What caused the sudden spike in customer support wait times for Better's mortgage refinance applicants last week?

Introduction

The sudden spike in customer support wait times for Better's mortgage refinance applicants last week is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This problem not only impacts customer satisfaction but also has potential ripple effects on our overall business performance. I'll approach this analysis systematically, focusing on identifying the root cause, validating hypotheses, and developing both short-term and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this might be related to a recent product update. Have there been any significant changes to our mortgage refinance application process in the past two weeks?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact user experience and support needs. Expected answer: Yes, we rolled out a new user interface for the application process. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd focus on UI/UX issues and user confusion.

• Considering the specificity of the issue, I'm wondering about our current support team capacity. Has there been any recent change in our customer support staffing or processes?

Why it matters: Staffing changes could explain increased wait times. Expected answer: No significant changes in staffing, but we've seen a 20% increase in application volume. Impact on approach: I'd shift focus to scalability issues and demand forecasting.

• Given the suddenness of the spike, I'm curious about any technical issues. Have we experienced any system outages or slowdowns in the past week?

Why it matters: Technical problems could cause a backlog of support requests. Expected answer: There was a brief outage in our document processing system two days ago. Impact on approach: I'd prioritize investigating the impact of this outage on the application process.

• Thinking about external factors, I'm considering market conditions. Has there been any significant change in interest rates or competitor offerings recently?

Why it matters: External market forces could drive sudden increases in application volume. Expected answer: Interest rates dropped slightly, but nothing out of the ordinary. Impact on approach: I'd focus more on internal factors rather than market conditions.