Why has the average time to resolve customer support tickets for Dropbox Paper increased from 24 to 48 hours in the last week?

Introduction

The recent increase in average resolution time for Dropbox Paper support tickets from 24 to 48 hours is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This doubling of resolution time not only impacts user satisfaction but also puts strain on our support resources. I'll approach this problem systematically, focusing on identifying the root cause, validating hypotheses, and developing both short-term fixes and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might have been a recent product update. Has there been any significant change to Dropbox Paper in the last two weeks?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with support issues. Expected answer: Yes, a new feature was rolled out. Impact on approach: If yes, we'd focus on the new feature's impact on existing workflows.

• I'm curious about the support ticket volume. Has there been a significant increase in the number of tickets received during this period?

Why it matters: Volume changes could indicate a widespread issue or change in user behavior. Expected answer: Ticket volume has increased by 30%. Impact on approach: A spike in volume would suggest a systemic issue rather than an isolated incident.

• Considering user segments, are we seeing this increase across all user types, or is it concentrated in a specific group (e.g., enterprise vs. individual users)?

Why it matters: Helps narrow down if the issue is user-specific or universal. Expected answer: The increase is primarily seen in enterprise users. Impact on approach: If segment-specific, we'd tailor our investigation and solutions to that user group.

• Regarding the nature of support tickets, has there been a shift in the types of issues reported compared to the previous period?

Why it matters: Changes in issue types can point to specific product or process problems. Expected answer: There's been an increase in collaboration-related tickets. Impact on approach: We'd focus our investigation on collaboration features and related systems.