A lean catalog doesn’t mean you say “no” to every edge case—it means you manage exceptions with intent.
Glass distributors who’ve gone through SKU rationalization know the benefits: faster turns, lower overhead, and a simplified sales process. But what happens when a key account requests a discontinued tinted variant or a contractor needs laminated stock in an oddball thickness not on your new core list?
Exceptions are inevitable. The goal isn’t to eliminate them—it’s to manage them with strategy, discipline, and transparency.
First, Define What Qualifies as an Exception
Your operations team can’t accommodate every unusual request. So the first step is to define clear exception criteria. This might include:
Custom jobs over a specific dollar threshold
Orders tied to multi-location rollouts
Long-term clients requesting legacy SKUs
Products with vendor lead time under two weeks
Create a decision matrix that flags what constitutes a “worthy” exception. Make sure this matrix includes a cost-benefit view, not just revenue—some low-margin, high-effort jobs aren’t worth the disruption.
Second, Create an Exception Workflow
Without structure, exceptions become chaos. Build a workflow in your ERP or order management system to flag exception requests, route them through procurement for feasibility, and require sign-off from a designated stakeholder—often sales leadership or category managers.
Add buffers to lead times and communicate those clearly. For example, “custom tinted float glass requests require 3-week lead time and 20% price premium.” This sets customer expectations and avoids firefighting downstream.
Third, Track Exception Frequency and Impact
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Start tagging exception SKUs and tracking:
Order frequency
Lead time variance
Margin impact
Client concentration
You may find that 80% of exceptions come from just 10% of customers. If so, consider segmenting those clients into a separate program with defined rules, minimums, and communication cadences. This brings predictability to the unpredictable.
Fourth, Use Exceptions as a Product Planning Signal
Sometimes a pattern of exceptions is telling you something. If you’re regularly making special buys for 10mm clear laminated panels, maybe it’s time to reconsider its inclusion in your core stock list. Similarly, if a once-retired SKU keeps reappearing in quotes, it may warrant reactivation—or a retooled version that meets broader needs.
Fifth, Communicate Proactively
The best-managed exceptions are the ones that don’t surprise your team. Publish a quarterly bulletin to sales teams outlining which SKUs are being handled as exceptions, what the new rules are, and how to request them. Include timelines and cost implications. Empower your team to have informed conversations with customers instead of reactive ones.
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A rationalized catalog is only as strong as its exception policy. For glass distributors, smart exception management means staying lean without becoming inflexible. It’s about balancing standardization with service, discipline with agility. When handled well, exceptions stop being risks—and start becoming strategic levers.
