X-DreamersStartup ideas · Lesson 2 of 6
Customer Interviews: Ask About the Last Time
Draft an interview that discovers customer behaviour without selling your solution.
What you will learn
Ask about a specific episode
Start with “Tell me about the last time…” and follow the sequence of events. Ask what triggered the problem, what the person tried, who was involved and what happened next. Specific stories are more useful than predictions about a hypothetical product.
Delay the pitch
If you explain your solution too early, the person may start helping you feel good rather than describing their experience. Learn their vocabulary and current alternatives first. Ask permission before recording or collecting sensitive information.
Look for commitment carefully
A useful next step might be a follow-up call, an introduction or trying a small manual service. These signals differ in strength. A promise to use a future free product does not mean someone will pay for it.
An example
Instead of “Would an automated report save you time?”, ask “Walk me through the last report you sent. Which part took longest? What have you tried to change? Who decides whether a new tool is used?”
The trap to avoid
Do not turn three friendly interviews into a claim that an entire market has the same problem.
Try it: the exercise
Answer these three prompts. In the Equip learning desk your answers are saved in your browser, with a checklist to review them.
- Five questionsWrite behaviour-based questions. Begin with a recent incident.
- What would change your mind?Name evidence that would weaken your idea.
- Interview notes or next stepRecord what was said, or label this as a planned interview—not completed research.
A good answer has
- Questions do not contain your proposed solution
- At least one question about existing alternatives
- Evidence and interpretation are separate
Check yourself
Which interview question is least leading?
- Would you pay for my time-saving tool?
- Tell me how you handled your last delayed order.
- Would this be useful if it were cheaper?
Answer: B. The past incident leaves room for an unexpected answer. The other questions embed your preferred solution or benefit.
A participant says price matters. What should you ask next?
- Which plan would you buy today?
- Can you compliment the prototype?
- What did you spend on solving this last time?
Answer: C. Past spending reveals the actual budget and alternatives; a hypothetical willingness to pay is weaker evidence.
From the course library
- Startup School ↗
Y Combinator · 7 weeks · 1–2 hr/week
A practical starting point for evaluating ideas, planning an MVP, finding users and building a company.
- Entrepreneurship – from ideas to reality ↗
The Open University · OpenLearn · Self-paced · guided activities
Explore entrepreneurial thinking and develop an idea into a business proposition through guided activities.