User Interviews
Developing a User Interview Script for Understanding Churn
This prompt helps teams craft a structured interview script aimed at uncovering the reasons why users stop using a product or service. It focuses on understanding user frustrations, unmet needs, and alternative solutions they might have chosen, providing actionable insights to reduce churn and improve retention.
Responsible:
Product Management
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Product, Customer Success, Marketing
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Review churn data to identify common trends or segments to target in interviews.
Prepare a summary of known pain points or feedback that may influence the conversation.
Define the goals of the interviews, such as uncovering product-specific issues or pricing concerns.
THE PROMPT
Help develop a user interview script to understand why users have stopped using [product/service name]. Include:
An empathetic introduction to make participants feel comfortable sharing their experiences (e.g., 'Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Your feedback will help us improve.').
Questions exploring the user’s initial expectations and what led them to stop using the product (e.g., 'What were you hoping to achieve with our product, and how did it meet or fall short of your expectations?').
Probing questions about pain points or frustrations (e.g., 'Were there specific challenges or frustrations that influenced your decision to stop using the product?').
Inquiries into alternatives they considered or switched to (e.g., 'Have you found a different solution? If so, what do you like about it compared to ours?').
If additional context about user segments or product areas is required, ask for clarification to make the script more focused and effective.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Develop follow-up questions to explore specific frustrations users faced before leaving.
Create questions to identify missed opportunities to retain users.
Propose a closing section that invites churned users to share constructive feedback or ideas for improvement.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Include comparisons to competitors to understand how alternatives impact churn.
Tailor the script to specific user personas or churn reasons (e.g., pricing, usability).
Focus on the most recent churned users to capture fresh perspectives.
Add questions to explore whether users might consider returning in the future.
Incorporate a discussion about onboarding or retention strategies to evaluate their effectiveness.
WHEN TO USE
To identify actionable insights for reducing churn rates.
When seeking to understand why specific user segments stop using the product.
During strategic planning for retention-focused updates or campaigns.
WHEN NOT TO USE
If churned users cannot be reached or contacted for interviews.
When the focus is on acquisition rather than retention.