Why has Aircall's call quality rating dropped by 15% for international calls over the past month?

Introduction

Aircall's 15% drop in call quality rating for international calls over the past month is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. As we analyze this product challenge, I'll employ a systematic framework to identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term strategic implications.

I'll approach this problem by first clarifying the context, then ruling out external factors before diving deep into the product ecosystem, metric breakdown, and data analysis. From there, I'll generate and validate hypotheses, conduct a root cause analysis, and propose a comprehensive resolution plan.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a recent change in our infrastructure. Have we made any significant updates to our call routing system in the past month?

Why it matters: Infrastructure changes often impact call quality directly. Expected answer: Yes, we upgraded our routing algorithm. Impact on approach: If yes, we'd focus on technical issues; if no, we'd look more at external factors.

• Considering the specificity of international calls, I'm wondering about our global network. Has there been any change in our international carrier partnerships recently?

Why it matters: Carrier changes can significantly affect call quality across borders. Expected answer: We switched secondary carriers in some regions. Impact on approach: This would lead us to investigate carrier performance and integration issues.

• Given the metric drop, I'm curious about user feedback. Have we seen an increase in support tickets or negative reviews specifically mentioning international call quality?

Why it matters: User feedback can provide qualitative insights into the nature of the problem. Expected answer: Yes, there's been a 20% increase in complaints about call clarity. Impact on approach: This would help us focus on specific aspects of call quality (e.g., latency, audio clarity).

• Thinking about potential external factors, I'm wondering if there have been any major global events or regulatory changes affecting international communications?

Why it matters: External factors could explain widespread issues beyond our control. Expected answer: No significant global events, but there are new regulations in a few key markets. Impact on approach: This would prompt us to investigate compliance and adaptation to new regulations.