Problem Interviews Checklist for B2B SaaS Teams

The working checklist for B2B SaaS teams. Skip the reading, run the steps.

One-Time Setup

• Define four roles: user, buyer, gatekeeper, champion.
• Define the audience filter: role + recent behavior.
• Plan splits: 7 users, 5 buyers, 3 gatekeepers.
• Write three questions on a sticky note.
• One shared notes doc.
• Decide the no-pitch rule.

Sourcing

• List 50-80 candidates across the role mix.
• Three-sentence message: why them, what you research, ask for 30 minutes.
• Send in batches of 10.
• Aim for 15 calls.

During the Call

• Low-stakes intro. State research, not selling.
• Ask Q1 (workflow). Listen.
• Count to three before responding.
• Use "tell me more about that."
• Capture exact phrases.
• Ask Q3 (procurement) explicitly: who approves, what would they ask.
• Note champion profiles when they emerge.
• End on time.

Within Ten Minutes After

• Capture trigger event, handoff pain, procurement constraint, champion profile, surprise.
• Mark direct quotes with asterisk.
• Note tools and existing vendors mentioned.

Every Five Calls

• Reread the five sets of notes back-to-back.
• Look for repeats: same handoff pain, same procurement constraint, same champion type.
• Note disconfirmations.

After Fifteen Calls

• Write one paragraph: user pain, buyer ROI, gatekeeper bar, champion profile.
• If clear, ship and start sales motion.
• If not, decide what is missing.

Anti-Patterns

• All-user round: rerun with buyer/gatekeeper interviews.
• Friendly-network sample only: cold-source half the round.
• No procurement questions: add them now.
• Three calls and validated: get to ten.
• Forty calls and no sales attempt: the bottleneck is no longer information.

Print and Use

Pin this list. Re-read before each batch. Most B2B failures come from forgetting one of these in the moment.