Client Interviews can get into sensitive areas. When my client asks that their customers be interviewed for useful feedback, lots of ideas are open for discussion.

One of the reasons a 3rd party can get more honest information about subject (my client) is I am independent. I am not serving the interviewee and there is no relationship to be protected.

We sometimes tell the person in the airline seat beside us some facts about ourselves which we won’t tell a good friend. People have the need to get “issues off their chest”, safely.

I make it possible for people to tell me suggestions, complaints and other things anonymously. Their identity will be protected. It is the comment that is important.

If multiple people make a common comment, that needs to be passed along because it is a significant issue for some reason. Their identity is not the issue.

I have done this for various organizations: changing the wording enough so the original idea is kept but the sources are safe.

This provides the interviewees with enough anonymity that they are willing to be interviewed, and pass along feedback that is worth commenting on.

Then the result will be information that my client can learn from, and then use to adapt/grow/shift/improve/change…