What's causing the sudden 30% increase in customer support tickets related to order tracking on the Flipkart app?

Introduction

The sudden 30% increase in customer support tickets related to order tracking on the Flipkart app is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This surge in support requests not only impacts customer satisfaction but also strains our support resources and potentially affects our bottom line. To address this problem effectively, I'll employ a systematic approach to identify, validate, and resolve the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term strategic implications.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this might be related to a recent app update. Has there been any significant changes to the app, particularly the order tracking feature, in the past few weeks?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly correlate with the increase in support tickets. Expected answer: Yes, there was an update two weeks ago. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on the changes made in that update.

• Considering user segments, I'm wondering if this issue is affecting all users equally. Are we seeing a higher concentration of tickets from any particular user group, such as new users or users from specific regions?

Why it matters: This helps us narrow down if it's a universal problem or specific to certain user segments. Expected answer: The increase is seen across all user segments, but slightly higher among new users. Impact on approach: We'd need to investigate both universal issues and potential onboarding problems.

• Given the nature of order tracking, I'm curious about any recent changes in our logistics or delivery partners. Have there been any modifications to our delivery processes or partnerships recently?

Why it matters: Changes in the backend could be causing discrepancies in order tracking information. Expected answer: No significant changes in logistics partnerships, but there's been an increase in order volume. Impact on approach: We'd need to investigate if our systems are scaling properly with increased order volume.

• Thinking about system performance, I'm wondering if there have been any recent issues with our backend systems or APIs that support order tracking. Have we noticed any unusual patterns in system performance or downtime?

Why it matters: Technical issues could be preventing accurate order tracking information from reaching users. Expected answer: There have been some intermittent API timeouts reported by the engineering team. Impact on approach: We'd prioritize investigating these API issues and their impact on order tracking.