How to communicate with suppliers when delivery is delayed?

In the procurement work, price, quality and delivery date can be said to be the three core aspects. But in fact, many purchasers pay too much attention to price and quality, and do not really pay enough attention to delivery time. Lead to delays in delivery and bring losses to yourself.

Let’s analyze the main reasons for the delay in delivery, such as:

①The supply of raw materials is not timely, and the production is waiting;

②Incoming and discharging errors lead to production errors;

③ Frequent changes in production plans;

④The packaging is not in place in time;

⑤The quality control is not in place during the production process, causing rework and delay;

⑥ A small amount of goods cannot be produced separately, and will be produced together with other orders, etc.

There is a problem that needs to be solved. Blindly complaining and accusing will not help solve the problem, it will only plunge oneself into negative emotions.

As a purchaser, how can I explain to my boss when I hear a supplier say that the delivery date will be delayed?

The following are common reasons for suppliers to push delivery dates:

①The supply of raw materials is tight and the delivery is late

②The packaging factory is too busy and materials are delayed

③Summer power rationing and peak power consumption

④The local industrial power line system was upgraded and the power went out

⑤Commodity inspection delayed time

⑥The machine is broken, the machine is maintained, and the new machine is replaced

⑦The mold is broken, replace with a new mold

⑧ Holiday comes

⑨The air conditioner in the workshop is broken in summer and the temperature is too high. For the safety of workers, maintenance is temporarily suspended.

⑩QC found an error in the barcode printed on the package and redo the package

⑪The truck on the delivery road of the logistics company broke down

⑫ Heavy fog in the port (under CIF)

⑬ Factory reconstruction and relocation

⑭ Workers are on strike because of the low wages, and they have no choice but to stop.

Suppliers have various reasons or excuses. If you are a buyer with years of purchasing experience, you will know this method almost immediately.

So how to avoid this kind of problem and how to solve it when it happens?

①Sometimes you should have a flexible time to count in, and give yourself some margin to deal with unexpected problems.

②The factory’s production habits, determine the normal delivery period, if you have a good relationship with the factory, you can give the factory some opinions or suggestions on improving management. It is better to find the reason than to find the reason.

③The supplier is very important. Don’t look for large, domineering factories, but find a medium or small scale (with support value), with good quality, high coordination, and unrelenting management.

Let the factory give the start date of order production, daily routine output, and estimated end date. In some factories, if you are his main customer, you can even ask them to make a form and send you a production schedule every few days, so you can get a clearer grasp of the production situation.

④Suppliers who are delayed in delivery will indirectly reduce your company’s image in the minds of buyers. Therefore, it is recommended to evaluate suppliers regularly.

⑤Always communicate with suppliers to understand their recent orders and production status.

When the factory is in a difficult time, such as the off-season, some orders would rather have lower profits and be resolute. Then, just make less money, but it may help the factory tide over the difficulties and even save the factory’s life. In this way, the factory will do its best to help you during peak seasons. On the contrary, the factory will ignore you when it is busy.

⑥ If you completely trust the factory, sometimes the factory will be pressured to tell you that the goods have been made. If you are close, you can often visit the factory to see their production status and progress. If it is far away, you can ask the factory to let them take a few photos to see. Don’t say you want to see, but the customer wants to see.

⑦For orders with relatively high delivery time, tell the factory customers to make L/C orders by themselves, and the delivery delay cannot exceed 5 days, otherwise the shipping schedule will be delayed and the shipment will be risky. Normally, you keep following and do some things, and the requirements are higher. As time goes on, the factory will naturally increase the awareness and cooperation of the delivery time.

⑧The delivery date of the order must be set aside a little more time

Many suppliers in the factory are worried about the sudden arrival of big things, without sex and periodicity, for example, they are busy placing a big order when you are very busy. If you follow your order, the factory is of course very happy to cooperate.

Like this, if you place a large number of orders and passenger flow, communicate with the supplier to understand how the supplier’s production plan is arranged. You will relax a lot.

Once, my supplier did not notify me in advance and started to upgrade the production line. Leading to a 20-day delay in delivery. And their reason for the delay in delivery probably said so.

① Recently there are too many orders and production is tight. We have extended the working hours of the night shift. As a result, some workers complained to us at the local labor bureau. There is no other way but to stop the night shift and accept the investigation by the local department. It is expected that the delivery date of many orders will be affected. After the investigation, we will do everything possible to catch up the goods. However, the delivery time may be delayed by one month. If you want the goods in a hurry, we can rush a batch of goods and send them in. Hope to understand!

②Recently, there are too many orders and production is tight. We have added late shifts to the workers. Due to fatigue, a worker was injured at work. The local labor department intervened in the investigation. We had no choice but to suspend production and cooperate with the investigation. It is expected that the delivery date of many orders will be affected. After the investigation, we will do everything possible to catch up the goods. However, the delivery date may be delayed by one month. If you want the goods in a hurry, we can send a batch of goods first, hope to understand!

But because my goods were not in a hurry, I finally agreed. So when we purchase goods, we must consider various factors. Don’t think too simple. Otherwise, you have to bear the consequences yourself.