How often do you hear someone ask what you don’t like about their product? Our guess—Not very.

Most companies treat criticism like it’s the plague. And because they avoid looking at their organization and products honestly, they end up spending a good deal of money covering up defects instead of on front-end resources that create ultimate success. 

We can’t help but shake our heads at the futility of that mentality.

Honest feedback and constructive criticism are essential to developing or nourishing any part of your brand—whether it be your logo, your social media presence, your product line-up or simply listening to what your customers have to say. Knowing what turns your audience off is as important as understanding what gets them excited.

We solicit criticism in every project, campaign and strategy we execute at Riley Weiss, because that frustration trigger is what we really want to help our clients avoid like the plague. Your customers can and will talk about it. In the current era of viral videos and highly visible 24/7 feedback loops, that’s a situation your brand probably can’t afford.

Get started with a simple request: Tell us what you don’t like. Where can we improve? How can we make this better for you? Be ready with a plan to filter the responses and act on the most relevant feedback.

The best brands, big or small, are asking those questions all the time—on Facebook and Twitter; through customer feedback surveys and loyalty programs. They’re willing to take an ego hit in the name of serving their customers—and their brands—better. And they’re confident in their ability to turn even the most negative feedback into something they can be proud of.

Case and point: Domino’s Pizza. After enduring a mortifying YouTube scandal and hearing public feedback that their crust tasted like cardboard and their sauce like cheap ketchup, Domino’s made a decision. They took that blunt criticism, asked for more and are very publicly chronicling their journey to a better product via the same social media channels that nearly brought them to their knees just months ago.

It’s a big gamble, but we admire their courage to really listen to what consumers think about the Domino’s brand and then act on it. Something else they did well: Domino’s kept their filter turned on. You won’t be seeing 17 flavors of Domino’s Daiquiris delivered with your pies (though surely some of their customers would love that service). Domino’s is simply improving in the areas most relevant to their success—taste and customer service.

Rather than play Russian roulette with your brand, find out what your customers really think. Ask the tough questions, make the hard decisions and enjoy the benefits of knowing, rather than hoping, you got it right.