The importance of saying no
As projects become more complex and safety standards continue to evolve, Glass Express Midlands’ technical manager, Kirsty Fortnam, reinforces the importance of honest guidance, technical clarity and responsible decision-making.
As a technical manager, people often assume my role is about solutions, and for a large part, it is. But an equally important part of my job is knowing when the right solution is actually no.
Every day, customers come to us facing new regulations, new building constraints and increasingly complex specifications. On the surface, their request might seem straightforward: “I’ve been told I need this product – can you make it?”
But the answer isn’t always simple. Modern glazing is shaped by countless variables, from Document Q and K, to evolving safety standards and PAS24. My responsibility is to look beyond the request and make sure what they’re asking for is genuinely safe, compliant and appropriate for its intended use.
That often begins with a conversation – I’ll ascertain the exact specification of the project and its application. These questions matter, because our customers trust us to not just supply glass and IGUs, but to give them the truth.
They know we’ll tell them what they actually need, not just what’s quickest for us to produce.
One example from early in my career still sticks with me. A customer wanted a large bespoke panel for a recessed fish tank, that, on paper, could have been manufactured – but in reality, it simply wasn’t safe.
And so, I said no. Not because we didn’t want the work, but because producing it would have put someone at risk. That moment crystallised something for me: sometimes the most valuable thing you can give a customer is the refusal that protects them.
Saying no isn’t about shutting down ideas, it’s about redirecting them. If a request isn’t viable, we’ll propose a safer or more compliant alternative. And most of the time, customers are relieved. They don’t want corner-cutting, they want confidence.
This philosophy aligns with our wider approach at Glass Express Midlands. Across our commercial work, we see clients increasingly seeking technical clarity, not just product supply.
Whether it’s helping a specifier meet new thermal targets, adapting a specification to reduce embodied carbon, or steering a design team towards a safer glazing solution, our role is to provide informed, responsible guidance – even when that guidance starts with a firm no.
Glass is a remarkable material, but it has its restrictions and ignoring them is never worth the risk. Our job is to navigate those boundaries with honesty. In a sector where pressures are rising and projects are moving faster than ever, I believe the value of saying no has never been greater.
Because behind every no is something far more important: safety, integrity and trust. And for me, that’s what defines good technical practice – not just what we produce, but what we choose not to produce
