What caused the sudden spike in customer support tickets related to the GoMetro mobile app's payment system yesterday?

Introduction

The sudden spike in customer support tickets related to GoMetro's mobile app payment system is a critical issue that demands immediate attention and a thorough root cause analysis. As we dive into this problem, we'll systematically examine potential causes, gather relevant data, and develop a comprehensive plan to address both immediate concerns and long-term prevention.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this could be related to a recent app update. Has there been any deployment or changes to the payment system in the last 48 hours?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with sudden spikes in issues. Expected answer: Yes, a minor update was pushed yesterday morning. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on changes in that update.

• Considering user segments, I'm wondering if this is affecting all users equally. Are we seeing any patterns in terms of user demographics or device types experiencing these issues?

Why it matters: Helps narrow down potential technical or UX-related causes. Expected answer: Issues seem more prevalent on Android devices and among users aged 18-25. Impact on approach: We'd prioritize investigating Android-specific issues and user experience for younger demographics.

• Given the nature of payment systems, I'm curious about any recent changes in payment gateways or processors. Have there been any updates or changes to our payment infrastructure recently?

Why it matters: Payment gateway issues can cause widespread problems quickly. Expected answer: No recent changes to payment gateways, but a new fraud detection system was implemented last week. Impact on approach: We'd investigate the interaction between the new fraud detection system and the payment process.

• Considering external factors, I'm thinking about potential issues with banking systems. Have there been any reported outages or issues with major banks or credit card companies in the last 24 hours?

Why it matters: External banking issues could explain a sudden spike in payment-related problems. Expected answer: No major banking outages reported, but there was a brief issue with Visa transactions yesterday afternoon. Impact on approach: We'd analyze the correlation between Visa transaction issues and our spike in support tickets.