Root-Cause Rescue – "The Case of the Vanishing Returns"

Mystery

A top Canadian e-commerce giant slashed its return parcels via our network by up to 70%. Revenue leak: ~$40M.

Detective Work

• Graphed volumes vs. competitors—no smoking gun.
• Interviewed ops teams—aha! BC floods → truck gridlock → temporary parcel caps → merchant felt ghosted.
• Confirmed merchant built new rural return routes out of sheer self-preservation.

Fix

• Executive apology tour + sweet deals = Olive-Branch-as-a-Service™.
• Trust rebuild campaign (think couples therapy, but with shipping labels).

Result

Volume rebounded to 80% of pre-flood levels, plugging a $40M revenue crater.

Takeaway

Sometimes the data points to human feelings, not just spreadsheets. Handle both.