Nice to hear from you Dave! Big announcement! It is great so see that relative to back orders:

1. You are planning to spend just over $200k in 2019 on a new MRP/Ops system.

That is fantastic! Can’t help but improve delivery over the long run.

2. You acknowledge that “Blocking and tackling are basic skills that enable bigger plays. Back-orders are part of this and need to be managed better. We're building charity cars, doing R&D projects we can barely afford, racing when we should be doing something else.”

I know if you refocus on the basics, delivery will definitely improve, which will absolutely make all customers very happy. Those other endeavors are fine now and again but not if they cause you to lose sight of or get in the way of what is really important to your customers.

3. You state “Guys, I sincerely appreciate the kind words….. but in the end, NONE of that makes back orders better, or makes a customer less entitled to get upset if and when we let them down.

I couldn’t have said it better! The most astonishing thing to me about various responses to my backorders post were the low expectations many of them have as to FFRs willingness to address, ability to improve or even focus upon the matter of backorders.

Frankly, it appears they don’t believe you can do it and don’t seem to care if you do. That is misguided short-term thinking.

I’m here to tell you that I know you can do it, I believe you will and it does matter in the long run!

Thank you for addressing the elephant in the room. Looking forward to many more purchases with much improved delivery in the years to come.