12. Customer Interviewing Overview Customer Interviews[20] are the primary means to collect qualitative VOC information during a Lean Sigma project. Although Customer Surveys can be useful to capture quantitative data for a larger number of individual Customers, Customer Interviews give much greater returns in terms of information content. They allow collection of data from a variety of Customer channels and the data is from the sourcethe actual Customer! [20] The level of detail here should be enough for a Lean Sigma process improvement Team to capture the VOC data required to complete a project. However, it probably does not go to the level of detail required for a product development project, for that it will be useful to refer to Commercializing Great Products Using DFSS by Randy Perry.
The key to interviewing is in the planning, ensuring a structured approach to interview a few key, diverse individual Customers to gain as much insight into the process as possible. Logistics Customer Interviewing is a Team activity and should not be attempted by the Belt alone. No matter how objective we think we are, each of us has our own set of biases that can influence how we interact with and elicit information from a Customer. Thus, all planning, preparation, the interviewing itself, and the post-interview processing must be done by a balanced Team to ensure non-biased VOC data. Planning and preparation can take as much as a day; the interviewing itself is comprised of 1525 individual interviews, each last from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the Customers' involvement with the process. If all the planets align and sub-teams are formed to interview, the whole process could be done during a one-week period. Typically, however, it usually spills over into a second week, sometimes more if key Customers are unavailable. Processing the results takes from 3 to 6 hours depending on the volume of data captured. Roadmap The roadmap for planning, preparing, conducting and post-processing interviews is as follows: Planning and Preparation Step 1. | Define the purpose for the Customer Interviews. This is vital step. If the Team cannot articulate amongst themselves the reason for interviewing, then they will not be able to articulate to the Customer why that person should give up valuable time to speak with the Team. Also, interviews can falsely raise the expectations of the interviewee, so a consistent well-formed Team message is crucial.
The Purpose typically contains the following:
What the Team needs to learn from the Customer and whyAt the highest level to be able to explain the whole point of the Interviewing. This is used to help gain access to the Customer in Step 6. What information the Team is trying to gatherUsing the Team's brainstormed Customer requirements and input from the Murphy's Analysis helps here. What actions the Team takes after the data is in handThis helps shape the interview questions.
| | | Step 2. | Develop an Interview (Discussion) Guide to have a consistent approach to interviewing. This is used so that during an interview, no matter which Team member is conducting it, the interview focuses on the Team objectives and investigates, as a minimum, the same few key areas. The Guide is absolutely not a questionnaire or a survey. It generally contains from six to ten open-ended lead-in questions on key topics to direct the flow of the interview. Below each lead-in question are follow-up questions (topics) to be used as needed in case the Customer conversation flow slows. There might be multiple variations for different Customer types.
The simplest way to generate the Interview Guide is, as a Team, to
In silence, individually write as many open-ended questions you can think of to elicit the data you seek. Write each question legibly in black on a sticky note, one question per sticky. While doing this, keep the Purpose Statement close by to make sure all questions tie in to it. After each Team member has run out of ideas, place all the sticky notes on a large sheet of paper on the wall. As a Team conduct a "net-touching" exercise to group similar questions: Using one person to lead, put a single question off to one side and everyone reads it. Gather others that are similar. Remove any exact replication, do not remove any information content (the tendency is often to want to keep just a summary statement, and lose the detailthis is the wrong way around, keep the detail). Continue, until all questions are grouped. For each group, write a question on a separate sticky note in red that is a lead-in question into the area of all questions in that group.
At this point, there are usually from six to ten major groupings with their associated lead-in question. The red lead-in question is the primary question to guide the Interview in a certain direction; the black lower level questions might become bullets if needed for prompting the Customer.
The best questions evoke images of experiences and needs, an emotional response, rather than an intellectual one. Some suggestions might be
Would you walk me step-by-step through your process as you use our product/service? What are its key features, functions, and measures of success? What is important for you about this process? What do you like about the current product/service? What do you dislike about it? What changes would you recommend? Why?
Questions should also focus on
Perceptions of weaknesses or problems, by eliciting past experiences with the product/service Current usage considerations, perhaps even a competitive comparison Possible future enhancements or even "delighters" for the product/service
There are some types of questions to stay away from, for example:
Closed ended, such as, "Would you like...?" Leading, such as "Wouldn't you agree that if we could...?" The words "are,""do," and "can" are usually part of closed-ended questions, which might get only a "yes" or "no" answer
Questions that work well in an open-ended way include
- What This tends to focus conversation on events, such as "What problems have you experienced?"
- How This tends to focus discussion on the process, such as "How do you use...?"
- Why This is useful if any explanation is required, such as "Why is that?" However, it might elicit a defensive reaction if over-used.
- Could This is usually perceived as a gentle approach and open, such as "Could you give an example?"
Finally, it is a good idea to keep questions short and to break complex issues into a series of short questions. Always avoid technical jargon, because it is more pervasive than we might think.
| | | Step 3. | Create a Sampling Plan, sometimes known as a Customer matrix. A common Belt mistake is to select interviewees as the interviewing proceeds and select them based on availability. It is important to identify the right group of Customers to interview up front. Some are difficult (perhaps lost Customers) and are not the most available, but they do provide valuable insight for the project. The key here is diversity. If the Customers are selected well, then the first few yield the vast majority of information the Team is seeking, as in Figure 7.12.1. For a Lean Sigma project, somewhere between 12 to 25 interviews is enough, if the interviewees are well chosen and diverse.
Figure 7.12.1. The relationship between information gained and Customers interviewed.[21] 
[21] Source: "Voice of the Customer," Marketing Science Institute Working Paper, Report Number 92-106 by John Hauser and Abbie Griffin.
As a Team, determine whom to interview, remembering to get representation from all appropriate Customer Segments and Types, such as by
The sample size (number of interviews conducted) depends somewhat on the size of the Customer or Segment population, as per Table 7.12.1.
Table 7.12.1. Sample Size as It Relates to Customer Segment Population# Customer (by segment) | # to Interview |
|---|
<5 | All | 5-10 | 5 | 10-20 | 7 | 21-50 | 8 | 51-100 | 10 | >100 | 10-15 |
| | | Step 4. | Form interview Teams. It is unwise to interview as an individual; no matter how objective we all think we are, each of us has our own set of biases that can influence how we interact with and elicit information from a Customer. It is best to interview in pairs or threesomes, with each person taking a specific role.
- Interviewer. Builds rapport with the Customer, asks the questions, and leads the interview. Manages the discussion and covers all key topics.
- Scribe. Takes detailed notes, verbatim when possible, and acts as a backstop for the interviewer.
- Observer (optional). Soaks up impressions and listens "between the lines" (watches for body-language signals) and supports Interviewer if the need arises. Supports the Scribe to ensure all questions are documented (the Scribe and the Observer usually take turns scribing).
| Step 5. | Practice! Interviewing is not a common strong point in Teams, but can be learned. Start out practicing within the Team, role-playing the Customer. Then during the course of Interviewing, progress to easy (perhaps internal) Customers first and finally to the trickier ones.
| Step 6. | Set up the Interviews. This might require visits to Customer locations. Contact the Customers in advance and schedule the interview. Keep in mind that people might be concerned about why you want to talk to them; the Purpose Statement is valuable here to explain exactly why the interview is requested. Be sure not to conflict with other schedules. If necessary, discuss the interview with the target's supervisor to avoid problems for the Interviewee later. Explain that the interview is short and ask them ahead of time to collect any forms, documents, lists, or procedures that are normally used.
The typical problems that occur here are
It is strongly advised that interviews are conducted individually. Group interviews tend to only generate middle-of-the-road consensus answers and vital information is lost. If a senior person is present, then all answers tend to subordinate to that person. It is imperative to get interviewees alone. Polite explanation of these concerns, usually allows access to the individuals.
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Conducting the Interview | | Step 7. | Conduct the Interviews. The interview itself generally has three phases:
The beginning creates rapport: Use open introductions and small talk to put them at ease; perhaps discuss the weather, something from the news, a previous visit, or perhaps family if they are known to you. Review the purpose and explain the note taking to ensure no data is lost. Describe how the information will be used. Emphasize the importance of their contribution.
The middle follows the Interview Discussion Guide to capture data The closing ensures rapport is maintained and future visits are possible if needed
The whole point of the Customer Interviews is to experience their world, to explore the nature of their work, explore their responses to relevant products and services, and most importantly, to learn something new! This is best done in the context of their work environment, so if at all possible have them walk the Interviewing Team through the steps of their job and how they do it. While watching them work, let them do the talking. After a new understanding is gained, check it with them. Accept surprise, if the VOC was completely understood, then Interviews would be redundant. It is crucial to remember that satisfaction can be defined only by the Customer, so do not challenge what they are saying, accept everything, take in whatever is offered, and suspend judgmentyou are there to listen and learn.
There are fortunately a few techniques that can help extract the needed information more readily:
- Active listening. Most listening is done passively, in that the listener sits back and takes in whatever is said. This is useful, but after a while the speaker needs encouragement. Reflecting on what you hear signals hearing and understanding. It also helps to clarify points and encourages them to go further and deeper. Examples include
I think what I heard you say... It sounds like... Let me make sure I understand what you mean... So, based on your experiences...
- Probing. Responses to questions often explain what the Customer wants (a solution), when the Team really is looking for the need (the underlying problem). Also, Customers tend to talk in abstractions (conclusions), rather than the underlying facts that brought them to that conclusion. The Team needs to identify specific, concrete, and actionable facts. Probing helps get to these because it moves beyond the judgmental language ("this is good") to factual language ("this shortens my processing time"). Some examples of probing include
When you say...could you give/show me an example of what you mean? Could you explain a little more? Anything else? What specifically? Why would that be a good solution? Could you give me an example of when that occurred?
- Silence. A seasoned interviewer knows not to fill silence but let it ride a few seconds until the Interviewee continues to speak. Silence can be uncomfortable but helpful to encourage the Customer to continue. Obviously this must be moderated.
At the end of the interview, the Team needs to leave knowing the Customer's simplest, most specific issues expressed as statements of need versus solutions. The language needs to be that of the Customer, not a translation or summary; therefore, the Scribe has to take as close to verbatim notes as possible. Interviewing pitfalls include
- A superficial or confused response Acknowledge what you understand, clarify and probe, and stay on track.
- The Customer runs off on a tangent Let one run, wait for a small pause, then interrupt. It is sometimes easiest to take control by using the Customer's name as you interrupt.
- The Customer contradicts an earlier statement It is necessary to resolve the contradiction immediately, otherwise it compromises the integrity of interview. It is best to blame oneself for misinterpreting an earlier statement, rather than blaming Customers for contradicting themselves.
- An argumentative Customer No matter what, don't argue back. Remember this is the Customer voice and perception; therefore, the Customer is right. You cannot win. Allow the person to vent, and perhaps ask for an example to get to the facts.
- Doing harm to the Customer relationship Don't forget you are there representing your company.
- Sensitive information Assume everything you say might be quoted.
- Referring to competitors If there is a reason to make reference to a competitor company or product, speak only positively about them. It is a projection of your credibility to do so.
- Price If price of the current product comes up, then seek to understand the issues. Understand the cost of using your product and service.
- Don't be defensive Even if the Customer directly criticizes your work, continue to use positive body language, listen carefully, and seek to understand the issues.
After the interview is complete, be sure to thank the Customer's manager or supervisor for letting them meet with you (they can't be doing their job if they are talking to you).
| Step 8. | Debrief the interview as soon as possible, preferably immediately afterwards. With this in mind it is best to avoid scheduling interviews back-to-back. As an interviewing Team, discuss general observations and read the notes carefully together, filling in gaps with the Customer's actual words. Discuss and note insights about the Customer, their environment, and needs. Make a copy of any notes as soon as possible.
Assess the interview guide and the interviewer's skills to identify improvements for the next interviews.
| Step 9. | Follow up on any actions identified during the interview. Honor any commitments made with the Customer. Send a note to the Customer to thank them for participating.
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Post Processing Step 10. | As soon as possible, while details are still fresh, get together as a whole project Team and review the interviews. Discuss general observations and spend time talking through each conversation noting any unusual response or new learning.
| Step 11. | Extract key insights and transfer to large Sticky Notes in complete sentence format and then use an Affinity Diagram or KJ[22] to distill them into meaningful, usable information.
[22] Randy Perry covers KJ in detail in Commercializing Great Products Using DFSS. Affinity is covered in "Affinity" in this chapter.
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Validation Step 12. | After any affinity or KJ work is complete, it is recommended that the Team validates the findings with a few of the people interviewed. This ensures that the information is captured correctly and allows any substantial oversights to be corrected. Also, after any process improvements are made, it helps the Customer buy-in to process changes.
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Interpreting the Output Customer Interviews are one in a series of tools to capture the VOC. The output of any interviews along with output from Customer Surveys are affinitized and then translated into a Customer Requirements Tree to identify the Big Ys or KPOVs for the process. |
