Users are consumers who learn about your products, services and use them according to their personal needs. Learning about your users can uncover insights that can help brands polish their products and offerings. In this blog, we will learn about the meaning of user interview, its use in customer experience. We will also understand how to conduct effective user interviews for better customer research. 

What Are User Interviews?

User interviews are a conversation between a product consumer and the marketer. It is a part of qualitative research where researchers talk directly with users to learn about their experiences, needs, and challenges. 

These conversations help understand if customers are using a product the way it was intended. The conversations give insights on pain points, obstacles, opinions making them essential for enhancing customer experience. They are often used early in product development to build empathy and guide design and marketing decisions.

Can there be a difference between a user and customer?

In the regular sense, a customer is someone who will purchase from a brand (undergo a financial transaction). A user is the end-consumer who will actually use the product as intended. A customer may not always be the end-user. The end user may not always be the buyer.
For example, a parent will purchase a PS4 for gaming, i.e go through a financial transaction with the brand to own the product item. The end user will be the children who use the PS4 as intended. 

This differentiation affects interview planning so that there are insights for the right stakeholders. For instance, in B2B, interviewing users (end-users) might reveal usability issues. Interviewing customers (decision-makers) could highlight purchasing motivations.

Why Conduct User Interviews?

Here are the critical reasons why user interviews are an important part of customer research.

• User interviews offer general information on what people think of your product or service. These interviews gauge the brand likeliness.
• The information can be placed into your marketing personas or customer journey mapping models for better user engagement planning.
• Product teams can identify how a user will react to a new product change or product upgrades.  
• User responses can guide brands to make better business decisions that align with their target users and customers. 

Types of User Interview for CX: A Detailed Breakdown

User interviews vary by structure and purpose, each serving distinct research needs:

Conducting User Interviews: A Step-Wise Method

Conducting user interviews requires meticulous planning. The process, as outlined in various guides, includes the following steps.

1. Set goals for user research 

Define research objectives, such as identifying design tool shortcomings, use cases for AI features, or user expectations. Goals should align with the business’s north star such that you get actionable insights. For example, goals might include understanding what causes product consideration, highs/lows, or churn reasons.

2. Prepare apt questions

Create an interview guide with open-ended, unbiased questions and divide it into themes or journey flows. Examples include “Walk me through a typical day” or “Tell me about the last time you used our service.”
Avoid leading questions like “Did you like this?”. Refine questions through piloting with teammates or sample users.

3. Get the right participants

Study the target audience, create user personas, and define participant types (e.g., prospective vs. existing users). Recruitment methods include communities, social media, guerilla testing, or participant databases. Offer incentives such as gift cards, freebies or apt rewards that will bring higher participation rates and representation.

4. Train interviewers to build rapport

Obtain written consent, introduce yourself, and use light questions to ease participants into the conversation. Maintain positive body language to make participants comfortable. This step is crucial for ethical research, respecting participant rights and ensuring accountability.

5. Getting insights from the interview

Ease into questions and keep the process conversational. Interviews can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured. In a 30 to 60 minute interview, record conversations for analysis and avoid over-notetaking. Moderators should watch for verbal and non-verbal cues, adjusting questions as needed.

6. Conclusions and follow-ups

Always thank participants for being a part of the interview. Let them know that researchers may conduct follow-ups to probe deeper. Discuss next steps such as incentives or project timelines. End on a positive note.

How To Analyze Responses From User Interviews?

Use AI-driven methods to analyze large quantities of qualitative data from various users. This can streamline work efficiently for teams.  

• Transcribe interview scripts and records with speech-to-text analysis. An AI-driven sentiment analysis will also detect tones of frustration to detect pain points in the conversation. 
• Organize the transcripts by interviewee or by question to facilitate easy cross-referencing and analysis. This organization is essential for managing large datasets, especially in CX research where multiple customer segments may be involved. For instance, grouping responses by demographic data (e.g., age, location, usage frequency) can help identify segment-specific insights.
• Assign codes to segments of the text that highlight specific themes, patterns, or issues. Codes can be descriptive such as “usability issue with buttons”, “frustration with search function” etc. Consider any notes taken during the interviews for additional context, as they can provide deeper insights into non-verbal cues or clarifications. This step is often iterative, with codes refined as new patterns emerge.
• If multiple customers mention difficulty with similar functions, this could indicate a design flaw needing urgent attention. Be prepared to restructure themes if new patterns emerge. This step is where CX leaders can uncover insights that drive product improvements, such as simplifying user interfaces or addressing customer pain points.

What about the participants? 

User interviews are purpose-driven conversations that benefit the brand but have a high involvement of the user too.

• Always thank the participants for their insights and follow through the promises of incentives and rewards. This encourages future participation and greater engagement during follow-ups. 
• Research or survey incentives of thank you notes and branded kits with personalized messages can make people feel valued about their effort. 
• Create an action plan to address the exact customer concerns. Use the insights from analysis and create plans that contain all processes of improvements. Re-connect with the participants and let them know that the research teams have upgraded their product offerings for a smooth usage.

Conclusion

Merren CX enables smart analysis of user interviews via AI-driven tools. It needs no coding or no technical expertise. Sign up for a 14 day free trial and create seamless user surveys on multiple interactive platforms.