How is this different from a focus group?

B2B customer interviews are 1:1 and deep. Focus groups are small groups (6-10) used in consumer research; rare in B2B because B2B buyers won't speak as candidly in groups.

Do B2B customers really speak to third parties about their vendors?

Yes, when approached professionally with confidentiality assurances. Conversion rates from outreach to scheduled interview typically 30-50%.

What does B2B customer interviewing cost?

€500-€800 per interview at most networks. Premium for very senior contacts; volume-discount for programmatic work.

B2B Customer Interview

A B2B customer interview is a structured conversation with a business buyer (typically an enterprise decision-maker or influencer) about their purchase decisions, vendor relationships, category perception and unmet needs. Distinct from consumer interviews by virtue of buyer sophistication and decision-process complexity.

Term: B2B Customer Interview
Section: Glossary
Last refreshed: Q1 2026

01/In Depth3–5 paragraphs

B2B customer interviews are core to win-loss programmes, VoC programmes, due-diligence customer reference work and competitive intelligence on competitors' customer bases. Format is typically 30-60 minutes per interview.

Compared to consumer interviews, B2B interviewing requires more substantive preparation: understanding the buying-group structure, knowing the typical buying-cycle length, anticipating the technical vocabulary, and respecting the senior contact's time.

Reliable B2B customer interviewing uses behavioural questioning (specific past decisions) rather than hypothetical questioning (future preferences). 'Walk me through the recent decision' beats 'Would you choose X over Y?'

Common cost: €500-€800 per interview all-in. Higher for very senior contacts (CEO, CFO level) or scarce categories. Lower for high-volume programmatic work (VoC subscriptions).

02/Examples4 concrete cases

+A B2B SaaS vendor commissioning 25 customer interviews per quarter for VoC
+A PE buyer commissioning 12 customer references on a target
+A hedge fund commissioning customer interviews on a public-company target
+A category investor commissioning customer interviews to validate an investment thesis

03/Frequently Asked3 questions

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04/See AlsoWhere this applies

04.1

EXPERT CONSULTATIONS

One-hour calls with vetted operators, executives and specialists across 50,000+ professionals. Scheduled in 3 to 5 business days. From €500.

04.2

VOICE OF CUSTOMER

Programmatic third-party customer interviews — feedback your customers won't give you directly.

05/Related Terms3 suggestions

CUSTOMER INTERVIEW

A customer interview is a structured primary-research conversation with a current, former or prospective customer of …

VOC

Voice of Customer (VoC) is a structured, recurring primary-research programme with a company's current customer base,…

WIN-LOSS

Win-loss analysis is the structured practice of interviewing recent buyers — both those who chose you and those who c…

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