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Problem with the Vendors

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(@manolo)
Posts: 82
Trusted Member
 

I would start by contacting the vendor and explaining the situation. They will normally have an explanation on what's going on with that particular lot of packaging. Being that they are the primary vendor, I'm assuming that their process capability was tested. This would give you an expected DPMO and confidence in the vendor in the first place. Continue monitoring the packing as they arrive, and if the situation occurs again look at alternate vendors (who may or may not have been vetted when the initial selection was completed).

 
Posted : 13/04/2019 6:38 am
(@ajm73)
Posts: 81
Trusted Member
 

I've had experience with vendors where during a manufacturing process validation they become uncooperative. In our case, we were trying to find all of the steps of manufacturing that contain water in our product components. We can only document so much internally until we get to a supplier who gives us a component. While they were willing to give some information like general process diagrams and VERY general specs, they were not willing to go specific. While frustrating, this is actually understandable. It usually isn't a good sign when a company you supply starts asking very specific questions on how the product you supply is made: it can sometimes be a tell tale sign of an incoming audit. In addition, it is generally not a good practice to disclose all of the business secrets of how you make a product to just anyone who asks.
In order to mitigate this tightening of information flow, you can explain to the supplier why you wanted the specific information you asked for. Some suppliers will be understanding and give you what you want. Others may still refuse to cooperate and will not give anything unless they are subject to an audit. You can improve your chances with good communication, but sometimes it's just luck of the draw.

 
Posted : 14/04/2019 5:30 pm
(@troy-lovette)
Posts: 45
Eminent Member
 

If this was my primary vendor, I would already be looking for alternatives state side or in a different region. I would also reach out to my person of contact from that company and let them know about the number of problems with labeling and request my money back with an update of labeling package as well. Usually, when you are dealing with a vendor and they hear of something incorrect they would usually try to fix it, to keep your business. However, with the increase of supply and demand with covid-19, most companies are experiencing a series of setbacks and losses due to vendors and shipping issues. Where have you seen shortages in the business sector since covid ?

 
Posted : 06/08/2021 9:14 pm
(@karma-shah)
Posts: 39
Eminent Member
 

In my experience of working, this issue has happened a lot. There are various routes to take to address this. There can be a project initiated to address nonconforming aspects of the items shipped in because they do not adhere to the specification. In this instance, what can be done is notify the supplier of the issue, as others have mentioned. This way they are aware of the issue and can help solve it by, for example, sending in a new batch. This method can be the quickest way to address critical items so projects are not delayed. If this is a repeated instance with the supplier, then another project can be opened to address the corrective and preventative measures the supplier will take to remediate this issue. If the problem is still occurring, another way to address it is to audit them more frequently and in more detail to know the fundamental cause. If the issue still persists, then it is a good idea to invest in a new vendor. However, the other options take time and will delay the project greatly; therefore, for a quick direct approach, the best solution is to have the supplier ship over a new batch. In my experience, when provided with proof, suppliers are willing to work with you to get you the right product in the right condition.

 
Posted : 23/02/2023 11:20 pm
 jj52
(@jj52)
Posts: 75
Estimable Member
 

As mentioned before it is important to have active communication with the primary vendor and express concerns as they arise. It is also important to have estimates from other vendors as well just incase a vendor doesn't work. I would definitely avoid having to restart the entire PM process which could go past the late finish (LF) date.

 
Posted : 24/02/2023 9:16 pm
(@sah67)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

Hello,

If you start experiencing a lot of problems with a vendor in the middle of a validation, it is essential to take immediate action to address the issue and prevent any delays in the project. In the case of validating packaging, if you notice an unusual amount of defects, the first step would be to contact the vendor to inform them of the issue and request an explanation. Once you have communicated with the vendor, you can determine the severity of the issue and the impact it may have on the project timeline. Depending on the situation, it may be necessary to find an alternative vendor or temporarily suspend the project until the issue with the primary vendor is resolved. The primary vendor is likely producing your products based on certain specifications and not addressing quality checks properly. If an alternative vendor is needed, you would need to evaluate potential vendors, audit and validate them, and ensure they can meet your requirements and timelines. It is also important to document any issues with the vendor and the steps taken to address them. This information can be used to evaluate the vendor's performance and to inform future decisions about working with the vendor. Overall, the key to preventing delays in the project is to take action quickly, communicate effectively with the vendor, and have contingency plans in place to address any potential issues that may arise.

 
Posted : 27/02/2023 10:59 am
 vv48
(@vv48)
Posts: 61
Trusted Member
 

I would say quickly reach out to the vendor to see if they can expediate a new shipment of the product, so we can send our product to the customer. Since it is in the middle of the validation process, I think we have some time to get this done. In case, they don't reply back immediately, then we might need to look for some other vendor. If we haven't reached the goal, I would reach out to the customer and let them know that the product is going to be delay and ask if there is going to be an issue with that. 

 
Posted : 28/02/2023 10:24 am
(@gdecarvalho22)
Posts: 75
Trusted Member
 

A project that is properly planned and scheduled taking problems associated with risks into account won’t be affected too much by issues with vendors. By accounting for possible delays, the project team adds more slack to the schedule to prevent these delays if problems were to actually occur. However, if the project team is in a situation where there is no more slack in the schedule and delays will occur, it’s important to reach out to the vendor as soon as possible to resolve the issue. The project team should not only question the manufacturing strategies of the vendor, but also whether or not the team itself is handling the product correctly. I think respect and friendly conversations go a long way when dealing with any issue. Bringing up the possibility that the project team might also be mishandling the product makes the conversation more comfortable as it won’t seem as if the team is simply complaining about the vendor, which ultimately improves work quality. Upon having these conversations, the project team should then have a better idea on what steps to take next. For example, the vendor and/or project team can undergo further testing or training to handle the product better until quality levels improve, or in the worst case scenario, the project team might have to switch to a new vendor. Although switching vendors may be more work, it can also lead to fewer delays than sticking with the same vendor and trying to improve product quality. How do you think the project team should respond to a vendor with poor communication? Also, what should vendor management plans consist of?

 
Posted : 28/02/2023 9:47 pm
 knm7
(@knm7)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

I agree with the previous posts on how a new vendor should be found. I definitely think that the vendor should be notified first to make sure that they are aware of the large influx of defective materials. If that doesn't help improve the vendor's product, I would start working on finding a new vendor. I would also try to do surprise inspections for the current vendor to see their practices and procedures. If they still didn't improve their quality, I would definitely sign a contract with a new vendor/manufacturer and inform the previous vendor that we are breaking away from using their company. The vendors normally wouldn't want to lose a client so most of the time they would improve their quality and try to fix their mistakes. Unfortunately, there would still be a delay in release since this is the primary vendor and the lack of quality items would cause an issue with proceeding further.

 
Posted : 01/03/2023 10:06 pm
(@sm2744)
Posts: 77
Trusted Member
 

This kind of situation is definitely not ideal. Problems with a vendor could result in serious delays if they are consistently supplying sub-par parts. Similar to what my peers have mentioned, the first step that I would take is to contact the vendor and list out the defects their products have. I would ask them to fix these problems imminently and I would CC my PM and their higher-up on any email communication. I would also probably begin to look for new vendors in the meantime. If they still send a defective product after asking them to fix it the first time, I would ask my PM for approval to switch vendors with documentation of their defective products and inconsistencies. I think that in most cases, there will be some delay due to this. Maybe delay could be mitigated if another vendor is picked after the first mistake. This would be the route that could be taken if you do not care for your relationship with your vendors. I could see how this could be quickly switched in big corporations, but in small businesses, it could be hard due to the need to maintain a good relationship.

 
Posted : 04/03/2023 2:03 pm
(@jh597)
Posts: 77
Trusted Member
 

At this point in the validation, it is more than likely that the project may have to be delayed. A potential way to try to address the issue would be to reach out to the vendor to try to have them send undamaged packaging and hope that they are able to send it without delaying the project. If this does cause a delay, it would likely be a short delay that should not affect the project dramatically. Since the company has worked with this vendor in the past, it would be fair to assume that the future packaging will not have these issues. Long-term, if this issue continues to happen, a change in vendors should be considered to ensure that the project is not being negatively delayed as a result of faulty packaging. The new vendor should be reliable in terms of the quality of the packaging as well as ensure that delays are avoided. For a project manager, the outcome of the project will fall on them not the vendor, so it is important for them to be able to make the decision whether to look for another vendor to ensure that the product, going forward, will not be delayed and will not be defective. 

 
Posted : 07/03/2023 12:11 pm
(@ej851996)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

The first thing to do is connect with the vendor to clarify where the problem is. Figuring out where does wrong is the most important thing. If the vendor can't fix the problem, choosing the next vendor is the most effective choice. If this vendor is the only one in this project, meeting with the vendor or visiting their factory will be the next step. Helping the vendor to manufacture the purpose packages or sponsoring them to fix/buy a machine would be an alternative choice. Even though these would delay marketing, making the product prepared is the most significant thing for medical devices.

 
Posted : 08/03/2023 3:59 pm
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