"All customers where we have installed TECEone are extremely satisfied with it."
In an detailed interview, bathroom planner Andrea Werner discusses the importance of shower toilets and their benefits.
Frau Werner, what’s your current assessment of the shower toilet market in Germany?
The importance of shower toilets and demand are steadily increasing, we clearly notice that in our showroom. More and more people are recognising the hygiene advantages of cleaning with water and are specifically asking us about this type of solution.
How do you explain the advantages of a shower toilet to your customers in general?
I usually address the issue of shower toilets directly when planning a bathroom. Most people are very interested and quickly understand the high level of hygienic comfort a shower toilet brings you. Health aspects also play a role, because water cleans sensitive body parts more gently and more effectively than paper. In addition, this convenient form of intimate hygiene also means more independence in old age, especially if one’s ability to move becomes restricted at some point.
What persuades your customers to spend more money on greater hygiene comfort? What role does price play?
Most people are quite price-sensitive when it comes to shower toilets. That's no surprise, because anyone undertaking a bathroom renovation usually takes a close look at the costs. TECEone is at advantage here, because the price already pays off in the sense that an toilet purchased individually plus bidet would cost about the same - with significantly more space required. So customers get a toilet with bidet function in one product on which they don't have to sit astride, but can sit comfortably as usual.
What do you think is particularly important with shower toilets?
Many people only want the core function of cleaning with hot water and no frills on the toilet. The classic toilet design from TECEone is therefore very well received by our customers. We have many bathroom renovators from the age of 40 upwards, who attach importance to not having too much technology visible at first glance and the bathroom not looking like a rehab measure. With TECEone, you only discover the two controls for water temperature and water flow if you look closely.
Many electronic shower toilets offer a wide range of functions. Are functions such as seat heating, warm air dryer or lady's shower actually used in the long term in everyday life or are they dispensable?
In my opinion, seat heating and warm air dryers are definitely dispensable and are hardly ever requested by our customers. A lady's shower is certainly an issue, but the TECEone is also quite suitable for that. The decisive factor, however, is cleaning with warm water, and preferably with lots of it, which is what TECEone offers. A full, soft water flow simply cleans faster and more thoroughly than a thin, pulsating or oscillating jet, and it also feels more pleasant. Electric models with an integrated boiler also quickly reach their limits when it comes to the amount of water, and the water gets cold after a certain time. This can't happen with the TECEone, as it gets the water from the hot water pipe almost indefinitely.
In your experience, how important is simple, intuitive operation?
This is actually more important than an overabundance of functions that all have to be operated by some means, i.e. with a number of buttons, keys or remote control. In my opinion, simple operation always wins out in everyday life. The two rotary knobs of the TECEone, the right for temperature and the left for water strength, are immediately understood by everyone and can also be quickly and easily explained to guests.
Are there cases where you nevertheless recommend an electronic shower toilet?
As a rule, I only recommend an electronic shower toilet where there is no possibility of laying a hot water pipe, i.e. purely for installation reasons.
When it comes to buying a bathroom, it's usually the woman who decides. Do women value the fact that the shower toilet is easy to keep clean?
Absolutely! Flush-free and seamless design are fortunately now standard for shower toilets, but only models like the TECEone, which have no electronics in the seat, offer an easily removable seat and lid. Incidentally, this also impresses men, even if they still rarely reach for the cleaning cloth.
As a sanitary specialist, what is it about TECEone that impresses you?
I like the fact that installing the TECEone is kept simple and practical. Our plumbers only needed a short learning phase, since then they have been installing it without any problems. And instructions in how to use and maintain it are also simple.
Nobody likes to talk about maintenance. As a sanitary, heating and air-conditioning specialist, how do you rate TECEone and its current-free thermostat technology in this respect?
Actually, we have only ever had one minor maintenance issue with TECEone, which was quickly resolved. The nice thing is that there are no parts on the TECEone that a traditional sanitary plumber wouldn't know how to handle; we are familiar with thermostats from showers. With an electronic shower toilet, on the other hand, the after-sales service needs to come out quickly to take measurements and replace electrical components. Of course, that also costs time...
Almost everyone is familiar with wobbly toilet seats. How important is the pre-assembled, permanently wobble-free seat and cover from TECEone?
Customers actually assume a toilet seat will be wobble-free. Unfortunately, we professionals experience toilet seats wobbling somewhere on an almost weekly basis. This is a nuisance for the users and for us in the trade, because it takes time and costs money to fix it. So I’m very glad that we don't have this issue at TECEone and that we don't have to waste time on adjustments during the initial installation.
Finally, one question: what feedback do you get from your customers about TECEone?
The best! All the customers for whom we have installed TECEone are extremely satisfied with it.
Thank you very much for this interview, Frau Werner!
