Lead time slipping? The three questions worth asking in week three
When a lead time begins to slip, ask for the completed milestone, the blocked milestone and the recovery decision rather than accepting a new date without evidence.
What to check before you decide
- Request an updated production plan with material, tooling, assembly, inspection and shipment milestones.
- Ask what has actually happened since the last update and who owns the next unblocker.
- Confirm whether the delay affects freight booking, customer delivery, payment or inspection timing.
Keep the buying decision controlled
Start with one written brief: the product or service required, the buyer's target market, the commercial decision to make and the person who can approve the next step. Compare supplier answers against that same brief, keep versions of specifications and quotations together, and record each open point with an owner and date. This approach makes remote work, a China visit and a later inspection part of one evidence trail rather than separate conversations.
The mistake to avoid
A supplier may give an optimistic date to keep a conversation calm. A factual milestone update gives both sides something that can be checked next week.
Need help turning a sourcing question into a practical China route, supplier brief or comparison process? Ask goChina Events for a focused planning conversation.