How do you manage vendor delays that impact the project timeline

Question

I'm managing a project, and vendor delays are starting to mess with our schedule. We're trying to keep things on track, but waiting on others is making it hard to meet deadlines. How do you handle these kinds of delays and keep the project moving without everything falling behind? Would love to hear any tips!

Answer 1

While frustrating vendor delays can be, some strategies are needed to manage the project successfully from now on:

Be Proactive: Periodically check in with your vendor, question them, and revise timelines to catch impending delays early. Oftentimes, a quick phone call can head off a much more serious issue.

Create Contingency Plans: Find backup vendors or stopgap measures in the event that a delay jeopardizes project progress.

Prioritize & Adjust Timelines: Prioritize activities that are not dependent on the delayed vendor and adjust timelines to reduce overall disruption.

Negotiate & Try to Expedite: Negotiate with the vendor to accelerate delivery or look at alternative arrangements if needed.

Everything in Writing: Keep a thorough record of vendor promises, early delays, and overall effect to support your bargaining position for negotiations, penalties, or future guarantees.

Instructing All Concerned: Explain delays openly and how the effect will be cushioned to maintain trust and prevent last-minute shock.

Learning for the Future: If vendors are consistently late with deliveries, seek alternative suppliers, impose tighter deadlines, or create more redundancy in future projects.