4
Summary
Data demonstrated the existing solution was ineffective.
Data surfaced the problem.
Data surfaced a solution.
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The solution was simple to implement. It did not require extra work. It was not disruptive.
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The solution was effective and results immediate.
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The solution was sustainable.
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The solution put the customer first.
Aged Backlog Reduction
Reduced case backlog by 70%
3
THE OUTCOME
The results were immediate:
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Backlog volume decreased from 1,200 cases to 600 cases within two weeks.
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The organization reached its target backlog of 350 cases within three weeks.
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Customer's concerns were addressed the day they were raised, significantly boosting survey response rate and customer satisfaction scores.
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U.S. site met 4.7/5 CSAT goal and all performance targets for the first time in five years.
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The success of the process received global recognition within the company and attracted attention from Microsoft leadership.
Most importantly, the new workflow was sustainable. The U.S. went from worst performing site to top-performing site in the next two months and continue to meet every metric target for 12 consecutive months.
2
WHAT I DID
I tracked case reviews and case closures. The data clearly showed:
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Oldest cases were getting closed but aged backlog count stayed the same.
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Newer cases aged over at around or at higher rate than case closure.
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Absolutely no correlation between number of cases reviewed and cases closed, or backlog count.
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The extra work was ineffective towards fixing the problem.
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I looked to the data for a solution and saw a math problem.
Backlog volume is directly proportional to average days to close.
To fix the problem, we had to reduce the number of days cases were open. The simplest way to reduce the average number of days was to close cases on day one.
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Using this insight, I designed a Daily Case Management process and partnered with Technical Leads to roll it out to the floor. The new process shifted priority from oldest cases to newest cases.
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Key changes included:
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Prioritizing new cases on the day they were received.
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Requiring all cases under 10 days old to be worked daily until resolution, without exception.
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Prioritizing active cases from newest to oldest rather than oldest to newest.
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Ensuring troubleshooting began immediately instead of waiting weeks for meaningful engagement.
This approach allowed customers' issues to be addressed while they were still current, reducing the rate at which cases aged into the backlog.
1
THE PROBLEM
The site struggled with support case backlog management for over two years with over 1,200 aged support cases across U.S. teams. A growing concern, senior leadership stepped in to manage the problem setting the following expectations as the solution:
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Aged case reviews prioritized and reported to global leadership daily.
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Prioritization of oldest cases.
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Manager and Lead workload doubled.
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Managers and Leads work additional hours to accommodate workload.
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Help recruited from external teams and other sites to review aged cases.
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Intense accountability measures in place.
Despite hard work and effort, the problem persisted.
See other achievements
Most employees will meet clearly communicated, accountable expectations — a small minority will struggle even with support, and another group will exceed expectations on their own drive. If that's true across the board, the variable isn't effort — it's expectation: what are you setting, and how are you driving it?
Knowledge matters. Ability to effectively share knowledge and teach understanding beyond information on a screen was developed through extensive study of Adult Learning Theory and how people think, and grounded in deep expertise in cloud architecture. Experienced building and managing a scalable learning platform and promoting a culture of learning and environment for knowledge sharing.
Looking beyond the line graphs tracking metrics in a performance dashboard. Digging deep into the numbers to uncover the hidden patterns that others miss and surfacing insight that matters. Relating patterns to behaviors to see "behind the scenes" of the story told by the numbers, and using this insight to drive outcomes and deliver results.
I don't mind hard work. I work hard every day.
I mind when the work is ineffective and adds no value.Â
I am driven to seek solutions to work effectively.Â
I am driven to work smarter, not harder.Â