customer interviews

[video] 10 Biggest Customer Interview Mistakes

Myk Pono

Jul 8, 2024 • 3 min read

Customer Interviews: 10 Biggest Mistakes

Customer interviews are the lifeblood of any successful product development process. They provide invaluable insights into your target audience's needs, pain points, and preferences. However, conducting effective customer interviews is a skill that requires careful planning and execution. Falling into common traps can lead to misleading data, wasted time, and a product that misses the mark.

Let's examine the ten most common customer interview mistakes and explore strategies for ensuring your interviews are as insightful and productive as possible.

1. Focusing on validating your solutions (or asking what to build) rather than on validating the problem

Your primary goal in early interviews is not to pitch your solution. It's to understand the customer's problem deeply. Ask open-ended questions about their experiences, challenges, and current workarounds. Resist the urge to steer the conversation towards your product; let them lead you to the heart of their needs.

2. Not setting business and research objectives

Before you begin interviewing, clearly define what you hope to learn. Are you trying to validate a problem hypothesis, explore potential use cases, or identify specific pain points? Clear objectives will help you structure your questions and stay focused during the conversation.

3. Not conducting pre-discovery (due diligence) research

Don't go into interviews blind. Research your target market, competitors, and industry trends. This will help you ask informed questions and avoid wasting time on topics that are already well-understood.

4. Not creating an Interview Script

While you want the conversation to flow naturally, having a loose script or outline will ensure you cover all the essential topics. Prepare open-ended questions that encourage the customer to share their stories and experiences.

5. Interviewing the wrong audience

Ensure you're talking to people who represent your target market. If you're building a B2B product, interview decision-makers and end-users within relevant companies. Segment your audience and interview individuals who fit your ideal customer profiles for consumer products.

6. Not asking enough open-ended questions

Open-ended questions invite detailed, narrative responses. They help you uncover insights beyond simple "yes" or "no" answers. Use phrases like "Tell me about..." or "Describe a time when..." to encourage deeper exploration.

7. Not focusing on context and not validating problem priority/level

Don't just ask about the problem; understand its context. When does it arise? How often? How severe is it? By validating the problem's frequency and intensity, you can prioritize which issues to address first.

8. Talking more than listening

Remember, the goal is to learn from the customer. Let them do most of the talking. Avoid interrupting or interjecting your own opinions. Active listening involves hearing their words and paying attention to their tone, body language, and emotions.

9. Not recording the meeting and/or summarizing interview notes

Record your interviews (with permission) so you can review them later. Take detailed notes during or immediately after the interview, capturing key quotes, insights, and observations. This will help you synthesize your findings and share them with your team.

10. Not conducting continuous product/customer discovery

Customer discovery is not a one-time event. As your product evolves, so do your customers' needs. Continuously seek feedback throughout the development process to ensure you're on the right track.

By avoiding these common mistakes and following these tips, you can transform your customer interviews into a powerful engine for innovation, leading to products that truly resonate with your target audience.