Service providers may also initiate communication of customer-input delivery expectations, such as through reservation systems. Since these supply chains are inherently JIT, it is essential that changes in production schedules or requirements are effectively communicated with customer-suppliers. For example, if a consulting firms states it will take two months to complete some analysis, and delays extend the time to three months, the customer must be informedof the delay if goodwillis hoped to beretained.
The communication with customer-suppliers needs to be timely, as illustrated by the following example. The author hired an engineering firm to calculate specifications for the foundation of a home. The foundation included a 16 foot retaining wall. The engineer took many times as long as he originally said the project would take, and the project still was not finished. The author supposed that the engineer was incapable of completing the project in a satisfactory manner. Finally, the author confronted the engineer about this and learned that the engineer was capable of doing basic foundation design but not something as complex as a 16 foot retaining wall. The engineer only charged for the portion of the project which was completed, even though he spent a much greater amount of time working on the retaining wall design. Further, the author was upset that the project had dragged on. Early communication in this bidirectional supply chainmight haveavoided the significant wasted time.
Communication of production changes or problems is particularly important with two-level bidirectional supply chains. Customers do not want to hear a service provider blame a service failure on their service-supplier, even if it is that supplier's fault. For example, a photographer who blames the film processor for shoddy prints is like an auto dealer blaming the steel mill if a metal auto part breaks prematurely. Service providers are responsible for the work ofchosen suppliers, and for choosing other suppliers when necessary.