Customer research call guide

Autochase Call Guide: 8 calls, 30 minutes each

What we're trying to learn

Sam's hypothesis has three parts, and each can fail separately: 1. Cost: Late payment hurts in money or time, not just annoyance. (34% of invoices are late, but that doesn't mean it hurts.) 2. Behavior: People already try to fix it. Only 12% of accounts used the manual Send reminder button, so we need to know why the other 88% didn't. 3. Willingness: They'd let software message their clients, and pay $10 a month on top of $12 for Pro.

Interviews can't settle price. They can tell us whether it's worth testing.

Who to talk to

Sam's plan (the 300 heaviest button users, first 8 to reply) would only find people who already like reminders and respond fast to email. Recruit against quotas instead:

• 2 heavy button users (Sam's list is fine for these)
• 3 accounts with several late invoices in the last 90 days who never used the button
• 1 who filed an Autochase support ticket
• 2 agencies (3+ people) and 2 solo freelancers. These overlap with the groups above.
• Mix of Pro and free accounts, with at least 2 free.

Screen for at least one invoice paid late in the last 90 days. Pick people to fill the quotas, not first come first served. Offer a $50 gift card.

Call structure

0:00–0:03 Intro. "We're learning how people get paid, and we're not selling anything. There are no right answers, and critical feedback helps most. Okay to record?"

0:03–0:05 Context. What do you do, how many clients, how many invoices a month?

0:05–0:15 The last late invoice (the core of the call) 1. Tell me about the last time a client paid you late. Probe: how late, how much, what happened first, what did you do, how did it feel? 2. Walk me through what you do between sending an invoice and getting paid. Probe: what tool, how often, who does it? 3. What did that lateness cost you? Probe: hours, cash flow, bills or contractors you had to delay.

0:15–0:21 Current behavior 4. (Button users) What made you use Send reminder? (Non-users) What do you do instead, or why not just let it go? 5. Is there a client you would never chase? Why? 6. Have you tried anything else, such as late fees, deposits, shorter terms or other tools? What happened?

0:21–0:27 Concept. Read this, don't demo it: "Suppose Paydeck automatically emailed your client at set points after the due date, getting firmer each time." 7. What's your first reaction? What worries you? 8. What would have to be true for you to switch it on? Probe: tone, control, per-client exceptions, seeing the emails first.

0:27–0:30 Money and wrap 9. What do you pay for today that helps you get paid or run your finances? 10. "We'd likely charge extra for this. Would you want early access when it's ready?" Note the exact response. Hesitation counts as data. 11. Anything I should have asked? Anyone else we should talk to?

Why Sam's questions changed

• "How frustrating is chasing?" and "Would it be useful?" invite polite yes answers. Past-behavior questions don't.
• "$5, $10 or $15?" anchors people on our options and measures nothing real. Questions 9–10 are better evidence.
• "Would your clients be annoyed?" asks for a guess about someone else. Question 5 asks what they've actually avoided.
• "What other features?" is off-topic. Drop it.

Notes for first-time interviewers

• Split roles. One person asks and the other takes verbatim notes. Swap halfway through the 8 calls.
• Ask about the past, not the future. "What did you do last time?" beats "Would you ever...?"
• Don't pitch or rescue. Don't name Autochase until minute 21. If they struggle to answer, wait, then ask "Can you say more?" Silence is fine.
• Follow the story. Ask "why?" and "what happened next?" more than you ask the next scripted question. The script is a backstop.
• Discount compliments. "That sounds great" is worth little. Specific past actions, money spent and workarounds built are worth a lot.
• Stay neutral if they criticize the product or the idea. Don't defend it.
• Debrief within 30 minutes of each call. Write down three surprises and the best quotes. Do a practice run with a colleague first.

What we'd need to hear

Count only the people who had a late invoice.

Go (build, or run a paid pre-sale test): - At least 5 of 8 describe a specific recent late payment that cost real money, stress or more than about an hour a month. - At least 5 already chase manually or with workarounds, including people who skip the button, and can explain why the button doesn't work for them. - At least 4 would turn on automation given controls we could build, and at least 3 say yes to early access for a paid add-on.

Stop or rethink: - Most shrug lateness off, or say it comes from a few clients they'd never automate against. - The real problem is something else, such as clients not opening invoices, wanting deposits, or needing a payment link, and reminders wouldn't fix it. - Most won't let software contact their clients, or wouldn't pay anything for it.

Mixed results (for example, it only matters for agencies, or only with tone controls): narrow the target segment and run a second round of calls.

Even a clear "go" from 8 calls only justifies a cheap next test, such as a fake-door button or a pre-sale. It doesn't justify committing the quarter.

Autochase discovery call guide

Interviewers: Mei and Tomas · 8 calls, 30 minutes each Decision: Should Paydeck build automatic, escalating overdue-invoice reminders next quarter, priced at $10/month?

1. What we need to learn

Test Sam’s hypothesis—not whether people like the idea:

• Problem: How often do late payments create meaningful cash-flow problems or chasing work?
• Current behavior: How do users chase invoices today, and why do some not use Paydeck’s reminder button?
• Fit and risk: Which reminders could safely be automated? Where might escalation damage client relationships?
• Value: Is solving this worth an additional $10/month, given existing workarounds and alternatives?

Our data establishes lateness, not demand: 34% of invoices are late, but only 12% of accounts used reminders recently. Support requests and frequent reminder users are useful leads, not representative evidence.

2. Who to recruit

Don’t book the first eight respondents from the top reminder users. That would disproportionately select enthusiastic, high-pain users.

Recruit invoicing-active accounts from these groups:

• 3: Recurring overdue invoices; frequent Paydeck reminder use.
• 3: Recurring overdue invoices; little or no Paydeck reminder use.
• 2: Few overdue invoices, or late payments that appear manageable.

Across the eight, include freelancers and small agencies, plus both Pro and free accounts. Aim for roughly four of each plan; this is purposeful sampling, not a representative survey. Include at most two customers who requested automatic reminders.

Speak to the person who actually manages invoices and chasing; establish whether they also approve software spending. Recruit within each group rather than simply taking the fastest replies. Use a neutral invitation: “Help us understand how you manage invoices and payment follow-up.” Offer the same incentive regardless of feedback.

3. Call questions and timings

0–2 minutes: Welcome and context

“We’re learning how people handle overdue invoices. We’re testing an idea, not selling anything; honest criticism is helpful. There are no right answers.”

Ask permission to record. Confirm their role, business size, and who handles invoices and software purchases.

2–12 minutes: Reconstruct a real example

“Tell me about the most recent invoice that went past its due date.”

Follow the sequence: - When was it due, and when did you notice? - What did you do next? Then what happened? - Who followed up, using what tools, messages, and timing? - How did you decide whether to remind the client again? - Was it paid? What do you think caused the delay?

If comfortable, ask them to show a redacted invoice or follow-up message. Don’t collect client-identifying information.

For low-lateness participants: “Tell me about the last late invoice—or how you usually prevent late payments.”

12–18 minutes: Frequency, consequences, alternatives

• “Over the last three months, how many invoices needed follow-up?”
• “Roughly how much time did you spend chasing them?”
• “What, if anything, did the delay affect?” Probe for concrete consequences, not just frustration.
• “What have you tried to make this easier? What did it cost?”
• “Have you used Paydeck’s reminder button? Walk me through why or why not.”
• “When do you deliberately avoid sending another reminder?”

18–26 minutes: Test the concept, then price

Only now introduce it:

“We’re considering Autochase: scheduled reminders for overdue invoices, with reminders becoming firmer over time. It isn’t built, and details aren’t decided.”

Ask: - “Thinking about that invoice, where would this fit—or not fit?” - “Which steps would you automate, and which would you keep manual?” - “What would you need to control or check before enabling it?” - “What could go wrong? Tell me about a client situation where it would.” - “What would you use instead?”

Then disclose: “We’re considering $10/month, additional to your current plan.”

“What would make that worth paying—or not? Which current effort or expense would it replace? Who would approve it?”

Don’t offer a $5/$10/$15 menu or treat “yes, useful” as purchase evidence.

26–30 minutes: Commitment and close

“If we offered a paid pilot at $10/month, what would you need before deciding?”

Ask whether they’d join a follow-up evaluation or discuss a pilot with the budget owner. Record the specific next step; don’t imply availability or collect payment.

“What important part of chasing payments haven’t we covered?”

4. Notes for first-time interviewers

Alternate moderator and note-taker roles; do one practice call together. Ask one question at a time, allow silence, and follow concrete examples. Avoid praise, pitching, defending, and questions that assume pain. Separate observed behavior, exact quotes, estimates, and your interpretations.

Debrief immediately: frequency, cost, workaround, automation boundaries, price reaction, commitment, and contradictory evidence.

5. Decision rules

Agree these directional gates before interviewing; eight calls cannot estimate market demand.

Go toward a scoped build if at least five describe recurring, consequential pain—including two non-reminder users—and at least three connect $10 to concrete value and take a specific pilot-evaluation step. There must also be a credible way to address relationship and control risks. Validate paid adoption before committing substantial engineering.

Stop or reshape if lateness rarely causes meaningful cost, chasing is easy, automation cannot address the underlying causes, or users prefer manual control and won’t pay.

Mixed findings mean targeted follow-up—not “eight customers validated it.”

Autochase: 30-minute customer call guide

Interviewers: Mei leads; Tomas takes notes and asks brief follow-ups at the end. Keep roles consistent across the eight calls.

Decision: Should Paydeck prioritize automatic, escalating overdue-invoice reminders as a $10/month add-on next quarter?

1. Learning goals

Test whether: - Late payments create recurring, material costs—not just irritation. - Chasing takes enough time or money that customers actively try to reduce it. - Reminders address the cause of delays, rather than disputes, approval processes, or clients lacking funds. - Customers would trust automation, and what control they require. - There is credible demand at $10/month, beyond polite enthusiasm.

Starting evidence is suggestive, not conclusive: 34% of invoices are late, with a median delay of 16 days. That does not tell us how many accounts experience serious pain. Reminder usage (12% of accounts) may miss chasing outside Paydeck. The 40 support requests show interest, not willingness to pay.

2. Who to recruit

Do not book the first eight respondents from the 300 heaviest reminder users. That would favor highly engaged users already chasing through Paydeck.

Recruit purposively: - 3 accounts: recurring overdue invoices; frequent manual reminders. - 3 accounts: recurring overdue invoices; little or no manual reminder use. - 2 accounts: mostly on-time invoices, as a contrast group.

Across those groups, aim for six Pro and two free accounts, with both freelancers and small agencies. Include no more than two support-ticket requesters. Speak to whoever actually handles collections; establish whether they also approve software spending.

Randomly invite accounts within each group, then fill group slots rather than accepting the first eight overall. Replace no-shows within the same group. Use a neutral invitation: “Help us understand how you manage invoices and payments.” If offering an incentive, keep it fixed and unrelated to feedback.

3. Call script and timings

0–3 minutes: Welcome and permission

“Thanks for helping. We’re learning how people manage payments—not testing you or selling anything. Honest criticism is useful. You can skip anything confidential.”

Ask permission before recording. Otherwise, take notes.

“What’s your role, who handles overdue invoices, and roughly how many invoices do you send each month?”

3–12 minutes: Reconstruct a real incident

“Tell me about the most recent invoice that wasn’t paid by its due date.”

Follow the timeline: - “When was it due, and when did you notice?” - “What did you do next? Then what happened?” - “Who else was involved?” - “What reason did the client give for the delay?” - “Was it paid? When?”

“Could you walk us through a redacted reminder or your tracking process?” Do not request client-identifying information.

If they have no recent late invoice: “Walk us through how your last invoice got paid. What helps payments arrive on time?”

12–19 minutes: Frequency, consequences, alternatives

“In the last three months, about how often has this happened?”

“For that example, roughly how much time did you spend chasing? What, if anything, did the delay cost you?”

“What happens if you don’t follow up?”

“How do you decide when and how firmly to chase? Have you ever chosen not to?”

“What have you tried to improve this? What did it cost, and why did you keep or stop using it?”

If relevant: “Do you use Paydeck’s reminder button? Why or why not?”

19–23 minutes: Automation fit and risks

“Which parts of that process need your judgment?”

“Tell me about a follow-up that went badly—or worked particularly well.”

“What situations would make sending another reminder inappropriate?”

Probe only after open answers: payments already made, disputed invoices, important relationships, tone, timing, approvals.

23–28 minutes: Concept and price

Only now introduce the idea:

“We’re considering Autochase: automatic reminders that escalate while an invoice remains overdue. There’s no prototype, and details aren’t decided.”

“For the invoice we discussed, where would this help, fail, or create extra work?”

“What would you need to control before trusting it?”

“The proposed price is $10/month, on top of your current plan. How would you decide whether to buy it? What would it replace? Who approves that spending?”

Ask interested participants whether they will join a follow-up pilot discussion. Record this as interest, not a purchase.

28–30 minutes: Check understanding

Summarize their situation and ask what you misunderstood. Tomas asks outstanding clarifications. Thank them.

4. First-time interviewer notes

• Ask one question at a time; allow silence.
• Prefer “Tell me about the last time” to predictions.
• Don’t defend Autochase, suggest answers, or praise positive reactions.
• Separate quotes, observed behavior, estimates, and interpretation.
• Debrief immediately: pain, frequency, cost, workaround, automation fit, price evidence, contradictions.

5. Decision rules

Agree these directional thresholds before interviewing:

Advance: At least four of six overdue-account participants demonstrate recurring, consequential pain and reminder-suitable workflows; at least three Pro participants show credible $10 value grounded in current costs or spending and accept a concrete follow-up. Proceed to a scoped pilot and real pricing test—not a full-build commitment from interviews alone.

Stop or rethink: Pain is mostly minor, delays are not reminder-solvable, relationship risks outweigh savings, or interest disappears at $10.

Mixed evidence: Narrow the target segment and recruit more. Eight purposive interviews cannot estimate market demand.