Backlogged

The state of accumulating work, tasks, or orders due to insufficient capacity, delays, or unforeseen circumstances. This often results in a delay in completion or fulfillment. The work waiting to be addressed is considered 'backlogged'. It signifies a temporary or ongoing situation where demand exceeds current processing capabilities, leading to a queue of pending items. The degree of being backlogged can be quantified by the length of time it takes to clear the outstanding work or the number of items pending. It impacts productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction if not resolved effectively.

Backlogged meaning with examples

• The customer service team was severely backlogged with inquiries after the website crashed. They struggled to answer all the incoming calls and emails, creating frustrated customers and a growing backlog of unresolved issues. Prioritizing urgent requests and hiring temporary staff became critical to address the overflowing queue and reduce the delays.
• Due to supply chain disruptions, the manufacturing plant became backlogged with orders. The shortage of raw materials meant finished products could not be made fast enough to fulfill the demand. The company had to extend delivery timelines and communicate the delays to its clients, and adjust sales plans accordingly.
• The software development team was backlogged due to unforeseen bugs in the new release. They had many reported issues to fix and patches to deploy. They had to work overtime to address all the problems, which made release cycles and feature additions problematic and delayed.
• Following the announcement of the sale, the shipping department was backlogged with orders. The increase in demand overwhelmed the order fulfillment system. They needed to assign more staff to pack and dispatch the orders to meet the needs of customers and avoid cancellation of orders.