Nobody sets out to build a complicated business.
It happens one small yes at a time.
A new pack size because one hospital asked. A second strength because a competitor has one. A special term for one distributor, then another. A promise to a key account that only one person remembers.
Each decision makes sense on its own day.
Together they cost more than anyone planned. Every extra SKU needs registration, forecasting, stock, and time in the field. Every special term needs someone to track it. And the team's attention gets spread thinner every quarter.
In my experience, the signs show up before anyone names the problem. Forecasts get harder. Short-dated stock appears on small packs nobody watches. Reps carry lines they cannot explain.
So once a year I ask the team to list everything we carry and everything we have promised. For each one, one question: what does it add for patients and customers?
The ones that add little are retired properly. Customers are told early, the authority is informed, and patient supply is protected.
“Every SKU is a promise. Keep fewer, and keep them well.”
Lesson 16 of 17 in Step 3: Money, pricing and forecast, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.