Just thinking out loud here. How about something like UPS? Someone orders an instrument and gets and order confirmation # (could be automated email when it gets put into your system). They can log into a website and type in their order # and see the status such as:
Order received.
Build begins (and whatever steps you want to put in)
Instrument completed
Shipping, etc.
Whatever is already input into your system during the mfg process so that there's no extra work on your end.
Just so that these people can check in everyday if they want to see where their instrument is in the pipeline (doesn't need to be exact) and that would make them happy. There must be some info put into a computer at some point and a program could be written to grab some of that info and put it on a website.
Just like when you're getting an instrument and you check the website and it's on the truck!!
I think the point is that you aren't ordering the instrument direct from EBMM. You're ordering it through a dealer, who hopefully gets to keep some of the money to answer your questions.