Why has Airship's SMS delivery rate dropped by 15% over the past month for enterprise customers?

Introduction

The recent 15% drop in SMS delivery rates for Airship's enterprise customers over the past month is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This decline not only impacts our service quality but also poses potential risks to customer satisfaction and retention. 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)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a recent change in our SMS delivery infrastructure. Have there been any significant updates or changes to our SMS delivery system in the past 1-2 months?

Why it matters: Recent system changes often correlate with performance issues. Expected answer: Yes, there was a major update to our SMS gateway. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on post-update system performance and potential rollback options.

• Considering the specificity to enterprise customers, I'm wondering about potential changes in their usage patterns. Have we seen any unusual spikes or changes in SMS volume from our enterprise clients recently?

Why it matters: Unusual activity could strain our systems or trigger anti-spam measures. Expected answer: Some enterprise clients have increased their SMS volume significantly. Impact on approach: We'd investigate capacity issues and review our anti-spam algorithms.

• Given the scale of the drop, I'm curious about geographical patterns. Is this 15% drop consistent across all regions, or are some areas more affected than others?

Why it matters: Regional variations could point to localized issues or carrier-specific problems. Expected answer: The drop is more pronounced in certain regions. Impact on approach: We'd focus on region-specific factors and relevant carrier relationships.

• Thinking about potential external factors, have there been any recent regulatory changes or carrier policy updates that might affect SMS deliverability?

Why it matters: External policy changes can significantly impact SMS delivery rates. Expected answer: There have been some new regulations in certain markets. Impact on approach: We'd need to review our compliance measures and adapt our systems accordingly.