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It's 2023. A new year, and that means your customers are starting to plan out their goals. Now is the perfect time to reach out and understand how you can make a more meaningful impact on their business this year, and prove your value as they evaluate any changes to their business priorities.
Like most budding organizations, you probably have difficulties getting in front of your customer. They are globally dispersed, and are probably dealing with a number of high priority items, that might not always include taking time for a Customer Interview. This means that you need to be creative in finding the right ways to engage your customer.
Once you've determined the right way to engage. It's time to prepare the questions that will help you get the highest response rates, and the highest value data. In this post, we'll go over our top 10 customer interview questions that will help you draw out qualitative insight that can inform your organization on what your customer is really thinking.
Why do you use our product/service?
- Why do you use our product/service?
- How did you hear about us?
- Why did you choose to work with us? What were some other options that you considered, and why didn't those work out for your business?
- What are the top three things that make our product/service valuable to your company (or not valuable)?
How did you hear about us?
A great way to start a conversation is by asking them how they heard about your company. Quantitative data only tells you a part of the story, but are there any other factors that influenced their decision? Did they hear a positive review from a friend? Did they see an advertisement that got them searching for comparable products online? If you’re looking for more information on how exactly customers found out about you and why they decided to use your services, consider asking:
- How did you hear about us?
- What influenced them to try our product/service?
- What was their first impression when using our product/service?
- Did anything change after using us?
- Why did they decide to continue using our products/services?
Why did you choose to work with us?
This question helps you learn about who your clients are and what they’re looking for. Asking this question in the beginning of your customer interview process will give you an idea of whether or not your company is a good fit for them, whether you see them as a short or long term customer, or if they truly meet your expected "Ideal Customer Profile."
What do you like most about our product/service?
Oftentimes, it's what goes unsaid that is most valuable from this question type. Listen if a feature or capability is frequently missed. Is there a reason why? What's holding your product back?
What do you like least about our product/service?
While no one wants to hear bad feedback, it's the important thing you can look for. Oftentimes, there's an underlying theme in this feedback that can truly help you delight your customers and change their perception. Avoid using positive language like, "What can we do better?" as this leaves room for a vague response. Be direct with your audience, and ask them for the real truth about what's holding your product or service back.
Ask customers why things aren't working well enough as they are now (or whether there would need to be changes made). By getting more specific than just "Why isn't our product working well enough?", this question will help you understand where exactly customers fall short of being completely satisfied with what we're offering right now—and whether those shortcomings are fixable.
What other products have you tried that are similar to ours?
This is a great question to ask because it gives you an opportunity to see what your customers like and dislike about other products in your market. Are you the market leader? How do your customers view your competition? Questions you can consider asking include:
- Who are these competitors?
- What features do they offer (and which ones do people like)?
- How does their pricing compare with yours?
Who else uses our product/service, and what are the benefits for them?
This question helps you understand how your product is used in the real world. What are the top use cases or applications for your product? Is your product/service being shared within an organization? Are other teams using it that you might not expect?
The result of this question may also help you identify other potential customers who could benefit from what you're offering.
Does our Product/Service compliment or play nice with other Products/Services you use?
Understanding how your customers use your product or service in relation to others will help you improve and develop new features or new product verticals for your business. This question can reveal partnership opportunities or reveal new ways to expand your business.
What keeps you coming back to us?
Not all customers are created equal, and some will always be more loyal than others. It's important to keep track of these relationships and their potential value, so that you can focus your resources on the right customers. Not every new customer will be a customer for life, and it's important to know where your resources will deliver the best long term value.
The best way to do this is by asking them questions directly: "What keeps you coming back?" or "Why do you choose us?" or "What makes our company valuable to you?"
What could we be doing better?
The most important thing to know about asking this question is that it's not just about getting feedback. When asking for specific feedback, be sure not to ask about everything at once or in one conversation; no one has time for that! Instead, pick one area where improvements could be made and ask specifically how that area could be improved from their perspective. The most important thing to offer is a continual feedback loop with your customers, and ensure they know there is an open line of communication to you.
Ask your Customer Interview Questions with Voiceform
Your customers are busy, and the best way to get their feedback is to allow them an opportunity to respond to your questions when it works better for them. If you’re looking for innovative ways to collect rich interview-style feedback from customers without the need for a phone call or meeting, consider a tool like Voiceform.
By asking interview questions through Voiceform, you can interview a number of customers simultaneously, allowing them to engage the questions at a time that is most convenient to them. Plus, you’ll have access to insights that will make market research and creating marketing materials easier than ever. When you’re ready to begin, start your trial with Voiceform or book a demo!
