Why has the average response time for Trustpilot's customer support tickets doubled over the last two weeks?

Introduction

The doubling of Trustpilot's customer support ticket response time over the past two weeks is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This sudden increase in response time not only affects customer satisfaction but also impacts the overall efficiency of our support system. To address this problem, I'll employ a systematic approach to identify the root cause, validate our findings, and develop both short-term and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might have been a recent system update or change. Has there been any significant software deployment or process change in the last 2-3 weeks?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with performance issues. Expected answer: Yes, there was a major update to our ticketing system. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on the new system's performance and integration.

• Considering the scale of the issue, I'm wondering about staffing levels. Have there been any significant changes in our customer support team size or structure recently?

Why it matters: Staffing changes can directly impact response times. Expected answer: No major changes in team size, but there's been some restructuring. Impact on approach: If true, we'd investigate how the restructuring has affected workflow efficiency.

• Given the sudden nature of the change, I'm curious about ticket volume. Has there been a notable increase in the number of support tickets received during this period?

Why it matters: A surge in tickets could overwhelm the system and staff. Expected answer: Ticket volume has increased by about 20%. Impact on approach: This would lead us to investigate both capacity issues and potential product problems causing the increase.

• Thinking about data accuracy, I'm concerned about potential measurement errors. Can we confirm that the definition of 'average response time' hasn't changed and that our tracking systems are functioning correctly?

Why it matters: Ensures we're addressing a real problem, not a data anomaly. Expected answer: The definition and tracking systems remain unchanged. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on operational issues rather than data integrity.