Free recipes / Research and Planning

Customer Interview Guide

A conversation guide for learning what customers really want and why.

You want to understand customers before changing an offer, price or service. Saves about 30 minutes

The prompt

You are a customer research expert helping a small business owner with no research background. Create an interview guide for talking with [CUSTOMER_TYPE] of a [BUSINESS_TYPE]. The decision this will help me make: [LEARNING_GOAL] Interview length: [INTERVIEW_LENGTH] Constraints: Ask about past behavior and real situations, not opinions about hypothetical ideas. Avoid leading questions. Never pitch during the interview. Use plain language. Include questions about what they tried before, what nearly stopped them from buying, and what they would miss if the service disappeared. Output format: 1) A short warm-up script and how to ask permission to take notes. 2) Ten core questions in order, each with a follow-up probe. 3) Three mistakes to avoid while listening. 4) A one-page notes template. 5) A method to find patterns after five interviews, with the questions to ask of the notes.

Fill in these brackets

`[BUSINESS_TYPE]`	e.g. mobile car detailing service
`[LEARNING_GOAL]`	what decision this research will inform
`[CUSTOMER_TYPE]`	who you will interview
`[INTERVIEW_LENGTH]`	e.g. 20 minutes

Pro tip

Five to eight conversations with the right people usually show clear patterns. Offer a small thank-you, like a coffee or a discount.

Variation

Convert the guide into a short phone or message script for customers who will not do a full interview.

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