Pick the kind of call you are having
A sales demo asks whether your product fits a buyer's needs. A feedback call explores someone's experience. A discovery call tries to understand a problem before you decide what to build. Give each call one main purpose so the customer knows what you need from them.
For an early SaaS team, a useful starting point is one person describing the last time they tried a specific task. “Tell us about the last report you prepared” leaves room for a story. “Would an automated dashboard help?” jumps ahead to your proposed answer.
Follow the work, then the friction
Start with the trigger and walk forward. Learn who was involved, what tools they used, where they waited, and what happened at the end. Ask for an example when a broad answer sounds important. You can keep these prompts beside the call:
- What set this task in motion, and when did it last happen?
- Can you show us how you handled it, using an example you are comfortable sharing?
- Where did you have to leave the product or ask another person for help?
- What was the consequence when that step did not go well?
- What have you already tried to make it easier?
Let Q help with the next question
In a SideQuest room, participants see the shared conversation and Q's replies. Ask Q to suggest a follow-up about something the customer just described, or to separate the facts in the discussion from the team's assumptions. Give the customer room to answer before asking Q for more.
Public research can help investigate a question that comes up, such as how a published integration works. It cannot tell you what this customer thinks. Keep the customer's account, external sources, and your interpretation visibly separate. Check research sources before treating a result as evidence.
Leave with a question you can test
Close by reflecting the workflow back: “You collect three exports because the operations team needs one view. Have we got that right?” Then identify what your team still does not know. A single conversation can suggest a useful next interview or a small prototype; it does not settle demand across your market.
Create a room for the customer or the specific research topic, invite the people who need access, and use your company name and color for a familiar welcome. Guests sign in before joining. Explain your use of Q and transcription at the start; SideQuest does not record call audio or video. Capture any follow-up commitment in the system your team already uses.