would love to hear your stories…