Page 19 - North American Clean Energy September/October 2019 Issue

in the contract and ask questions so that they really understand what kind of a deal they are getting into. A well-informed consumer can help drive the industry towards a better customer experience.
By running a tight ship and making training paramount, solar installers can help boost our reputation industry wide. Too often, the “quantity over quality” mentality is stressed - this ends up costing everyone in the long run. Installers
should have regular meetings, encourage collaboration between installation
crews to share tribal knowledge, and
turn a scrupulous eye on their team’s workmanship. The smarter installers
take inspection reports and use them
as an opportunity for improvement. Well-trained installers will pass on the knowledge and adhere to higher standards in the right environment. On the other side are the installers that push back on their inspection results, oftentimes because they were not aware they were breaking code or doing anything incorrectly. It’s rarely a matter of malicious neglect. More often, it’s just the result of basic ignorance or lack of experience.
Users of third-party installers (TPI) should start out new relationships with
a strong inspection protocol. Failures do not need to eliminate the new installers;
a simple plan for corrections can change the outcome and future trajectory. Good installations result in fewer phone calls, better social media, and less headaches
in trying to rectify legal escalations. After all, it is better - and less expensive - to do a job right in the first place than to spend man hours fixing a mess.
The solar industry is still relatively new, with plenty of untapped potential. We owe it to ourselves to play a part in learning from past mistakes and ensuring quality installations are the norm. Inspections and training are the easiest way
to disseminate vital criteria for solid installations. Solid installations lead to happier customers. Happy customers will tell everyone they know about how much they love their system and encourage others to be part of the solar community. The reputation of solar is in our hands.
Christopher Beauchamp has been a solar inspector with Burnham Nationwide for the last six years. He is currently head of development for the BurnhamEYE Documentation & Inspection Application. His attention to detail and enhancement of this inspection tool has enabled accurate remote inspecting of solar installations across the nation and beyond.
Burnham Nationwide, Inc.
/// www.burnhamnationwide.com
North American Clean Energy
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