工厂出货延期了，怎么和客户谈？

外贸订单最怕的事情之一，就是交货延期。
 
客户已经安排好了销售、库存、船期，甚至已经向自己的下游客户承诺了交期。供应商晚交几天，看起来只是生产端的问题，但对客户来说，可能意味着库存断货、销售计划被打乱，甚至产生额外的仓储、改船、空运等成本。
 
所以，遇到延期，真正考验的不是“怎么解释”，而是怎么把客户的不满控制在可接受范围内。
 
很多外贸新人遇到延期时，常见的处理方式有4种。
 


1. 推卸责任型：把问题甩给工厂
 
比如：
> 工厂供货慢。
> 老板临时调整了订单。
> 同事把交期弄错了。
> 工厂突然插单。
 
很多刚做外贸的人会有一个误区“延期的是工厂，又不是我，我只是负责跟客户沟通”。但从客户的角度来看，并不存在“销售公司”和“工厂”两个独立责任主体。客户把订单交给你们，就意味着你们作为供应商需要对交期负责。
 
所以推卸说“Our factory inserted an order for another customer.”是不对的。如果想要表达也是“We experienced an unexpected production delay on this order, and unfortunately it will affect the original delivery schedule.”，承认其错误并表达歉意。
 
2. 快速道歉型：只说 Sorry，但没有解决方案
 
另外一种非常常见：
Dear XX,
 
I'm really sorry to inform you that the delivery time should be delayed two weeks.
 
We met a procurement hiccup when running this order at the first time. And everything is OK now.
 
I genuinely hope to get your support and understanding. Thanks.
 
看起来态度很好，一上来就道歉。但问题是客户最关心的不是你说了多少个 Sorry，而是这两周为什么会延期，以及接下来怎么办。邮件模板：
 
Dear XX,
 
I'm sorry to inform you that the shipment will be delayed by approximately two weeks due to an unexpected production issue.
 
We have already addressed the issue and adjusted the production schedule. The revised ETD is May 16.
 
We understand that this delay may affect your schedule, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We will closely monitor the production and keep you updated until the goods are ready for shipment.
 
Thank you for your understanding and support.
 
3. 撒谎型：为了延期找一个“漂亮理由”
 
这是最不建议采用的方式，尤其为了掩盖延期，编造一些理由：
> 工厂发生火灾。
> 当地突然限电。
> 厂房正在搬迁。
> 关键设备突然损坏。
> 原材料供应商出现重大问题。
 
如果这些事情没有发生，就不要编。尤其是火灾、停电、自然灾害等重大事件，客户完全有可能通过Google、当地新闻、供应链伙伴甚至其他渠道进行验证。一旦被客户发现是在撒谎，问题就不再是延期问题了。
 
4. 转化型：把“延期”转化成“质量把关”
 
如果延期无法避免，那么可以尝试把客户的注意力从“为什么晚了”转移到“为什么值得多等这几天“。
 
例如产品已经生产完成，但内部检验时发现了一些轻微瑕疵，需要返工或者重新生产。
 
这时候可以这样沟通：
 
Dear XXX,
 
I'm really sorry to inform you that the delivery will be delayed by approximately two weeks.
 
During our internal inspection, we found some minor scratches on the surface of the products. Please find the photos attached for your reference.
 
Although the issue is relatively minor, we don't want to ship the goods before it is properly addressed. We understand how important the delivery schedule is to you, but we also don't want you to receive products that do not meet our quality standards.
 
We have therefore arranged a full inspection and the necessary rework. The updated ETD is May 16.
 
We will closely monitor the process and keep you updated on the progress.
 
To make up for the inconvenience caused by the delay, we would also like to offer you a 3% discount on your next order.
 
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.