What to Expect From a Solar Sales Person

Solar Sales People and You

In one of our earlier blogs, we discussed solar sizing. A professional solar salesman should go over those items to help you evaluate your needs so a solar system can be sized and priced accordingly.

Questions to ask yourself are

1. Do you like the person you are dealing with? What is their attitude toward your hard earned after tax dollars you will be using to purchase solar.

2. Do they listen and acknowledge your interests and concerns?

3. Do they answer those concerns or do they shelf those issues and just go on to their next presentation points?

4. Do they offer multiple products and do they push their company’s predetermined product line.

5. Do they educate you as to the different silicon manufacturing processes as well as the benefits and differences of each?

6. Do they try to determine less expensive ways to offset your energy needs?

7. Sales People should know the differences between string inverters, optimizers, and micro inverters.
Are they knowledgeable on the differences in Warranties.

Most consumers are not fully aware of the most primary and "expensive" portion of any warranty is the Labor.  Enphase Micro inverters have a 25 yr warranty but just a two year labor warranty.  However, if a Premier Panasonic dealer purchase enphase micro inverters installed at the Panasonic plant in New York, Panasonic will wrap the Enphase warranty with the Panasonic 25 yr labor warranty.

What this means is Panasonic would offer 25 years of labor for the enphase units!  As you can see, an informed sales person can be worth their weight in gold if they educate a consumer of what the various warranties actually cover.

8. Do they discuss the different warranties, efficiencies, pricing, and value utilizing different product lines? A customer who has a very limited roof area and wants to get rid of as much of their bill as possible may want to consider Panasonic, Q Cells, or Canadian Solar 60 cell high efficiency panels.

Solar sales people are the gateway to the solar industry. Very little happens without them. The best value for purchasing solar power is when all of the above items are considered when purchasing a solar system for your home.

Just by asking some of these questions can clue you in to whether the sales person and contractor have your best interests at heart.