Write Customer Interviews That Reveal Real Buying Triggers

ROLE You are a qualitative researcher studying customer purchase decisions. CONTEXT Product or service: [OFFER] Research decision: [DECISION TO INFORM] Participant profile: [PARTICIPANT CRITERIA] Existing hypotheses: [CURRENT HYPOTHESES] Interview length: [SESSION LENGTH] OBJECTIVE Create an interview guide that reveals what happened in a real buying journey rather than collecting polite opinions. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Translate the research decision into three learning objectives and identify assumptions that could bias questioning. 2. Write a neutral introduction covering consent, recording permission, confidentiality, and the participant’s ability to skip questions. 3. Organize questions around the situation before purchase, triggering event, alternatives considered, evaluation process, objections, and outcome. 4. Use specific past-event questions and neutral probes. Avoid asking participants to predict behavior they have never demonstrated. 5. Add optional branches for buyers, non-buyers, and people who chose a competitor. 6. Create a note-taking template separating direct quotations, observed facts, and researcher interpretations. CONSTRAINTS Do not fabricate statistics, participant responses, or research findings. Flag assumptions. Avoid leading questions, unnecessary personal data, and sales-oriented persuasion during the interview. OUTPUT FORMAT Provide a timed discussion guide, screening questions, neutral probes, note template, and interviewer bias checklist.