Platform Pulse: what platform builders can learn from China

Platforms in a world with AI-agents

During the previous edition of Platform Pulse, it was about how AI-agents change online platforms. Users might not go directly to your platform soon, but come into contact with your offer via AI-agents, apps or other environments. That asks something from platform companies. How do you remain visible and relevant when the interaction takes place somewhere else? Platforms need to think about their role when users start interacting with their offer in a different way soon. Wout: “Whether you do it or someone else does, this is going to happen.”

China as platform country

After Wout's talk, it was time for the talk of John Lin about platforms in China. John showed with many examples that digital platforms in China are much more self-evident than here in Europe. For instance, he told about his grandmother: “At home you have nothing to do. I have a pension, I have time, I have money. E-commerce is my new hobby.” Paying, ordering, arranging transport, renting powerbanks or using services: in China a lot goes via platforms like WeChat and Alipay. The lesson we could take from this part of John's story, is that a platform only really becomes strong when it removes barriers from daily life.

Good platforms remove friction

Chinese platform companies build faster, test faster and grow in a way we can barely imagine in Europe. John showed that copying there is often a starting point to learn, because of which companies rapidly develop further and add new services. But the difference is not just in speed. Chinese platforms think much less from one single service and much more from convenience for the user. Paying, searching, ordering, communicating and delivering often come together in one environment. The digital setup is also often more developed. Local providers, shops and delivery services are already connected, because of which new functions can be added faster. As John said about renting a bike or scooter via a superapp: “I scan that code once and in the background all those checks happen.” Fewer separate accounts, less hassle and faster to use. There lies perhaps one of the most important lessons for platform builders: a good platform does not just make the experience smarter, but above all easier.

What do we and don't we take with us?

Dare to think bigger. This was an important message from the talk of John. The common thread of his story was namely not just to make small improvements, but especially to think bigger. Where can we as a platform build faster, grow bigger and remove more barriers for users? We can learn a lot from China there. At the same time, China is not an example you should copy one on one. John himself also asked the question: “Is this then sustainable healthy? This is the big philosophical discussion that lives a bit in society.” Exactly there is the trade-off. China is not an example you should copy one on one, but it is a mirror. The speed, growth and focus on convenience are inspiring, but not everything needs to be faster, bigger or more integrated. As a platform builder you must always keep choosing what fits your market, your users and the values you stand for as an organization.

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