Why has Divert's food waste diversion rate dropped by 15% in the past month for grocery store clients?

Introduction

Divert's food waste diversion rate dropping by 15% for grocery store clients in the past month is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This decline not only impacts our core value proposition but also has significant environmental and financial implications. To address this problem, 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 there might be a seasonal factor at play. Has this 15% drop been compared to the same month last year?

Why it matters: Seasonal variations could explain the drop and influence our solution approach. Expected answer: Yes, it's been compared and the drop is still significant. Impact on approach: If seasonal, we'd focus on optimizing for known cyclical patterns.

• Considering potential changes in measurement, has there been any recent modification to how we calculate or track the food waste diversion rate?

Why it matters: Ensures we're comparing apples to apples and not chasing a non-existent problem. Expected answer: No changes in measurement methodology. Impact on approach: If changed, we'd need to recalibrate our baseline and adjust our analysis.

• Thinking about our client base, has there been any significant change in the composition or number of grocery store clients in the past month?

Why it matters: Client mix changes could explain the overall rate drop. Expected answer: No significant changes in client composition. Impact on approach: If changed, we'd need to segment our analysis by client type or size.

• Reflecting on recent updates, have we implemented any new features or processes in our food waste diversion system in the last 1-2 months?

Why it matters: Recent changes could be directly impacting the diversion rate. Expected answer: A new sorting algorithm was implemented 6 weeks ago. Impact on approach: We'd prioritize investigating the impact of this new feature on diversion rates.