WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CUSTOMER CLOSES SHOP

The issue of delays has come up a lot recently with much of the East Coast, including Washington D.C., shut down due to snow for several days.  It can be incredibly frustrating to not be able to get an answer to a critical question.  Time drags on as more and more works piles up.  Yet, the best answer is to wait until the right people are available to give you the right answers.  As frustrating as it might be, don’t guess at what your customer wants in terms of fulfillment.  Remember that people with specific government titles have specific authorities.  That end user customer who tells your people to come to work even if the agency is closed may not have the authority to order you in.  Most contractors want to be responsive, but acting without proper authorization can put your firm at risk.  When delays do occur make sure you get any changes in periods of performance, scope, or other variations to the original agreement in writing.  People can’t be counted on to remember details and systems assume your work didn’t meet original timeframes.  While waiting is frustrating, it is nevertheless essential.  Acting now for the sake of getting something done can create more problems, something no contractor wants to incur.