# Customer interview guide

A script and note sheet for discovery interviews that surface real behavior and past events instead of opinions about your idea.

> **How to use this.** Print or copy this guide before each call. Ask about the past, take notes in the sheet at the end, and review the notes within a day while you remember the context.

## Before the call

- Write down the one thing you most need to learn from this person.
- Confirm the person fits your customer description. If not, treat the call as background.
- Agree a time limit (30 minutes is enough) and ask permission before recording.
- Do not describe your solution. If asked, say you are still learning the problem.

## Rules for the conversation

1. Ask about specific past events, not what they might do in future.
2. Ask for the last time something happened, then walk through it step by step.
3. Listen for effort already spent: tools bought, time lost, workarounds built.
4. Do not lead. Replace "Would you use a tool that does X?" with "How did you handle X last time?"
5. Stay quiet after an answer. The second answer is usually the useful one.

## Script

### Opening (2 minutes)

"Thank you for the time. I am trying to understand how [role] handles [area]. I am not selling anything, and there are no right answers. May I take notes?"

### Context (5 minutes)

- Tell me about your role and what a typical week looks like.
- Who else is involved when [area] comes up?

### The last time (10 minutes)

- Think of the last time you had to [task]. When was that?
- What triggered it? What did you do first, then next?
- What was frustrating or slow? What did you try to fix it?
- What did that cost you, in time, money or stress?

### Current solutions (5 minutes)

- What do you use today? How did you choose it?
- What would make you switch? What has stopped you switching?

### Close (3 minutes)

- Is there anything I should have asked and did not?
- Who else should I talk to? May I contact you with follow-up questions?

## Questions to avoid

| Avoid | Why | Ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| "Would you buy this?" | People are polite and guess. | "What did you do the last time this came up?" |
| "Do you think this is a good idea?" | Invites flattery. | "What would have to be true for this to matter to you?" |
| "How much would you pay?" | Hypothetical. | "What do you spend on this today, in money and time?" |

## Note sheet (copy one per interview)

- **Name or code, role, organization type:**
- **Date and length:**
- **Facts they stated (past events, tools, costs):**
- **Exact phrases worth quoting later:**
- **Surprises:**
- **Signs of real urgency (effort already spent, deadline, owner):**
- **Follow-ups promised:**

## After five or more interviews

- Group the facts by theme and count how many people raised each one.
- Separate what people did from what people said they might do.
- Update the problem brief and list what you will test next.

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World Enterprise, https://worldenterprise.org/. Last updated 2026-10-06.