If a supplier informs you there’s going to be a significant delay in their shipping, how do you deal with it?

If a supplier informs me of a delay in shipping, first of all I would work on knowing root cause for the delay and if any solution can be applied to lessen the impact.

As a Demand Planner and Procurement Professional, I would immediately inform all the stakeholders for this delay and if possible, I would also recommend my sales team some alternate solutions to avoid any sale loss.

As per my experience, when such situation occurs, I closely work with Product Manager explaining him/her the case. And if we have alternate model mix available to offer, we work in that direction to avoid any sales loss. (Solutions may vary organization to organization.) 

Everything depend on agreement between the two parts and the terms of this agreement  , some reasons outside the responsibilities of shipping company as war for example , Maritime piracy of some armed groups , dangers of maritime navigation , I think you agree with me for this reasons, all the sea shipment companies The customer is obliged to pay the insurance for any expected dangers. 

In case of delay it was deliberate from the shipping company sure inside agreement Some of the terms in the agreement to protect and preserve my rights as a customer, or I can follow the law ways and I will ask them as a customer to pay any compensation or damage by reason this delay , with the expected profits.

You first need to ask the supplier the reason behind delay and if possible work with him to expedite the supply at the same time alert your client about the expected delay and solution put in place to bridge the gap.

Question : If a supplier informs you there’s going to be a significant delay in their shipping, how do you deal with it?

Answer : It all depends on wither you can tolerate with your required Delivery time ? You need to also refer to your Supply Contract Terms & Conditions and what are the alternative options that you have. However, if such situation is not covered under your contract Terms, then you have the wright to cancel your order after you have allocated other Supplier who can supply & deliver to you on time. Nevertheless, if the problem with your original Supplier lies with his inability to ship / transport the goods on time, then on that case you would advise your Supplier that you will arrange for the transportation of the goods at his account / or by charging him for the Freight difference plus your processing Fee. You'll also need to issue him a warning for not rebating such a case & that you would have the wright to practice your option of the supply agreement cancellation between the two of your Companies .

B rgds,

Ask him the reasons and official letter reason for the delay and whether, if not under his control, Then will Cooperate with him and think about a solution to the problem until arrival of the shipment .However, if the delay and there is without really reason will send him a warning latter and repeated condition supplier, and put him it in the black list

1. If you have front line supply on urgent basis you can ask for discount from your supplier and pass it to your customer to bear with you for late supply.

2. Or else ask the reason for late supply, if it is because of their supplier you can arrange special delivery from your forwarder.

Firstly, understand the reasons for delay 

1) Is it manufacturing/operations delay 2) Is this logistics delay

Based on the above reasons, you could choose one of the below options;

1) Check with alternate supplier as how quickly you can get the material

2) If it's a logistics delay, use alternate mode of transport and get credit from the supplier later

Lastly, don't forget to capture these in the supplier performance dashboard. So that you can discuss with the supplier to ensure this does not happen in the future.

My immediate reaction would be ascertaining; the cost of the delay, cost of using an alternative transport mode like Airfreight, Legal implications  and then get back to my customer to review lead time.

A Hybrid mode of transport would be ideal and obviously if the cost is escalated I would pass it on or cost-share with the supplier just to have my customer protected.

i wil go for another supplier and also calculate the cost and benefit regarding the delay.

I will ask him to explain the reason of the delay  and to send official Letter / email to me and will inform Shipper /customer accordingly , also will  try to find a closer date of shipping with other Carriers If possible

if Customer  approved to .

First I find root-cause for the delay

1.Is it manufacturing/operations delay

2) Is this logistics delay

I can solve the problem by

1) Check with alternate supplier (indigenous supplier) as how quickly you can get the material, If it is imported from foreign countries.. Maximization of all sources and resources to of the requested materials. Produce an immediate alternative in case of non-availability of requested specifications

2. If it is from Logistics find alternative mode and it has to be compensated from supplier