When another party signs a contract with your business, you fully expect that they will uphold that contract. They have agreed to do so and are legally obligated to follow through on that agreement.
But contracts are breached all the time. For instance, you may order parts or services that never arrive. Even if you have not paid upfront, this hurts your business because you do not receive the expected materials or services when you need them. If you have paid upfront, then it creates even more problems because your business is spending money and not receiving anything in return.
But what if it is a more minor contract breach than non-fulfillment? For instance, say that the other party simply misses a deadline. They do fulfill the contract, but they are late. Does this also harm your business?
It depends on the case
A missed deadline can be a contract breach and may cause harm. It really depends on how the breach occurs, how late the other party is and if you can demonstrate that you deserve financial compensation for losses that your business suffered.
For instance, maybe parts and materials were supposed to arrive on Thursday, but the truck did not show up until Friday. Your business operated as usual, but you just had to make minor scheduling changes.
On the other hand, say that the parts and materials showed up a week late. Business ground to a halt. You had to close your manufacturing plant because there was nothing for workers to do. This causes serious harm to your business, especially because orders that you already have are not being fulfilled on time.
Your legal options
The specifics of the case are going to influence exactly what steps your business takes moving forward. Just be sure you understand all the legal options at your disposal.