UK public willing to pay a premium for simpler customer experience - report

A significant number of UK consumers would be willing to pay a premium on goods and services if brands made their interactions and communications simpler.

According to a survey of more than 6,000 consumers across seven countries undertaken by branding and design agency Siegel & Gale, the country’s fitness, air travel, restaurants and entertainment and technology and electronics industries stood to gain most from a change of approach, with customers indicating that they would be prepared to pay at least 4% more for a less complex experience here.

The mortgage, credit card and insurance sectors were rated as having the least simple and clear offerings, however. Howard Belk, Siegel & Gale’s chief creative officer, warned that if organisations operating in such markets wished to "regain consumer trust and thrive in this tough environment", they needed to "take a hard look at the negative repercussions of complexity".

Simplicity, meanwhile, was defined as communicating directly, clearly and honestly without jargon as well as making offerings convenient and easy-to-use so that customers saved time.

But consumers also valued simple and straightforward interactions with brands and liked feeling that they were obtaining clear savings and value-for-money rather than being overcharged, which increased stress levels. They also did not respond well to offerings that were seen as either niche or were targeted at too select an audience.

Top of the firm’s brand simplicity index was Asda with a score of 921. It was followed by Amazon in second place with a rating of 879 and Sainsbury’s, which received 872 points.