The Cost of a Dark Forecourt
Future Rise Newsletter #45 | Dec 16th (2025)
I have to admit it. I'm a Rory Sutherland fanboy. If you haven't heard of
him, he's a leading advertising exec. I was listening to an interview
with Rory recently and one of his stories stuck with me so much that I
wanted to bring it into this newsletter and share it with you.
He described driving along the A40, in the UK, one evening when he
passed what looked like a completely shut petrol/gas station. The signs
were dark, the forecourt was unlit, the prices were blank. His wife said
it was closed. But Rory knew it couldn't be, because he had once been
there on Christmas Day. So they pulled in anyway. Sure enough, the
place was open, only invisible from the road.
The funny part was that the staff member had simply forgotten
to turn the lights on. No one had noticed, no one cared. Yet in that
hour, the station probably lost thousands in fuel sales. Rory pointed out
the double standard. If the same staff member had stolen a Lion
chocolate bar, it would've been treated as a huge crime. But failing to
turn the lights on, effectively losing hundreds of pounds per hour,
carried no consequence.
The lesson is sharp. In business, we punish unnecessary costs but
rarely punish missed opportunities. We treat doing something bad as
worse than failing to do something good. Yet both can cost just as
much.
Takeaways
1. What's obvious and commonsensical in business often gets missed.
2. Most businesses punish visible costs but ignore invisible losses.
3. Missed opportunities can be more expensive than mistakes.
Actionable Insights
Experience your business as if you're a first-time customer. Drop in
unannounced, at an odd hour, and notice what makes it feel closed,
confusing, or like too much effort.
If you have an online business, visit your website like a busy customer
would. On your mobile phone, and in a hurry. Small delays, unclear
buttons and confusing copy can feel amplified. Use one hand, move
fast.
Fix obvious friction points immediately. After three months, check to
see if the changes made a difference.
It's been another busy and productive year here at