Customer interview screener
The fastest way to waste an interview is to talk to the wrong person. This screener filters by what people have done: how recently and how often they did the thing you're studying. Your slots go to people who can tell you something true.
Best for: Researchers and product teams recruiting people for customer interviews.
Use this template freeHow recently have you done [the relevant behavior]?
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The questions
- 1How recently have you done [the relevant behavior]?Single selectThis week / This month / This quarter / Longer ago / Never. Recency is your main filter, so screen out 'longer ago' and 'never'.
- 2How often do you do it?Single selectDaily / Weekly / Monthly / Rarely. Pick the band that fits your research question.
- 3What's your role, and what's your involvement in [the decision or task]?Long textConfirms they own or influence the thing you're studying.
- 4What's the size of your company or team?Single selectSolo / 2-10 / 11-50 / 51-200 / 200+. Set a quota per size so your sample isn't all one kind of team.
- 5Which tools or methods do you currently use for this?Multi selectConfirms real experience. Mix in a few plausible tools nobody needs to pick, so the right answer isn't obvious.
- 6Would you be open to a 30-minute interview in the next two weeks?Single selectYes / Maybe / No. Check willingness before you spend a slot reaching out.
- 7What's the best email to reach you at?Short textOnly collect contact details from people who passed the filters.
Sample replies, counted
These replies are made up to show the method.
Asked: What's your role, and what's your involvement in [the decision or task]?
Ops manager. I picked our current invoicing tool and I sign off on renewals.
Makes the decisionOffice manager, I just pay the bills our accountant sends.
Not involvedHead of finance, final say on any software over $200 a month.
Makes the decisionI'm on the team that uses it daily and I flagged the problems before we switched.
Influences itstudent, not sure this applies to me
Not involvedCo-owner. I chose it, I set it up, I complain about it.
Makes the decisionBookkeeper. They asked me which one before buying.
Influences it
| Label | Replies |
|---|---|
| Makes the decision | 3 |
| Not involved | 2 |
| Influences it | 2 |
Three of seven made the decision and two influenced it, so five can tell you how the choice was made. Drop the two who aren't involved, and book the deciders first if your study is about buying.
How to run it well
- Screen on what people have done, never on stated interest. Being keen to talk tells you nothing about whether they've done the thing.
- Don't hint at which answers qualify. Ask about past activity in general and pick the people whose answers mention what you're studying.
- Be wary of people who tick every option on every question. They usually want the incentive more than they fit the study.
- Set quotas per group before you recruit. Otherwise the fastest responders fill every slot and you miss the people you need.
- Put the willingness and email questions last, after the filters, so you only collect details from people who qualify.
When not to use this: A screener only picks who to talk to. Once you've chosen people, use the user interview script for the conversation itself.
FAQ
Why screen on recency and frequency instead of just demographics?
How many people should I screen to fill my interviews?
Can the screener double as a recruiting form?
Where the method comes from
Related templates
- Customer churn surveyAsk what happened before people left, not why they think they left.
- User interview script (Mom Test)Mom Test questions that get the truth instead of polite encouragement.
- Product-market fit surveyThe Sean Ellis 40% test, plus the questions that find your best segment.
- NPS surveyThe 0-10 question plus the open follow-up that explains the score.