Integrity Vs. Making a living [RE-wrenches]

[matthew tritt]

Allan,

Unisolar, and now Sharp, have programs of the type you're suggesting. I
assume there are others as well. Both of these companies have somewhat
proprietary technology they are trying to ensure will last at least the
length of their warrantees. Some of the other multi-national mega-companies
might have a harder time limiting their potential sales (as they would view
it) by initiating similar programs. After all, module manufacturers are
mainly interested in keeping up volume to keep production costs at a minimum
and, thereby, cost to the consumer lower.

Take Powerxxxxx for example; they buy huge quantities of modules
factory-direct and are responsible for some pretty crappy installation work.
Does that stop the factories from selling to them? No way. Are the
installers trained properly? Not from the looks of some of their work, but I
bet they've been trained regardless.

Currently, if a component fails in the field, distributors and manufacturers
seem pretty careful about warranty replacements (from my experience anyway)
and are loathe to replace something that shows evidence of poor installation
quality or mis-handling. I somehow doubt that, considering the international
scope of the big manufacturers, they would ever be able to certify every
installer. On the other hand, they seem to charge plenty (!) to become
certified, so maybe they could be persuaded from the standpoint of simply
making more $$$$$$.

As for distributors that tend to treat their dealers like they don't really
care, change distributors! It seems like many of the people distributing
these days originally were buying from some other distributor to start with,
so you'd think that they would be a bit more sensitive to the problems faced
by their dealers!

Matt T
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allan Sindelar" <allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Friday, May 23, 2003 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: Integrity Vs. Making a living [RE-wrenches]


> I would like to propose that we encourage our manufacturers to set up
> "Certified Installer" programs, with training and testing. Product
> warranties would be the normal 2-5 years on any product installed by that
> product's Certified Installer, and 90 or 180 days (enough to cover infant
> mortality) otherwise. It would completely change the playing field, and
make
> the internet discounters' prices appropriate to the value received.
>
> Allan at Positive Energy
>
> PS: I believe that Ray is referring to the same distributor to whom we
have
> been loyal for about the same period. I also believe that we have seen
(and
> redone) the work of that "dangerously incompetent installer" that Ray
refers
> to, and he's right.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ray Walters" <remotech at taosnm.com>
> > I wanted to stay out of this, but .... I just met with my distributor
who
> I
> > have been loyally buying from for over 6 years. What does that kind of
> long
> > term relationship get you? Pricing above the .coms, and worst: they're
> > supplying my local competition including dangerously incompetent
> installers
> > and mega discounters selling at my cost.
> > Meanwhile, I have been foolishly trying to offer my customers top
quality
> > design, installation, service, and education.The super discounting is
way
> > worse than keeping me from being competitive; it creates bad will. All
my
> > efforts to win my customer's trust dissolve when that customer thinks
that
> > I over charged them.
> > I don't have a problem with solar panels selling for $3.25/ watt. Lower
> > prices are accelerating the growth of our industry and making solar more
> > competitive with fossil fuels. We, the wrenches simply need a reasonable
> > margin to cover our contribution to the sell.
> > The solution to this was addressed previously:
> > 1) establish firm chains of distribution with fair profit margins for
all,
> > 2) limit discount advertising,
> > 3) thoroughly train and certify dealers,
> > 4) set dealers up with separate sells territories.
> > 5) refer business from a national advertising campaign to the local
> dealer.
> > (Hmmm, sounds like other businesses.)
> > We the wrenches can only complain, but the manufacturers and their
> > distributors hold the future integrity of the solar business in their
> hands.
> >
>
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