ACTIVITY - PROBLEM/SOLUTION INTERVIEW

Objective of this interview is to find out the 3 most important problems your customer segments view
as major issues, understand what solution they currently use, what improvements, if any, they would
prefer to see and what price would they find acceptable. Although the purpose of this assignment is
not to sell, you may potentially gain prospects for the future. Interview 3 individuals that are not
friends or family. (Note: before actually launching your business, in your 4th year at CMCC or after
graduation, you should complete at least 15 interviews to get a more complete understanding).
This worksheet will help you work on:
Validation Process Interviews through certain questions
Customer Segments to verify who is most likely to buy from you, product/service offerings, segment
problems and solutions

NOTE: You will need separate Interview sheets for each customer in each segment. So if you
are doing Business to Consumer and also Business to Business then you will fill out two
separate interview sheets

STEP 1: WELCOME
Briefly set the stage for the purpose of this interview, set approximate timeframe and thank the
respondent for taking time. Use the area below to scipt your welcome message.
Hello, my name is Baxter Hickey. For this interview, I will be asking you a series of questions
about yourself and I would like you to answer them to the best of your ability. If at any point in
the process you do not feel comfortable asking these questions, you may skip the question. The
entire process should take about 15 minutes of your time. I want to thank you for taking time out
of your busy schedule to talk with me today.

STEP 2: PROBLEM RANKING (TEST PROBLEM)

State the top three problems you identified with your initial assumptions in a list format and ask your prospects
if any of these problems are important for them and also if yes, rank them in importance.
Use inquiry format, i.e. Do you find <problem> to be an issue for you today? If yes, how would you rank it?

PROBLEM

RANKING

Do you find that you have been experiencing any back pain within the last
three weeks? If yes, how would you rank it?

0 = Nothing

Do you find that you have been experiencing any neck pain within the last
three weeks? If yes, how would you rank it?

0 = Nothing

Do you find that you have been experiencing any hip pain within the last
three weeks? If yes, how would you rank it?

0 = Nothing

10 = Worst pain

10 = Worst pain

10 = Worst pain

STEP 3: EXPLORE CUSTOMERS WORLDVIEW

Ask survey subjects to elaborate on how they address the problems today.
Allow them to engage in open dialogue. Ask questions regarding the solution, current provider, selection
process of the current provider and pricing details.
Current solution:
Back Pain: Massage therapy, foam roller, ice/heat, and regular exercise
Neck Pain: Massage therapy and ice/heat
Hip Pain: Massage therapy, foam roller, ice/heat, and regular exercise
Current provider:
All of these problems involved a msssage therapist as the primary provider for care of
symptoms.
How current provider was selected:
Current provider may have been seleted via family referral, family physician referral, or another
primary health care provider
Price and terms of current solution:
The average price for a session with a massage therapist ranges from $60-80.

STEP 4:
TEST
SOLUTION
Go through
each
Problem
identified in

Step 2 and describe/illustrate how your product/service addresses it with a solution. The questions should
center around:
What resonates with the survey subject from this solution the most.
What can they live without.
What is missing additional features.
Solution 1:

Solution 2:

Solution 3:

What
resonates
most

SMT has been shown to

help improve ROM, help
in the management of
pain symptoms the
patient has been
experiencing, and
hopefully decreasing the
recurrence rate of the
problem from returing

SMT has been shown to

help improve ROM, help
in the management of
pain symptoms the patient
has been experiencing,
and hopefully decreasing
the recurrence rate of the
problem from returning

SMT has been shown to

help improve ROM, help
in the management of
pain symptoms the
patient has been
experiencing, and
hopefully decreasing the
recurrence rate of the
problem from returning

What can
be left out

SMT aimed at the cspine

SMT aimed at the low

back

SMT aimed at the t-spine

and c-spine.

Missing

More research about its

correlational and
causative effects. Right
now, there are still a lot
of gaps in the literature
that can hopefully be
filled

More research about its

correlational and
causative effects. Right
now, there are still a lot of
gaps in the literature that
can hopefully be filled

More research about its

correlational and
causative effects. Right
now, there are still a lot of
gaps in the literature that
can hopefully be filled

STEP 5: TEST PRICING

Describe your initial pricing model (i.e. per unit, per hour, subscription, project, etc.) including the intended
price point/s, terms and conditions. Gauge response immediately and note any comments.
Acceptable price:
$100 for the intial visit and then $45-50 for subsequent visits
Preferred terms:
Patient believes that the pricing is fair for the care that they will be receiving. If a patient to have
health care coverage, then this pricing shouldnt affect them too much. A different response
might be seen in someone who doesnt have chiropractic included in their care.
Other comments:

N/A

STEP 6: COLLECT DEMOGRAPHICS

Test Customer Segment. Use the table below to script your specific questions.
If you plan to offer products/services B2C, ask for age and income ranges, profession and family size.
If you plan to offer products/services B2B, ask for years in business, budget range for your offering,
decisionmaker for purchasing and number of employees/staff.

B2C

B2B

Age Range:

Years in Business:

25-40

4 years

Income Range:

Budget Range:

$75000-1000000

$3000/month

Profession/Occupation:

Decisionmaker:

Health care professional

Proximity to home/work, accessibility via

subway or adequate free parking, pricing of
care being provided, and coverage by
insurance.

Family size:

Number of Employees:

Married with two kids

2 secretary staff, 1 chiropractor, 1 massage

therapist, and 1 physiotherapist

STEP 7: WRAPPING UP
Ask permission to follow up. Also seek referrals for other interview subjects.
Permission to follow up (yes/no):
Thank you for your time today. I just have a few questions to ask you before we depart. If it is ok
with you, would I be able to follow up with you 3 weeks into your treatment and then again at the
6 week mark.
Preferred contact information (name and contact):
Feel free to email or call me if you have any questions
Baxter Hickey

(587) 435-7809
bhickey@gmail.com
Referrals:
Lastly, do you know of anyone else I could be in contact with who might be experiencing the
same problem that you are right now?