What caused the sudden 30% decrease in lead submissions through heycar's contact forms last week?

Introduction

The sudden 30% decrease in lead submissions through heycar's contact forms last week is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This significant drop in a key conversion metric could have far-reaching implications for the business. I'll approach this problem systematically, focusing on identifying the root cause, validating hypotheses, and developing both short-term fixes and long-term strategies to prevent future occurrences.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Given the abruptness of the change, I'm wondering if there were any recent updates to the website or contact form. Have there been any deployments or changes to the contact form or related systems in the past two weeks?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact form submissions. Expected answer: Yes, there was a minor UI update to the form. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd prioritize investigating the UI change and its potential effects.

• Considering the specificity of the 30% decrease, I'm curious about the typical fluctuation in lead submissions. What's the normal week-to-week variance in contact form submissions?

Why it matters: Understanding normal variance helps determine if this is truly anomalous. Expected answer: Typically, we see a 5-10% variance week-to-week. Impact on approach: A 30% drop being well outside the norm would confirm the severity and urgency of the issue.

• Looking at user segments, I'm wondering if this decrease is uniform across all user types. Has the drop been consistent across different user segments or car categories?

Why it matters: Segmentation could reveal if the issue is isolated to specific user groups or product areas. Expected answer: The decrease seems more pronounced in used car inquiries. Impact on approach: This would focus our investigation on the used car segment and related form elements.

• Considering potential external factors, I'm thinking about market conditions. Have there been any significant changes in the automotive market or competitor activities in the past week?

Why it matters: External factors could explain the drop in lead submissions. Expected answer: No major market shifts, but a competitor launched a new campaign. Impact on approach: We'd need to assess the competitor's campaign impact while still focusing on internal factors.