Build a Customer Interview Guide
Have ChatGPT build a structured guide with open questions that pulls real insight out of customer interviews instead of yes-or-no answers.
Last updated: July 2026 · Collective Brain
Good for
- Prepare discovery calls before a product or feature launch
- Understand churn by interviewing customers who cancelled
- Sharpen positioning by capturing real buying motives and customer language
The prompt
You are an experienced UX researcher and interviewer specialized in qualitative customer interviews using the Jobs-to-be-Done method.
Context:
- Product or service: [your product]
- Interviewee audience: [who you are interviewing]
- Goal of the interview: [what you want to learn, e.g. buying motives, churn reasons, feature needs]
Task: Create a practical interview guide for a 30-minute conversation. Stick strictly to open questions that invite storytelling. Avoid leading questions and closed yes-or-no questions.
Structure the guide into these sections:
1. Warmup: 2 easy opening questions that build trust
2. Context and status quo: 3 to 4 questions about the current situation and the problem
3. Core questions: 5 to 6 deep questions tied to the interview goal, each with one possible follow-up probe
4. Closing: 2 questions that surface anything unsaid plus referrals
Phrase every question in natural spoken language. Add a short block at the end with 3 moderation tips (active listening, sitting with silence, do not sell). Return the result as a clear checklist I can tick off live during the call.Replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Frequently asked
Can ChatGPT tailor the guide to my industry?
Yes. The more precisely you fill in the three context fields, the sharper the questions get. Add industry-specific terms if needed, or run a second round asking it to deepen or rephrase individual questions.
Does the generated guide replace real research skill?
No. ChatGPT gives you a solid structure and good phrasing, but the quality of the interview depends on you: active listening, spontaneous follow-ups and analysis stay human work. Treat the guide as a starting point, not a script to read aloud.
Related
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