Customer relations

Management approach

Geberit sells products to customers in 120 countries via subsidiaries in 52 countries. The most important part of the market cultivation measures is carried out by the field service staff at the local sales companies. They are in daily contact with representatives from wholesalers, planning and plumbing companies, architecture offices and investors. Wholesalers play a key role in Geberit’s three-stage “go-to-market” model (sales model). They offer sanitary specialists the entire range of products across the various product categories.

Impacts, risks and opportunities

Geberit products pose a low risk to customers. Missing, incorrect or misleading information could potentially lead to improper use of the products and cause injuries or damage to property. Potential risks for Geberit – including with regard to data protection breaches and misleading marketing practices – essentially relate to possible complaints, plus fines and damage to the company’s reputation resulting from compliance violations.

Geberit is aware of the importance of responsible marketing practices. Thanks to information at trade fairs, digital tools for specialists and end users, marketing campaigns and training courses, it is ensured that everyone has easy access to comprehensive, high-quality information.

Training courses for customers

The wide, proven range of training courses provided to customers – notably plumbers and sanitary engineers – plays a key role in the marketing and information strategy of the company. In the reporting year, some 70,000 professionals (previous year 60,000) were provided with education and further training on products, tools, software tools and installation skills at 30 Geberit Information Centres in Europe and overseas. At the same time, counter days and local and digital events were organised in numerous markets – often together with wholesalers. More than 69,000 customers (previous year 61,000) took part in such events, of which 4,000 in digital formats. Web-based seminars and training courses also occupy an important place in the training offer of the sanitary technology group. A total of 23,000 people took part in the reporting year (previous year 18,000). This figure also includes those who participated in the Geberit Digital Campus, an online training platform that offers eLearning courses on a range of different skills as part of a self-study programme and is now available in ten markets.

Customer health and safety

The health and safety of customers is of the highest importance to Geberit, who ensures this at all times through the implementation of strict standards. The company’s own products and services are generally associated with a low risk for customers. This is the result of a preventive approach and comprehensive quality planning that ensures that the health and safety requirements are met in each phase – from development and production, to storage, installation and use, all the way through to disposal.

Products undergo a defined quality assurance process from the first draft. Product Development is responsible for ensuring that the products comply with all standards and statutory requirements, and are safe and user-friendly. The independent Product Quality department monitors the necessary inspections. Additionally, many products are inspected and certified externally.

Potential complaints following market launch are processed efficiently. Errors are analysed and sustained corrective measures initiated in cooperation with Sales, Production and Development. If there is an increased risk, this is communicated appropriately to customers. This is ensured by Geberit’s technical editorial staff, see Marketing and product labelling.

Throughout the Group, there were no court judgements or warnings against Geberit in the reporting year involving contraventions of regulations on the health and safety of products and services or product and service information.

Furthermore, no sanctions were imposed due to non-compliance with product liability regulations.

Marketing and product labelling

Marketing & Brands is responsible for the labelling of products and services. The Technical Documentation department that forms part of Marketing & Brands ensures that product and application information is conveyed correctly, in accordance with laws and to the appropriate target groups. The safe handling and correct labelling of products is ensured by detailed manuals based on the prevailing standards and laws.

Specialists from sanitary companies, planning offices and trading companies can find relevant information online. Understandable, detailed manuals simplify the installation and mounting of products. Handbooks and brochures offer additional information for plumbers, architects and engineers. In addition, Geberit provides product and safety data sheets for all products.

Requirements for product information and labelling

Products operated with electricity, gas or dangerous substances must be appropriately labelled in accordance with the prevailing laws and in the corresponding language.

Plastic parts should be labelled when possible to aid recycling. One of Geberit’s long-term goals is the creation of a material passport for each product containing information on the product materials used and their ecological footprint.

Geberit has joined forces with the Unified Water Label Association (UWLA, formerly the European Bathroom Forum) to work on a European label that can be used for a wide range of sanitary products. This is an all-encompassing, voluntary and flexible instrument launched by the sanitary industry to support EU targets on resource efficiency (Green Deal).

Since 2012, Geberit has been creating environmental product declarations (EPD) for individual products, which present relevant, comparable and verified environmental data on products in a transparent manner, see Eco-design.

In the reporting year, there were two minor cases of insufficient labelling that were corrected, and no violations in connection with marketing practices.

Data protection

In the area of data protection, numerous enquiries from Group companies are dealt with, with the prime focus on IT, HR, marketing and communication. Several Group companies were subjected to an internal data protection audit. Based on a newly created audit concept, there was an increasing focus on HR in the reporting year. Ongoing training sessions are held for data protection coordinators as well as for employees from various departments; 120 people took part in these training sessions during the reporting year. Additionally, a fully revised eLearning programme on data protection was launched, which was completed by around 4,000 employees in the reporting year.

In the reporting year, there were no known complaints concerning violations of data protection relating to customers.

Digitalisation/BIM

As digital tools are playing an increasingly important role in market cultivation, a dedicated team at Group level and in selected test markets takes care of the development and launch of digital solutions.

Applications

Geberit provides B2B and B2C customers with various applications for assisting in the selection, planning and calculation of sanitary installations and in the commissioning and maintenance of devices, see Business Report > Business and financial review > Financial Year 2024 > Customers.

Technical documentation

The digitalisation of technical documentation is also continuing at a rapid pace. Since 2024, customers have been consistently directed towards the online catalogues. As a result, it has been possible to reduce the amount of printed catalogues by around 60% to date. Furthermore, documents accompanying the products are increasingly provided online, meaning users can access digital installation documents and manuals via QR code.

BIM

With the interdisciplinary planning method BIM (Building Information Modelling), the entire planning and building process can be optimised. BIM enables architects, sanitary engineers, building product manufacturers and building owners to share information efficiently. For a number of years now, Geberit has been providing BIM users with support in the form of specific product data and calculation modules. A special plug-in is available for the Autodesk Revit 3D planning software, which combines all Geberit BIM tools in one central application and enables direct access to 3D models and planning parameters that are always kept up to date. The large number of downloads – totalling over 150,000 Revit data packages per year – underlines the increasing importance of digital planning.