“Our customer just sent us a SCAR, and we have 72 hours.”
This time you are the supplier. Your customer found a problem with what you shipped, and the SCAR in your inbox has a deadline measured in hours.
Request a Situation ReviewWhat you're facing
- The customer wants containment now and a root cause soon after.
- You are not sure how much suspect product is in their building, in transit, or still in yours.
- Your team has filled out 8D forms before, but the customer rejected the last one.
- A controlled-shipping or new-business-hold letter is a real possibility.
What this is costing you
- The relationship, and the next purchase order.
- Sorting and chargebacks at your customer’s site.
- Controlled shipping costs if the response is not accepted.
- A lower supplier rating that follows you into future sourcing decisions.
The questions you're probably asking
- What do we send in the first 24 hours?
- How do we find the real root cause, not just “operator error”?
- What will the customer accept as corrective action?
- How do we keep this from turning into controlled shipping?
What to do in the next 72 hours
- 1Acknowledge the SCAR the same day and name an owner the customer can call.
- 2Contain everywhere: your stock, WIP, in transit, and at the customer. Offer to sort at their site.
- 3Build the timeline: when it was made, by whom, on what equipment, and what changed.
- 4Find why it was made and why it escaped — two root causes, not one.
- 5Send containment evidence with a dated plan for root cause and permanent action.
The Exceleor Path
- 01
Discovery
Understand the problem, measure where things stand today, and agree on what success looks like.
- 02
Define the engagement path
Most organizations don't know the path. We do. A proven method, tailored to your situation.
- 03
Training
Bring your people to a clear understanding of the requirements.
- 04
Implement and engage
Carry out the work jointly, with your people involved from day one.
- 05
Verify
Confirm the work was done and meets the requirement.
- 06
Validate
Confirm the original problem is actually solved, measured against the success measures from Discovery.
- 07
Transfer ownership
We collaborate throughout, so your team can run it without us.
- 08
Sustain and grow
We stay close, check in, and catch the next need early. We're here to make sure you succeed.
What you'll have at the end
- A SCAR response the customer accepts.
- A verified root cause for both the occurrence and the escape.
- Corrective actions that are proven effective, not just documented.
- A corrective action process your team can run the next time without panic.
- A stronger position with your customer than before the SCAR.
Why SupplySourceSync
- 30+ years of VP-level supply chain and quality leadership, including $1.85B in supply chain assets managed.
- Certified ISO auditor experience across aerospace, defense, automotive, medical device, and electronics.
- Work with organizations such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Toyota, and Ford.
- We do the work with your people, prove the problem is solved, and hand you the keys.
SupplySourceSync is an Exceleor LLC company.
Related reading
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