Over the past few years we have actively asked new customers for feedback and suggestions for improvement. SunPump has grown by making mistakes and learning to avoid repeating them. We have accumulated lots of notes and here are a few that are concerning Installers for us to discuss. Think hard about these lessons on what not to do:
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Over Promising. Customers hate being over-sold on the performance or other benefits. Dealers that hard sell COP or other unsubstantiated numbers are their own worst enemy, it is bound to lead to disappointment that the Utility Bill did not shrink to near zero. Avoid any performance promises is best because there are so many variables and it is near impossible to dis-aggregate electrical consumption.
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No Commitment. Customers hate being the risk-taker, they want the Dealer to be the Leader, they feel if the Dealer does not have a SunPump installed that they are not sure either. To be successful you have to believe in your products and demonstrate credibility. For those that have started with their own install first their sales grow, and for others that try to avoid investing in a demonstration they waste their time (and ours).
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Lack Of Focus. The sweet spot for SunPump are installs in small to medium sized new custom homes. Attempting to do early installs in Commercial, Pools, or Custom applications can become unprofitable and enormous time sinks. Learn where SunPump works well out of the box for space heating and hot water. If you need cooling or complex custom built systems they are more trouble then you can imagine.
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Under-Sizing. Everyone in the heating business dreads the calls in December when the cold weather tests the settings and zoning, especially when people are too cold. It has happened to all of us, and we start to over-size to cover for mistakes. The best solution is to Right-Size equipment using software and experience to deliver the best balance of performance and economy.
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Inadequate Back Up. In the case of retrofits, the old system can be left in working condition as a back up. In new construction there will come a day when someone is going to be responsible for the need for an Auxiliary system. It is inevitable that unforeseen events will happen, like power failures, fuel shortages, down for service, or other events that call for a full auxiliary system to carry the load for a short time. Design for it and be a hero, rather than ignore that shit happens, and be the goat when trouble strikes. SunPump integrates a 6 kW electric back up which is perfect up to a 7 kW size, but short when the load is 10-14 kW or more, so insist on an inline 6 kW electric tankless, a wood stove, or propane space heater if the home is in a cold climate where heat is life-support you need redundancy.
- Unconditioned Space. It is against Code to install heating equipment in a crawl space, garage, or other unconditioned space outside of the building envelope. The location for SunPump and mechanical equipment is indoors where the all of the surfaces have the same R-value as the living space. Adding an electric space heater is not enough. If the reasons are not obvious, start with wasted energy and possible ice-damaged equipment in a winter power failure.
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Noise Issues. A classic Rookie mistake is locating a vibrating heat pump or other noisy machine on the same wall as the bedroom headboard. Think about the location in terms of sound and consider ways to reduce vibration and noise if there is any possible conflict with the quiet enjoyment of the home. Many Cities now have Noise Bylaws against outdoor split Heat Pumps with big noisy fans located near the neighbors window or deck, requiring removal or delay of a building permit.
- No Labor. All Heat Pumps come with parts only replacement warranties, none of them cover labor according to the latest survey. This is a big problem for the installer that does not insist on a Service Agreement to make certain the customer receives preventative maintenance, technical support, and labor coverage. Customers universally want the protection, some may seek the minimum coverage, but few will decline any labor coverage. Do not hide your head in the sand after the install is complete, plan for a Service Agreement with 100% of customers, and consider making it a mandatory policy like SunPump has, that you do not want customers who are not willing to pay for service. If you plan is to shirk Install support back onto the manufacturer it leaves the customer stuck in the middle disappointed that no one is there when they have an issue. We get it that Installers do not want free call backs, so make sure you get paid year after year - using the Service Agreement with every install.
I will say that if any installer persistently repeats many of the above mistakes, their business will be unprofitable, miserable, and out of business in a short time. A couple of our first dealers made all of these mistakes and at least half of them on every job. You can either learn by others mistakes cheaply, or you can learn by repeating them at a higher cost. If I can help your business succeed, only then can SunPump succeed.