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As solar professionals, it is easy for us to jump from one job to another, turning customers into numbers on a spreadsheet. While we see financing quotes, panel measurements and storage capacity, homeowners might experience permitting hassles or construction inconveniences.

As this industry matures, it is our duty to pay special attention to the customer experience and ensure that their switch to solar is the best it can be. By doing so, we increase the chances that they will share their satisfying experience with their friends and neighbors and send us more referrals.

So, when the time came for me to install solar on my own home in the San Francisco Bay Area, I decided the only way to truly understand my customers was to go undercover as one of them.

As the managing director of a subsidiary of a German solar company that both manufactures and distributes solar products to installers, I wanted to get the real experience of switching to solar. Typically, to gain more understanding into homeowners’ needs, we in the industry tailor our services based on things like market research, installer insights and customer surveys. But, as the saying goes, you will never truly understand someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes.

Even though I was already “sold” on the idea of switching to solar, to be honest, the whole experience was rather frustrating - so much so that I can only imagine the frustration and sense of being overwhelmed that some customers feel when they find themselves talked into going solar with a good sales pitch, without truly having their heart in it.

Here are some words of advice from someone who has been to the other side of residential solar sales and back:

1. Follow up on customer inquiries. As any homeowner would, I started my process by shopping around for competitive offers. I contacted two leasing companies and four local installation firms. All but two actually spoke with me in person. One company left a single voicemail message without any other follow-ups, while the other never contacted me at all.

That lack of follow-up made narrowing down my choices easier, but those companies lost out on a pre-qualified sale. One company actually called me back within two minutes of my submitting my online form and suggested scheduling a call later that evening. I was impressed with the company’s speed, and it earned extra points in my evaluation.

2. Use technology to expedite the process. After four phone calls, I invited three companies to come out to my house. Each was able to provide me with detailed quotes, as well as financing and rebate options based on my needs. Two installers showed me online-based systems, which was an easy way for the installers to walk me through manufacturers’ product ranges.

These systems also clearly compared my financing options and allowed me to view a rendering of my system design. In retrospect, I realize that my confidence in those two installers increased because they used the online portals as a tool to educate me on the process in a short period of time.

3. Measure the roof before offering a quote. The online portals are great, but they can never replace physical measurements. None of the installers that came to my house actually climbed up on my roof for exact measurements! It was a major oversight by each installer.

The design engineer I ultimately chose quoted a 3.12 kW system as the original layout. However, this layout did not meet the California fire code for three feet of clearance on one side and the top of the roof. He did not know about this code problem because he used Google Maps to make an estimate.

I am sure this choice was quicker for him, but it cost me the energy loss of two panels in the long run. Because the installer cut corners, my system was downsized to 2.64 kW, and 13 panels were reduced to 11 and re-submitted for permitting.

 

 

If installers take only one lesson from my experience, it is that they should not rely solely on digital mapping to build a quote that is later used in permitting paperwork.

4. Help prepare your customer for the paperwork. As soon as I received a sales contract (Day 1), I started the meticulous paperwork process right away. Between Days 4 and 32, I submitted two sets of homeowner association (HOA) forms, ordered the products for my solar system using my installer’s online system, submitted a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) rebate application, submitted additional photos of the system and a brochure of the products to my HOA, and completed an online PG&E energy audit. The installer applied for a city permit and had a vent on my roof removed to make way for the panels.

In total, I ended up filling out seven forms. Because I was diligent and did not procrastinate, I was able to tackle this task in a single month. However, I can imagine this level of paperwork could be so daunting for the average homeowner that they would take much longer to complete it.

In the industry, we know that the permitting process in the U.S. needs reform. In the meantime, we should do as much as we can to prepare residents for this process and help them through it.

5. Support your customer during HOA approvals. Like most, my neighborhood is overseen by an HOA. To switch to solar, I actually need to get written permission from my neighbors to install the solar panels on my own roof. Imagine what this undertaking must be like for homeowners that may not know their neighbors or have never even spoken to them. This step can be awkward and daunting.

Some installation companies will contact neighbors on behalf of the resident, but I think that approach is equally uncomfortable for the homeowner and the neighbor. It’s like saying, “I don’t care enough that you are my neighbor to ask you this is in person, so I’ve sent this solar guy to talk to you.”

Instead, why not go with customers to get neighbors’ approvals if you see they are home when you are at the site? This can help ease their pressure of asking a favor of someone they may not know very well and, as a bonus, you get an opportunity to sell to a new customer with your referral standing right beside you. It may take some extra time on your end, but it might be worth it.

6. Help the homeowner plan ahead for installation inconveniences. Finally, on the 40th day of the process, the installation began with the setting up of inverter mounts and wires in the attic. Day 44 continued with the installation of the quick-mounts on the roof. Tile hooks, racking and final wiring were put in place on Day 46. The panels were finally connected on Day 47. Interconnection to the grid would take another four weeks.

While it took just four days to complete the installation, I was denied use of my garage for a total of seven days. The installer used my garage as a staging area and for storage. Had I been informed of this beforehand, I could have made arrangements to rent a temporary storage unit for him.

In truth, the installer should probably do that himself - and some already do. This storage issue may seem minor to an installer, but it can be a major inconvenience for the homeowner.

7. Cover the details before placing the order. In addition to providing energy savings, every solar panel should complement the house as much as possible. Upon inspection of my brand-new system, I realized that the silver rails of the racking did not match the black-framed panels. I had to ask the installer to come back out and paint the visible rails.

This task represented an extra day out of his work schedule that he could have avoided if he had explained this eventuality before we placed the order. Had I known the rails did not match the panels, I probably would have ordered black rails.

Overall, the process of having a solar system installed on my home, though completely worth it, was rather arduous. The simple insights described earlier can make the entire procedure easier and more pleasant for homeowners.

The more we do as solar professionals to streamline the process and make the experience better for the resident, the more solar fans we make - and the more likely they are to sing our praises to their neighbors and friends. It’s not just our job to install solar; it’s also our job to make it easy. R

 

Deep Chakraborty is managing director of Centrosolar America, which adopts a downstream strategy for distribution of complete PV systems directly to solar installers through its own centers nationwide, along with training and financing support. He can be contacted at (510) 933-6100.