When resources are limited, which job is done first is a decision. When this decision is not tied to a written rule, it is renegotiated in every busy period, and it may be not the one who insists most but the one in greatest need who is left behind.
The source of the sequencing problem
When resources are limited, jobs form a queue. A decision is unavoidable. The rule is set in advance.
Writing down the rule
What the sequence will be based on is defined. A written rule ends the bargaining. An article is included.
Order of arrival
The simplest rule is the order in which orders arrive. Its application is clear. It is widely perceived as fair.
Sequencing by deadline
Priority may be given to the job whose required date is nearest. The rule is a smarter one. The practice is common.
Knowing the real deadline
For this rule to work, the real dates have to be reported correctly. Artificial urgency breaks the system. Honesty is essential.
Granting a right of priority
Priority may be granted to a particular client by contract. This is a commitment. Its conditions are written down.
Limits of priority
Priority does not require a job that has started to be interrupted. The job in progress is protected. The limit is written down.
Protecting a job that has started
A job interrupted halfway upsets both quality and the schedule. No interruption is made. The rule is applied.
The place of rush jobs
Jobs to which the rush job tariff applies may be moved forward in the queue. The link is made. The practice is consistent.
Sequencing within the organisation
Sequencing may be needed among the client's own departments. This decision belongs to the client. The authority is defined.
The role of the single contact person
Priority within the organisation is notified from a single point. Separate insistence by each department upsets the order. The channel is reduced to one.
Relationship with the capacity commitment
Jobs covered by the commitment are protected in the queue. The two articles are read together. The link is written down.
Transparent notification
If a job is going to be kept waiting, the client is informed in advance. Silent waiting damages trust. Notification is given.
Estimated start time
When the next job in the queue will start is notified. Uncertainty produces anxiety. The information is given.
Proposing an alternative
If waiting is not acceptable, narrowing the scope may be proposed. The option is offered. The decision is the client's.
Monitoring by measurement
Waiting times are recorded. Frequent waiting points to a capacity problem. The data is examined.
The decision to increase capacity
If waiting occurs regularly, the pool is enlarged. The decision rests on data. The measure is permanent.
Exception to the rule
Extraordinary circumstances are assessed separately. The exception is recorded. Arbitrariness is prevented.
The rule lives in an annex
The sequencing rule can be defined in an annex to the contract. Updating becomes easier. The main text stays plain.
The value of a written rule
When the sequencing rule is in writing, nobody reads being left behind as favouritism; if the rule is transparent, even waiting turns into a manageable situation. That is why the article protects the relationship. The practice is consistent.
Limits of legal information
What is described here is for information purposes and does not replace a legal opinion. The text is passed through the legal department before it is signed. The limit is stated.