Conflicting supplier instructions: what should I do?
Pause the affected work, preserve the original messages and compare each instruction against the last approved specification. Have the authorised buyer issue a consolidated decision record, then obtain explicit supplier confirmation before releasing the work. Cambridge China Bridge can help coordinate this with its staff in China.
Pause the work affected by the conflict
Tell the supplier exactly what to hold: material purchasing, cutting, assembly, printing, packing or dispatch. Ask what has already happened and what can still be stopped. Request written acknowledgement of the hold. Allow unaffected work to continue only where the buyer has explicitly identified and released it.
Do not choose an instruction simply because it arrived last or came through email rather than WeChat. Check who sent it, what they were authorised to approve and which product or batch it concerns. Start from the last approved specification; the product specification guide covers establishing that baseline.
Preserve the messages before summarising them
Save original emails with their headers and attachments. Preserve WeChat conversations through available export or backup functions, supplemented by screenshots showing the sender, surrounding conversation and timestamps. Keep voice messages and original files where available. Store translations beside the originals, clearly labelled, rather than replacing them.
For a telephone instruction, write a dated call note identifying the participants, their roles, the time zone, the instruction and any uncertainty. Send it to the participants for correction or confirmation. Label it as your account of the call until confirmed. Keep the originals unchanged in the order folder, with access limited to people handling the order.
Build a consolidated decision record
Appoint an authorised buyer to resolve the conflict with the relevant technical and commercial owners. For each disputed point, cite the original message, describe the competing instructions and state the final decision. Include the order, affected products and batches, approved drawing or artwork revisions, attachment filenames, approval owner and issue date.
Identify which earlier instructions the record replaces and which remain unchanged. Record unresolved matters as holds, with an owner and the evidence needed to close them. Agree any effect on cost, delivery, samples or inspection before approval. Use the design revision guide for updating the underlying drawings and specification.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Original messages | Channel, sender, timestamp, time zone and attachment reference |
| Conflict | The differing instructions and the affected work |
| Decision | Approved instruction, applicable revision and replaced instructions |
| Authority | Buyer approver and supplier person responsible for implementation |
| Release status | Remaining holds, supplier confirmation and buyer release |
Require explicit supplier confirmation
Send the approved record and its attachments to the supplier contact responsible for the order. Ask them to confirm the record reference, the instruction they will follow, the affected batches and that earlier conflicting instructions have been withdrawn from the production team. Where translation is needed, send both language versions together and resolve differences before release.
A read receipt, an emoji or a reply saying only ‘received’ does not establish what the factory will do. Ask for a clear reply such as: ‘We will manufacture the affected batch to the attached approved drawing. The previous drawing has been withdrawn. Packing remains on hold.’ If the supplier adds an exception, resolve it and reissue the record before releasing affected work.
Release the work and check implementation
After checking the supplier's confirmation, the authorised buyer should issue a written release naming the work allowed to resume and any remaining holds. Ask for evidence that the production team has the correct documents, such as a photograph of the job instruction or an updated sample. Tell the inspector which approved revision to use.
Keep bank-detail changes outside production approval. UK government fraud guidance advises checking both old and new account details through a known telephone number, rather than a number in the change message. Follow the separate checks before paying the balance; resolving instructions alone should not release payment.
Frequently asked questions
Does the latest WeChat message override my email?
Do not assume it does. Check the sender's authority and the affected work, then issue an approved decision record identifying which instructions it replaces.
How do I confirm a telephone instruction?
Send a dated call note identifying the participants, instruction and affected order. Ask for correction or explicit confirmation, then include the agreed instruction in the decision record.
Is a supplier reply saying received enough?
Ask the supplier to confirm the exact record and revision it will follow, the affected batches and withdrawal of conflicting instructions. Resolve exceptions before releasing work.
What if the factory has already started?
Hold the affected work and request its current status. Identify materials and goods already affected, agree inspection or rework, and record the disposition before authorising continuation.