Customer Interview Tips

I recommend going into each interview with a mindset of accurately knowing what your users experience. When you ask 'why' questions amongst the scenarios a user shares with you, you will begin to peel back the onion of reality for each user. They will take note and feel heard. Even when you think you know the answer, ask your users why they do or say things. The answers will sometimes surprise you. Never say "usually" when asking a question. Instead, ask about a specific instance or occurrence, such as "tell me about the last time you. Another good practice to follow is to keep historical records about how you made decisions. What data patterns and use cases led you to make particular decisions?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Pay attention to nonverbal cues. Be aware and capture when body language and emotions occur in the context of the conversation.
• And don't be afraid of silence. Interviewers often feel the need to ask another question when there is a pause. If you allow for silence, a person can reflect on what they've just said and may reveal a deeper insight, share an example, or tell a story. 
• Gather facts, not opinions. Ask 'why' to get the juicy bits of what's really going on for your users. Don't ask 'Would you…?', Ask 'When was the last time you have…?'. Other good examples are:
• Ask: "Why do you need to____…?"
• Ask: why is ____ vital to you?'"
• Or, Ask: "why is ____ such a pain point…?’"
• Or ask, 'What are the most significant limitations you are struggling with?'

BEST MOMENTS

‘‘Your goal is to listen and learn, not to inform, impress, or convince your customer of anything. Avoid wasting time talking about your own benefits because it will cost you time, which you can use to learn about your customer.’

‘Clear communication can lead to good relationships and can show your leadership acumen. Follow-through reinforces that you are serious about your partnership and are a leader of your product and career.’

‘After you and your users dig into each question, recap what you heard to verify you heard them accurately. Ask if there are next steps that are important to them. You may not satisfy the subsequent steps, so connect them with contacts who will follow through.’

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ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.

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