Is it really okay to criticise the company in an interview?

Yes, if they ask, you do it kindly and you've done your research. Frame it as an opportunity you noticed, not a failure.

What if the interviewer built the thing I'm suggesting to change?

You probably won't know. That's why you start with a genuine positive and end with "there may be a reason it works this way."

Can I use a suggestion from online reviews?

Yes, if you've checked it yourself or seen it repeated across several reviews. Say where you saw it: "A few reviews mentioned…"

What if I can't use their product, like a B2B company?

Use their website, demo videos, case studies or job posts. Suggest something about how they explain their product to new customers.

How long should my answer be?

About 45 to 60 seconds: one positive, one idea, why it matters, and a line of humility.

What would you improve about our company? How to answer tactfully

What the interviewer is testing

"What would you improve about our company?" (or "What's one thing we could do better?") tests three things at once:

Did you research us? A real suggestion is impossible without using the product, reading the website or visiting a store.
Can you think like an owner? Do you notice things customers notice?
Can you be tactful? You'll need to suggest changes to colleagues who built the thing. Can you do it without offending anyone?

The two failures are opposites: "Nothing, you're perfect" (no research, no courage) and a blunt list of problems (no tact). Aim for one thoughtful idea.

How to find a suggestion

Spend 30 to 60 minutes before the interview being their customer:

Use the product or service. Sign up, browse the app, call support, visit a branch, read the menu, try checkout.
Read recent public reviews on app stores or review sites, looking for patterns, not one angry comment.
Compare with one competitor. What does the other company do that a customer might miss here?
Look at their own words. Their careers page, latest announcements or social posts. What are they trying to grow?
Pick the idea closest to the role. A marketing candidate should talk about marketing; a support candidate about support.

Good areas and risky ones

Safer to suggest	Why it works	Risky to suggest	Why
A step in sign-up or checkout	You experienced it as a customer	Their leadership or strategy	You don't know the full picture
Content or social media	Visible, easy to discuss	Pricing	Often tied to decisions you can't see
Help pages or support channels	Practical and fixable	Specific teams or people	Sounds personal
A feature customers ask for in reviews	Backed by evidence	Company culture from rumours	Unverified and unfair
Reaching a new customer group	Shows growth thinking	"Everything about the website"	Too broad and harsh

A structure for your answer

Start with a genuine positive. "I've been using the app for two weeks, and reordering is really fast."
Name what you noticed, as a customer. "When I tried to change a delivery slot, I couldn't find it in the app and had to use the website."
Why it might matter. "For people ordering on the go, that could mean missed deliveries or support calls."
A light suggestion. "Something like a 'change slot' button on the order screen might help."
Humility. "There may be a reason it works this way. I'd want to understand that first."

That's about 45 seconds and shows research, judgment and tact.

Example answers

These are made-up examples. Base your answer on what you actually find when you research the company.

Example answer for a marketing role at a consumer brand

"Your Instagram content is excellent. The recipe videos especially get a lot of comments. One thing I noticed is that the videos don't link to the products used, so someone who wants to buy has to search for them. Adding the products to each post might turn some of that engagement into sales. You might already be testing this, and I'd be curious what you've found."

Example answer for a customer support role

"I contacted support last week to test it. The agent was very helpful and solved my question in one reply. The only thing I'd look at is the help centre: I searched for 'refund' and the first three results were about something else. Improving those top searches could mean fewer tickets for the team. I'd want to see the ticket data before suggesting anything firm."

Example answer for a retail or hospitality role

"I visited the store on Saturday. The staff were friendly and the displays looked great. It was very busy, and there was only one place to pay, so the queue went back into the aisles. Even a second card-only till at peak times might help. I'm sure there are staffing reasons I don't know about, though."

Example answer if you couldn't find anything

"I honestly didn't find much to fix as a customer. Ordering was simple. If anything, I'd love to see more of your sustainability work on the product pages, because I only found it by reading your annual update. It seems like something customers would value."

Mistakes to avoid

Mistake	Why it hurts	Try instead
"Nothing, it's perfect"	Looks like no research	Find one small, real idea
A list of five problems	Comes across as harsh	One idea, explained well
Criticising people or leadership	Personal and unfair	Talk about products, services, content
Big claims ("your strategy is wrong")	You don't have their data	Suggest, don't diagnose
An idea unrelated to the role	Misses a chance to show fit	Choose something in your future area

Practice it out loud

The words in this answer are easy to get right on paper. The tone is harder: an idea said too confidently sounds arrogant, and too hesitantly sounds unsure. Say your answer out loud and record it. Aim for curious, not critical. The interview answer review shows your pace and filler words, and Speaking Coach's AI interviewer can ask the follow-up "Why do you think that matters?"