31/07/2023

The big KOSTAL customer survey 2023: announcing the results

More product innovations and improved service: KOSTAL surveys installers and specialist partners across Europe in its annual large customer survey.

Once a year, KOSTAL Solar Electric asks installers and specialist partners for their opinion as part of a Europe-wide customer survey. This year was no exception. All participants were asked to give their feedback on KOSTAL's products and services. The results show that initial measures from previous surveys have already been successfully implemented. "But we have also heard that they want further product innovations," says Thomas Vogel, Head of Product Management. "Here we want to give our customers the right tools immediately, with a completely new product portfolio."

More service, more support and simplified commissioning

One of the insights gleaned from the survey concerns the simplification of installing and commissioning KOSTAL inverters. The commissioning of the second generation PLENTICORE is now much easier thanks to the QR code and the new setup wizard for smartphones. To further facilitate installation, simple push-in terminals have been added to the inverter, enabling faster and more reliable installation of the communication cables.

Improved service and a wider range of training courses

"We're not shying away from making improvements. In the past, we received some negative feedback for a service that at times lacked speed and accessibility," says Thomas Link, Service Manager at KOSTAL Solar Electric. "We have taken this feedback very seriously, because we are grateful for every installer who chooses our products. It's our task to support them as much as possible."

"So we analysed the feedback carefully and have now restructured our service to make it more efficient. This year's survey results showed us that these measures have been successful. Nevertheless, we know that providing an excellent service requires continual effort. We will maintain our efforts and let ourselves be measured by our words and actions in the upcoming survey," says Link.

KOSTAL also responded to requests for more face-to-face training sessions to supplement the online webinars on offer. The KOSTAL Solar Academy is currently on tour, with many dates for all customers based in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

All dates can be found here: https://www.kostal-solar-electric.com/en-gb/installer-portal/training/

More power, more features and the next big innovation

As the first hybrid inverter, the PLENTICORE plus clearly demonstrated KOSTAL's desire to innovate. To continue to meet the demands of our customers and partners, KOSTAL is to launch the third generation of the PLENTICORE.

The PLENTICORE G3 offers a backup power function and can be extended by two stages in each of its power classes. In addition, it delivers up to 20 kW of power while maintaining compact external dimensions. Another highlight is the integrated overvoltage protection in the housing.

React, invest and expand further

"Difficulties in the supply of parts have hampered production in many industries and companies – including KOSTAL Solar Electric," explains Frank Henn, Managing Director at KOSTAL Solar Electric. "To minimise the negative impact of this external factor, we are now using alternative components in the current PLENTICORE series."

"This has enabled us to meet the high demand for German-made PV components. We also plan to quadruple our production capacity by 2025. The expansion is progressing, although the existing capacities were not being fully utilised due to some slight ongoing issues in the supply of parts. However, we are seeing a steady improvement in the delivery situation," says Henn.

Thanks for your feedback

Many thanks to all participants for providing us with feedback. We will continue to ask our customers and partners to participate in our customer survey in years to come. This enables us to continuously improve our products and services.

You can also share your feedback with us at any time. We would love to hear from you!

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