China

KFC will experiment with mobile payment methods in China, which has the potential to reinforce the brand’s image as fast and convenient, allowing even more expedited payment. Consumers really responded to the chain’s frequent new product launches and its easy-to-understand advertising.

One of China’s leading couriers, S.F. Express provides both domestic and international express delivery. In a country where couriers are known to be unreliable (think damaged and lost goods), S.F. Express has been able to remain above the fray. Respondents praise its reliability and speed, asserting that S.F. Express is faster and more secure than competitors.

Sogou is a search engine—which is appropriate because its name means “search dog.” Its clean interface makes it easy to operate on both desktop computers and smartphones. The search engine is a clear but distant second to Baidu, though some marketers find it more convenient to advertise there due to the lower cost.

As Taobao’s e-commerce counterpart, Tmall.com mirrors its simple user experience. Respondents find the search function to be simple and robust, and the products high quality, making it easy to choose to use the online retailer with little hassle or worry. As European and American brands like Burberry establish their first Chinese e-commerce presence through dedicated Tmall e-stores, the brand is making it easy for consumers to purchase authentic products straight from the source.

Launched by online retailer Alibaba Group, Alipay is a payment platform that commands the largest market share in China. Respondents praise its ease, speed and convenience, with one respondent calling it an “indispensible tool” for online shopping. And given China’s weak consumer protection laws, Alipay’s escrow feature—which allows buyers to withhold payment until receiving a satisfactory product—empowers consumers shopping online.

Consistency is the key to this fast food giant’s appeal in China. The foolproof East-meets-West menu, stable prices and speedy service also contribute to the brand’s simplicity. McDonald’s—as well as another fast food brand on our list—is also tinkering with mobile payments, hoping to ensnare the ever-increasing number of tech-savvy Chinese smartphone users.

Baidu is a diverse web services company whose search engine boasts more than a billion visits per month. The brand’s ability to cull the vast web into orderly search results is the main attraction, with survey respondents specifically citing its easy-to-browse news items and rich library of videos. Users can get information without going “around the world to learn,” according to one respondent.

A hot pot chain in Beijing and Shanghai that is famous throughout China, Haidilao Hot Pot is a restaurant that allows customers to cook their own food tableside with a seemingly endless variety of customization options. Respondents praise the simple, fast and clean food preparation, with one explaining that “the process [is] easier and faster than other similar brands.”

Geely, an automotive manufacturer that owns both Volvo and the London Taxi Company, seems to be a victim of the paradox of choice: survey respondents report confusion from the number of car models it offers and difficulty differentiating between them. China is currently experiencing a downturn in its automotive industry, so if Geely—whose cars are often pricy— wants to attract the dwindling number of consumers, perhaps it should clarify its value proposition.

This popular and approachable messaging and chat service has more than 829 million users in China. Since its inception in 1999, the service has grown to include video chat, social games, shopping, blogging and music streaming, making it a convenient one-stop shop for connecting with friends. Survey respondents call QQ simple because no matter where, what time, or on what device, “you can sit there with friends from different places.”

Often touted as China’s answer to both eBay and Amazon, Taobao.com is China’s #1 online marketplace, and is also #1 in our China Simplicity Index. Surve respondents praised the brand’s ability to reduce the hassle of online shopping. “You can get everything without leaving home,” explains one respondent. The site also goes above and beyond to simplify the payments and shipping process, with streamlined mobile payment options and same-day shipping.

Air China seems to have a lot going for it; it was the first airline in China to offer wi-fi, it has a fleet renewal program in the works, and there is only one fatal accident on record in its 27-year history. But none of these things seem to matter to respondents, who cite the airline’s cumbersome procedures and numerous delays as reasons for complexity.

With several respondents calling it a “monopoly,” what incentive does China’s largest integrated energy company have to simplify if there’s no competition? Like energy companies we’ve identified as complex in other regions, Chinese respondents bemoan the lack of transparent billing and high, unexplained prices.

Terms, conditions, rules and regulations—it’s the technicalities that make China Pacific Insurance complex, according to our respondents. “Regulations are many and complicated,” reads one typical answer. To distinguish itself from the pack at the bottom of the list, China Pacific should attempt to demystify its legalese.

At the very bottom of the list this year is the People’s Insurance Company of China, the only state-owned insurance company on the list. Respondents report getting lost in its heavy use of jargon and its mire of procedures and processes. Unique among the insurance companies on our list, respondents complained about issues after receiving policy payouts. “A lot of trouble when you receive insurance money,” says one survey respondent.

Impenetrable contracts are at the root of the complexity of Taikang Life, a life and health insurance company based in Beijing. This year, Taikang has reportedly been preparing for an initial public offering in the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges, so perhaps public accountability will increase the company’s transparency and simplicity.

Distrust colored many of the survey responses regarding the China Life Insurance complex. While some do acknowledge that insurance is an inherently complicated industry, the feeling about China Life is that they are using the complexity to hide underhanded operations.

Several respondents used the word “dizzy” when referring to experiences with this insurance company. The brand also breeds suspicion, with survey respondents calling the company deceptive and overly interested in “self-protection” rather than customer service. And what customer service is in place, respondents call excessive and harassing.

You might notice a theme among the final five brands in the China Simplicity Index: They’re all insurance companies. Survey respondents dock points from New China Life specifically for making it difficult to file claims, with one respondent complaining that the company fails to tell customers important information until they have an urgent need for the insurance.