Meeting Deadlines with Equipment Suppliers: Contingency Planning and Negotiation
We are dedicated to executing each job on time and within the project scope. A lot of planning, management and communication goes into our side to ensure performance. At the same time, we recognize that many of the companies we work with have different standards.
As the system integrator and project manager, it is our responsibility to create a schedule that accommodates the needs of each individual stakeholder. Scheduling begins with the client’s requirements, and then incorporates the requirements of other stakeholders.
Determining Time to Completion
Before doing anything else, our project managers determine whether your preferred timeline is possible. Starting from the project delivery date, we work backwards to determine incremental deadlines for our teams, as well as each stakeholder.
Scheduling with Equipment Vendors
We have extensive experience with equipment vendors, and we know they can fall behind schedule. However, we are dedicated to follow through on time, regardless of supplier dependability. We construct contingency plans in the event suppliers run late.
Building Contingency Plans
Contingency planning requires an understanding of what is flexible and controllable, versus what is inflexible. At project start, we might determine how equipment suppliers would respond to an unexpected event that could delay their delivery schedule. Could we, for instance, pay overtime for increased performance? Could we run some processes on a parallel path to make up the difference? By identifying ways to compensate for error, we increase dependability to an acceptable level.
No matter how much planning goes into a project, unforeseen problems may occur. In these cases, we step in and negotiate solutions between suppliers and clients.
Negotiating with Stakeholders
As an experienced integrator, we bring stakeholders together to resolve problems. It is our responsibility to be the voice when no one else is willing to talk. By identifying and communicating a win-win scenario, we bring resolution to conflicts and clear the way for forward progress and ultimately, project success.
