How can Planet Labs address the recent spike in customer support tickets related to data delivery delays for its Basemap product?

Introduction

Planet Labs' recent spike in customer support tickets related to data delivery delays for its Basemap product requires immediate attention. This issue not only impacts customer satisfaction but also threatens the core value proposition of timely earth observation data. I'll approach this problem systematically, focusing on identifying the root cause, validating hypotheses, and developing both short-term fixes and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a recent change in our data processing pipeline. Has there been any recent update to our image processing algorithms or infrastructure?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with performance issues. Expected answer: Yes, a new algorithm was deployed last week. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on the new algorithm's performance and rollback options.

• Considering the nature of our product, I'm wondering if there's been any change in satellite data acquisition. Have we experienced any issues with our satellite constellation or data downlink processes recently?

Why it matters: Data acquisition is the first step in our pipeline and could be a bottleneck. Expected answer: No significant issues reported with the satellite constellation. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd shift focus to downstream processes in the data pipeline.

• Given the global nature of our service, I'm curious about the geographic distribution of these delays. Are the delays concentrated in specific regions or is it a global issue?

Why it matters: Helps determine if the issue is related to specific ground stations or global infrastructure. Expected answer: The delays are primarily affecting customers in the Asia-Pacific region. Impact on approach: If regional, we'd investigate region-specific factors like ground station capacity or local network issues.

• Thinking about our customer base, I'm wondering if this affects all customer tiers equally. Have we seen a difference in delay reports between our enterprise and standard tier customers?

Why it matters: Could indicate issues with our tiered service infrastructure or SLA management. Expected answer: Enterprise customers are reporting fewer delays than standard tier customers. Impact on approach: If tiered, we'd investigate our service prioritization mechanisms and capacity allocation.