---
title: "Supplier coordination and lead times"
course: "OPMT 130 · Run operations that work"
unit: "Deciding under uncertainty"
lesson: 20 of 37
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/supplier-coordination-and-lead-times
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Supplier coordination and lead times

Lesson 20 of 37 in **Run operations that work** (OPMT 130), unit "Deciding under uncertainty". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Identify the key suppliers and typical lead times for a small business and map them onto the operations system.
- Spot the operational risk to customers, capacity, and costs when a supplier slips, and name one practical mitigation.

## Teaching notes
Use the Pour Over Club scenario — map key roaster suppliers, shipping lead times, and the risk to customers and fulfillment when stock is delayed.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 20 complete: Supplier coordination and lead times."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Inventory and reorder rules" (lesson 21 of 37), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/inventory-and-reorder-rules.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Reading demand patterns
Next lesson: Inventory and reorder rules