Insight
How to distinguish a supplier defect from chargeable change
Many supplier disputes stall because nobody shares a definition of “expected capability”.
Useful questions
- Is the need regulatory or contractually required?
- Was this capability reasonably expected in the current service?
- Is there evidence the service previously met the standard?
- Is the supplier proposing a charge for remedying their own failure?
- What evidence would settle the point?
A clear classification — defect, enhancement, or shared ambiguity — unlocks next steps: remediation, commercial negotiation, or clarification of scope. Without that framing, meetings recycle endlessly.