10/07/2024

The big KOSTAL customer survey 2024: Installers and retailers expect good business development

Once a year, KOSTAL Solar Electric invites its installers and specialist partners throughout Europe to take part in a big customer survey. The results are now in. The majority of respondents attest to the high quality and safety of KOSTAL's products as well as its strong, 'made in Germany' innovative approach. Overall, the respondents are looking forward to positive business development with KOSTAL.

The results of this year's customer survey are illuminating and reveal important trends. As well as looking at general market development, for many years the big KOSTAL customer survey has also been ascertaining how satisfied customers are with the KOSTAL brand, products and services. German-made PV solutions are highly valued and in great demand – now more than ever. Furthermore, an increasing proportion of PV systems are being planned and installed directly with a battery storage system, wallbox or heat pump.

KOSTAL customer survey 2024: The results

KOSTAL inverters highly popular

KOSTAL inverters are very popular among installers and retailers: more than 63% of installers install KOSTAL inverters exclusively or regularly, and a further 36% install them alongside other brands.

Their popularity among retailers is just as clear: 70% of those surveyed sell KOSTAL inverters exclusively or regularly, and a further 27% sell them alongside inverters from other manufacturers.

The survey also shows the high level of satisfaction among respondents' customers: for example, 94% of installers believe that their customers are satisfied with KOSTAL products.

Retail partners rate their customers' satisfaction just as highly (94%). Both groups surveyed therefore anticipate a positive development with KOSTAL in the current financial year (installers: 82%, retail: 84%).

High satisfaction with the KOSTAL brand

One reason for the high popularity of the brand is the product range itself. The fact that KOSTAL manufactures in Germany is appreciated by 97% of those surveyed. The trade and retail sector are extremely satisfied with KOSTAL inverters and wallboxes. They scored particularly highly for their compactness, reliability and expandability (92%). Integrated device displays are also highly valued.

In addition, over 92% of KOSTAL inverter professionals are impressed by their high flexibility and compatibility with battery storage systems and heat pumps.

The simple installation and commissioning (93%), the fair price-performance ratio (84%) and the warranty services (94%) also speak in favour of KOSTAL products.

High level of interest in KOSTAL training courses

The 2024 customer survey shows a high level of interest in KOSTAL training courses. More than three quarters of all respondents regularly take part in KOSTAL seminars and webinars, several times a year.

The broad range of in-person and online training is also rated highly by the participants in the survey. 98% are satisfied with the scope and content. Respondents are also satisfied with the trainers, with an approval rating of 93%. The regularity and number of sessions was given a satisfaction rate of 82%. To improve this result even further, KOSTAL is working with retailers to further increase the number and regularity of training courses and add new topics and formats.

The KOSTAL customer survey: Important impetus from retailers and tradespeople

Another objective, which can be derived from the retailers' and tradespeople's responses, is that KOSTAL's tools and applications need to get better. "This is something we're already working on, and a number of changes are already on the way," confirms Thomas Vogel, Head of Product Management at KOSTAL. A completely new version of the KOSTAL Solar Plan planning and layout software will be released in 2024. The KOSTAL Solar App and the Solar Portal are currently being fully revamped.

Installers and retailers also appreciate the high level of expertise (96%) and solution-oriented approach (89%) of KOSTAL Service. "We will improve the team's availability, increase the number of staff and train specialised contact people for KOSTAL products and solutions," says Thomas Link, Head of KOSTAL Customer Service in Freiburg. "That is what we are taking away from the customer survey."

Once again this year, more than 10,000 professionals from the trade and retail sector took part in the customer survey. "It's important to have an ear to the market, because we want to offer our customers precisely the high-quality and flexible solutions that they need to work quickly and efficiently and to satisfy their own customers," says Frank Henn, Managing Director of KOSTAL Solar Electric. "The customer survey shows us that we are clearly on the right path and are in high demand. And our aim now is to deliver promptly on what our customers want."