Monthly MetricWatch calls with OEMs regularly include talk about back orders. The root cause is almost always “problem suppliers”. Sometimes, the problem comes from one supplier that represents a large portion of lines; sometimes, the problem instead comes from a small group of suppliers that together make up a large portion of lines. Most frequently 10 or fewer suppliers cause the problem, yet they will not always be the same ones. The pieces of this puzzle are there, so this session will have OEMs collaborate to solve it. Both internal and external suppliers are in scope for this discussion, which will cover topics such as:   Identifying problem suppliers proactively  Taking tactical steps to help suppliers resolve acute problems  Winding down supplier escalations when a supplier starts performing to plan