At Penrith Solar Centre, we have a service-oriented culture. It’s not about us, it’s about you the customer. Our copywriter would really like to use far more flowery terms for it, but the reality is that simple. You are our first priority.
In that spirit, we’d like to take you on a journey through our service department so you can get a feel for how we prioritise you. Not every solar installation company has a service department.
And not every solar installation company has a service manager like Trevor.
What Is an In-house Installer?
Penrith Solar Centre is an in-house, full-service, tip-to-tail solar installer. Once you receive a quote from a lead-sales company like SolarQuotes, we get your contact information and reach out to you. From that moment forward, we take care of the rest.
Every solar installation begins with a chat about your unique energy needs and goals. You’ll work with a solar consultant to customise a solar system for you. We install it and set up the monitoring platform for you. And then we fulfill all warranties and service the system should anything malfunction.
We felt it best to just post the conversation as it evolved between us. There’s no need to improve upon Trev’s eloquence.
So, without further ado, here is a chat with Trevor, the manager of our service department.
What’s Our Service Department Like?
Let’s have a chat about the service department. I would like to hear about the department, about your role in the department, and about your story. Whatever you’re comfortable sharing.
The department is made up of four people. There’s myself, the service manager, and Jack M. Jack is my service coordinator. We have two guys on the road full-time, Monday to Friday. There’s Jack D. and Nico, and they’re on the road five days a week, dedicated purely to service calls.
Our dedication to service at Penrith Solar Centre is, I believe, unrivalled in the solar industry. We have four dedicated people in the office who take your call, respond to your call, and answer your call.
What is typical for a solar company when it comes to service?
Now, other solar companies have various Google reviews where they don’t answer their phone, have a ticketing system, and maybe send you back an email in a few days.
We take a lot of pride in saying that we will respond on the same day, or at worst, the next morning. We will have somebody out to your site just as quickly.
What’s our average turnaround time for a service call?
Most of the time, we can roll a truck within five working days. On rare occasions, it may take up to ten working days if we’re waiting for parts. Our competition often has much longer timelines.
We pride ourselves on providing backup service that meets customer expectations. We often fix issues for free if we’re in the area, even if the system is a few years old. We take a lot of pride in our work and aim to get the job done right.
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What Type of Work Do You Do?
What’s a day in the life for you? I know Jack was saying you guys are busy on Mondays.
We are generally busiest on Mondays, after a weekend. But all days are busy with various things. We’ve sold so many solar systems over the years that even a small percentage of those require follow-up, such as reconnecting to Wi-Fi, upgrading the system, cleaning the panels, or general maintenance.
Now, we are also starting to deal with much older systems installed by other manufacturers and companies that have failed or been installed incorrectly. We try to look after those as well, to keep people comfortable and happy.
Alright, so typically when somebody is ripping off a faulty system and reinstalling a new one, those are string systems for the most part, right?
Yeah.
How many of your service calls are for upgrading versus malfunctioning solar systems?
It would probably be 50/50. Many older systems have a much lower output per panel compared to what we’re using today. Older panels were around 250 to 300 watts, while today’s panels are more around 450 watts. So, for the same roof surface area, we’re getting a higher output. That doesn’t take into account the greater efficiency of the Enphase system and the various other advantages, like monitoring capabilities.
The monitoring alone on Enphase is very good. People can monitor their system panel by panel and know exactly what it is. If you get shading on one of those panels or some sort of concern with a panel, it doesn’t affect the rest of the system.
Yeah, of course. You’re on the phone with Enphase quite a bit, right?
Yes.
How does the relationship work?
They have two teams: one is US-based, and one is India-based. Because of time differences, we can always get someone. In the morning, it’s usually the US team; later in the afternoon, it’s generally the India team. From when I get here at 7:30 in the morning to when Jack leaves at 5:00 in the afternoon, Enphase is contactable.
We don’t have an issue where we’re waiting for a response to a concern or a result for a customer. They are an excellent company to deal with, with excellent support and knowledge.
Tell Us About Yourself, Trev
I’d like to hear a bit about your life if you don’t mind.
Sure. I’m 59 years old and see this as my last job. I live locally in Minchinbury and have a strong connection to the area. I grew up in Penrith and I’ve been in the area all my life.
I know what people in Penrith want: honesty and a fair go. I aim to provide that, and I know Penrith Solar Centre does too. We see being the biggest solar centre in Penrith as a privilege and strive to stay ahead.
Yes. I got married in 1998, have been with the same lady for many years, and we have children together. Just like caring for customers, caring for family is a responsibility I take seriously. I’ve been with my partner for over 30 years, which is a long time.
My background is in motor mechanics. I’ve always had an inquisitive mind and a mindset for repairing and making things work to their best potential. Service is service, whether in car dealerships or solar companies. The goal is to get the product to operate at its potential and premium in the shortest time possible.
How did you transition from owning a shop to working in solar?
I owned a small franchise shop, but it didn’t turn out the way I wanted. I wasn’t getting the return on investment I wanted. In solar, people also want a return on investment. An option came up with a competitor solar company, where I worked for six years. I developed a very strong bond with Enphase during that time.
When I left that company, I took some time out of the industry. Eventually, an opportunity arose with Penrith Solar Centre. Jake reached out via Enphase, and I accepted an offer I couldn’t refuse. It’s a sensational place to work.
What’s the Company Culture Like?
How did you find the culture here?
The culture at Penrith Solar Centre is tremendous. It’s a joy to work here, and the level of employee satisfaction and support is huge. Jake leads by example. We never feel like we’re tackling a problem alone. Being dedicated to Enphase, we have a great relationship with them and receive significant support.
One of Jake’s points of pride is employing electricians across departments. You have a few working for you in the service department, right?
Yes, we have two. Nico has just completed his fourth year and has certificates for solar and batteries. Jack D., our second year, consistently performs well above his capabilities. Nico is exceptional and passes his knowledge on to Jack. We try to get them to go to sites together to gain better knowledge. Since they only work on Enphase, they are very focused.
Final Thoughts from Trev
Do you want to add anything else?
If you look at our Google reviews for Penrith Solar Centre, you’ll see numerous five-star reviews for our service. We often talk about a three-legged stool: sales, installation, and service. If one of those legs isn’t performing, we have a rocky stool. We strive to keep all legs stable.
Unlike other companies, we don’t use subcontractors, which helps us maintain high service standards. Our install teams are dedicated and employed by Penrith Solar Centre. We also have parts on our shelves, so we can address issues quickly.
Jake supplies us with everything we need to succeed at our jobs. Our environment supports quality installations. We have an office support network that coordinates and collaborates with the installers and sales team. There are no egos, and the only thing that matters company-wide is for the benefit of PSC customers.
I am absolutely blessed to have been provided with my dedicated and talented team, and such an effective team of managers to work with, and the only stipulation from Jake is to get customer satisfaction levels to PSC standards.
We’re big enough to service, and small enough to care. And we take that very seriously. We do everything with care and precision. How we do one thing is how we do everything. That’s just who we are.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the importance of a good installer for your solar (the most important component of any system, seriously), you might want to check out the following article titled, In-house Installers vs. Subcontractors: Which is Better?
