Originally Posted by
Sig_Fiend
Escalate it to a manager/owner. The problem sounds to be that no one has taken ownership of the issue and no one is being proactive about correcting it. Possibly a junior employee issue as well but, I'm just speculating.
If I was spending over $1k on some custom item, I'd expect that company to be proactive and to have good communication. Drip feed me some status emails so I know something is happening. Contact me early if lack of stock in components or base materials is bumping the timeline a bit. Bonus points for some after hours or weekend work that minimizes the post-deadline wait. This isn't rocket surgery.