How can we explain the unexpected 20% decline in new sign-ups for Mercer's retirement planning advisory services during the last two weeks?

Introduction

The unexpected 20% decline in new sign-ups for Mercer's retirement planning advisory services during the last two weeks is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This analysis will systematically identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term and long-term implications for our product and business.

I'll approach this problem by first clarifying key details, ruling out external factors, and then diving deep into our product, user journey, and metrics. From there, I'll form data-driven hypotheses, conduct root cause analysis, and propose validation methods and solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a seasonal trend. Has this 20% decline been compared to the same period last year?

Why it matters: Seasonal fluctuations could explain the drop and impact our solution approach. Expected answer: No significant seasonal trend observed in previous years. Impact on approach: If seasonal, we'd focus on anticipating and mitigating annual dips.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious if this decline is uniform across all demographics. Have we seen any particular user group more affected than others?

Why it matters: Identifying specific affected segments could point to targeted issues or changes in market dynamics. Expected answer: The decline is more pronounced among younger users (25-35 age group). Impact on approach: We'd investigate factors specifically affecting younger users' engagement with retirement planning.

• Thinking about recent changes, have there been any updates to the sign-up process or marketing campaigns in the last month?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact new sign-ups and guide our investigation. Expected answer: A new landing page was implemented three weeks ago. Impact on approach: We'd scrutinize the new landing page's performance and user experience.

• Regarding system performance, have there been any reported issues or downtime in our sign-up infrastructure recently?

Why it matters: Technical issues could directly cause a drop in successful sign-ups. Expected answer: No major reported issues, but there have been intermittent slowdowns. Impact on approach: We'd investigate the impact of these slowdowns on user experience and conversion rates.