Nine days late

Friday, 16:40

Steel supplier: PO 2207 · new delivery date. Your steel ships on Wednesday the 18th, not Monday the 9th. Sorry for the delay.

Noted, thanks.

Nine days late. It happens. Most Fridays, that's where it ends.

Our whole company: From the steel supplier: our steel ships on the 18th, not the 9th.

Alex, Production: That steel feeds two jobs. 118 for our biggest customer, due Friday the 13th, and 121 for the builder, due the 19th.

Maria, Legal: 118 has a late penalty: 1% a day. Seven days late is €5,880.

Dan, Sales: And that customer renews in five weeks. €420,000 a year. Not the month to be late.

Elena, Accounts: 118 pays ten days after delivery. On time, that's the 23rd. Late, the 30th.

Radu, Finance: Then cash on the 25th is €47,000 and payroll is €96,000. We're €49,000 short.

What if everyone who knows something answered at once?

Is your company ever this coordinated? On a Friday, at 16:41?

Nine days late on steel. €49,000 short on payroll.

It just needed someone to connect the dots.

Sena · brief: Steel delay puts payroll on the 25th at risk. Cash on the 25th: €47,000. Payroll €96,000, €49,000 short.

The fix is already in stock: 38 t of the same grade, reserved for job 121, which has no penalty and can wait a day.

Plan · for your OK: 1. Run job 118 on the stock steel 2. Tell the builder: job 121 ships the 20th 3. Ask the supplier to confirm the 18th

Draft to the builder: Hi, a heads-up: your stair parts ship on Friday the 20th, not Thursday the 19th. Our steel is running late. Everything else stays as agreed.

Plan started. Cash on the 25th: €131,000, Covered.

Wednesday, the 25th

Fri 13th: Job 118 delivered on time. No penalty.

The builder: Thanks for the heads-up. The 20th is fine.

Mon 23rd: €84,000 received for job 118.

Wed 25th: Payroll paid. €96,000.

Nothing left hanging.