How Supply Chain Issues May Affect Your Order
Supply chain issues and delays have happened before, but the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some of the biggest disruptions to the supply chain we have seen in decades. These supply chain issues have affected everything from toilet paper to building supplies. But now that the world is opening back up, what is causing these supply chain disruptions to continue and how may it affect your order at Office Interiors?
What is Causing Supply Chain Issues?
Factory Shutdowns
The original cause of the current supply chain issues can be traced back to the shutdown of factories at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The average person could see how these shutdowns affected production when common items, such as toilet paper and processed foods, became hard to find. More people could start to see the effect when lead times for things such as office furniture and audiovisual equipment increased from days to weeks or even months. Once lockdowns began to ease, different issues arose. Restarting factories can take time and the shutdowns led to shortages in raw materials or parts that were produced by other factories.
Supply And Demand
Even when factories reopened and started producing products again, the demand outweighed the supply. Consumers were still ordering items even when production was shut down. Factories then had to catch up on orders that were not finished before lockdown while simultaneously starting on orders that were placed while shut down. Right now, at Office Interiors, we are only receiving a limited number of each product per shipment. In many cases, these products are already sold out from the presale before they reach us. We recommend planning ahead in advance to get designs and specs put together sooner rather than later to ensure we can place your project order to give enough time for your items to arrive.
Worker Shortages and Shipping Delays
Many companies are facing worker shortages and the shipping industry is no different. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many workers have changed careers. This has caused delays when it comes to shipping and delivering products. There are fewer qualified workers to load, unload, and transport products across the country and the world. Here at Office Interiors, we are working towards hiring more installers so when your order arrives, we can get it to you as quickly as possible.
How Can Supply Chain Issues Affect Your Order?
Unfortunately, the furniture, audiovisual, and technology industries have not been immune to the effects of supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, a shortage of computer chips and other parts has caused an ongoing delay with the technology and audiovisual equipment we offer. Furniture has been stuck in shipping depots while waiting for delivery drivers to become available.
What are Office Interiors and Vista Technologies Doing to Minimize the Impact?
Office Interiors and Vista Technologies are working hard to get your orders to you in a timely manner:
- We check lead times and keep clients informed. If we think something won’t meet a deadline, then we suggest alternates that will.
- We stay in constant contact with our vendors to check on any status changes and let clients know right away. We want to be as transparent as possible.
- To counteract technology delays, we have pre-ordered high-demand items, so we have them in stock.
- Our most popular Herman Miller Chairs are also stocked so customers can take them home right away.
We appreciate your patience during this unprecedented time and promise to develop solutions that work best for you. If you have questions regarding your order, contact our team today.
