UBM Errors Check-in

## Summary ### Upcoming Meeting with Simon The meeting began with uncertainty about an 11:00 AM session involving Simon, a large mall owner requiring integration support. Initial confusion arose over attendee inclusion, particularly whether a key team member (Jay) was invited. After reviewing the invite details, it was determined the meeting focused solely on Constellation Navigator for UBM (a specific client), and attendance might be necessary pending further clarification from internal contacts. ### Q4 Timeline and CSM Alignment A review of the Q4 timeline was conducted with Carrie (Product Management) and Tara (Customer Success), focusing on deliverables from a Customer Success Manager (CSM) perspective. Key points included: - **CSM-driven priorities**: The timeline was assessed for feasibility, with emphasis on ensuring alignment between CSM requirements and the team’s technical capabilities. - **Ownership clarity**: Discussions highlighted the need to distinguish CSM responsibilities (e.g., user support) from product/process issues, especially to prevent CSMs from becoming bottlenecks for non-CSM tasks. - **Ticketing system urgency**: Implementing a formal ticketing system was prioritized to streamline communication, reduce ad-hoc requests (e.g., emails with attachments), and free up bandwidth for core development work. ### Bill Pay Process and Data Integrity Ensuring accurate data flow from invoice receipt to payment emerged as a critical Q4 objective to prevent service disconnections. Challenges included: - **Error backlog management**: Fixing data issues (e.g., meter serial number inaccuracies) requires a two-step approach: stopping future errors and reprocessing affected historical bills, with the latter lacking a scalable solution. - **System limitations**: The current setup cannot auto-reprocess bills, forcing manual intervention and creating operational delays. - **Interpreter layer proposal**: A middleware solution was suggested to translate DSS output into UBM-compatible formats, reducing the need for risky changes to UBM’s core logic. ### Error Resolution Strategy Addressing recurring errors (e.g., Code 3018-unmapped bill locks) demands structured processes: - **Documentation rigor**: Creating a living error-code repository with clear ownership, resolution steps, and timelines (e.g., "For Code 3018: CSMs manually map virtual accounts by Friday; Ruben implements UI fix by November 10"). - **Prioritization framework**: Focusing on high-volume errors first (e.g., 60% of meter serial issues are "low-hanging fruit"), while acknowledging some require long-term solutions. - **Cross-functional workshops**: Holding frequent sessions with Ops, CSMs, and developers to align on error specifics and avoid recurring backlogs. ### Reporting and Data Tracking New reporting requirements for FTG Connect (DSS and UBM) were discussed: - **Data gaps**: Certain reports necessitate tracking previously unmonitored metrics, requiring backend changes beyond simple Power BI visualizations. - **Workshop collaboration**: Internal CSM workshops will define report specifications, followed by joint sessions with the data team to ensure feasibility. - **Timeline awareness**: Emphasis on starting complex tracking early due to compressed timelines (e.g., year-end holidays affecting delivery). ### Team Onboarding and Access New engineers joining the team need accelerated integration: - **Access provisioning**: Urgent requests for read access to systems (e.g., UBM reporting databases) to familiarize them with existing workflows. - **Knowledge transfer**: Plans to include them in daily stand-ups and provide context via recorded sessions, with a focus on understanding system vernacular before tackling technical intricacies. - **Role boundaries**: Initially limiting their scope to FDG Connect-related tasks to avoid overwhelming them with UBM’s complexity. ### Long-Term Vision and Risks Strategic discussions centered on sustainable solutions for recurring issues: - **Location ID management**: For errors like unmapped service addresses (Code 3018), 20% could be auto-fixed via fuzzy matching, but 80% require manual CSM input-highlighting a need for UI-driven bulk-creation tools. - **Risk of inaction**: Without scalable fixes, error volumes could escalate (e.g., 6,000+ backlog entries), crippling operations. - **Leadership updates**: Planning an in-person briefing to showcase progress, risks, and forward strategy once immediate fires are contained.