Are you looking for the best CRM for your self-consumption and renewable energy business? Are you already working with a CRM but it is not specialized in the sector?
Read on to explore what a specialized Solar CRM is and what benefits it has and why Wattwin's software may be the best choice for your company.
But, first of all, if you're here it's a good sign. It means you have the opportunity to boost your business and you want to do it.
In the current context of the sector, the great challenge for installers, marketers and engineering companies is to promote the sale and installation of self-consumption and renewable energy system projects. In other words: to sell. But to sell well. Sell with quality.
I know, succeeding in the industry is difficult, but it is possible. So what is the secret to commercial success in the industry?
Although there are several factors, undoubtedly technology and efficient processes have a lot to do with it. And a Solar CRM is one of the main keys.
Table of Contents
1. Challenges for installers and retailers in 2024
You will agree with me that we are facing an inevitable energy and technological transformation, right?
For the vast majority of installers and retailers, managing and growing their solar self-consumption systems and electrification installation business in recent months has become more difficult and complex, especially when demand is growing more slowly than in previous years, margins are shrinking, there is more competition and the customer is becoming more digital and demanding.
The new energy paradigm and the current market situation has changed the rules of the game in terms of business management and requires installers and other energy companies to be better prepared to face the new challenges and complexity of selling solar self-consumption and electrification projects.
To understand what these challenges mean for companies in the sector, our team of experts in energy project management has created a working model based on three dimensions that cover the entire life cycle of a business: Operations, Knowledge and Collaboration.
- Operations
In the operational environment, processes are becoming increasingly inefficient in the various phases of a project's life cycle, from business opportunity capture to execution and implementation.
Specifically in the commercial area, a large majority of installers and marketers continue to work with little digitized methodologies and we have estimated that they are using an average of 8 non-integrated tools just to manage the design, offer and sales part.
As a result, it takes companies up to 6 hours on average to generate a commercial offer for a residential customer, which equates to 120 hours to serve 20 potential customers, of which only 18 hours are really useful and effective to end up converting 3 customers - assuming a conversion rate of 15%. If we add to this the cost of each employee involved in generating this commercial proposal, you will realize the impact this can have on the business.
Additionally, we must also take into account the impact on the customer of having to wait several days to receive a proposal. An increasingly digital and demanding client, who is looking for agility and speed and who, surely, will consult several suppliers at the same time, either in person or on the Internet through a comparator or a web solar calculator.
In conclusion, both installers and marketers must improve their operating model, working with more agile and automated processes, as well as specialized and integrated sales tools.
- 2. Knowledge
In the area of knowledge, we note that specialized knowledge is key to the sale and management of self-consumption and electrification system projects.
There are more and more areas of specialization within the sector, whether at a technical, legal or commercial level. It is no longer enough to have a broad knowledge of a particular subject or product; now this subject is being broken down and each particle gives rise to a new specialization. This has given way to very concrete and specific training for each area, making it increasingly difficult to find qualified personnel.
In addition, the fact that we are in an industry that is evolving by leaps and bounds, requires constant adaptation to the new needs emerging in the day to day. In this context, having qualified professionals has become a challenge for many installers and marketers.
Based on the advice of our experts, we advise you:
- Work with specialized tools in the sector instead of conventional tools, since much of the knowledge and methodology we need is already incorporated and will allow us to streamline processes.We have already incorporated a large part of the knowledge and methodology we need, which will allow us to streamline processes.
- To have a qualified internal and external team to support us in the areas that require more specialization.. As for the external team, it may be advisable to outsource those processes that are not the main activity of the company or its strong point and that are essential for the success of the project, such as the management of procedures and legalizations.
3. Collaboration
In the new paradigm of electrification, collaboration has been decentralized and this fact makes the communication process slower than we would like in most cases. This makes project operations more difficult and can lead to significant delays due to lack of information, communication or transfer of responsibilities.
We can find up to 10 agents involved in the same project, whether they are professionals within the company or external ones who collaborate in different areas to respond to what is not covered.
This is currently the most common equation for installers and marketers and, if you've made it this far, you may feel a sense of recognition in this situation. How much does it cost to keep all the equipment organized and connected?
Centralizing all the communication between the different agents is essentialfor a project to follow an organic course far from operational errors. Having all the information available at any time, from any device, and being able to update it in real time will avoid losses in the course of the project and will also maximize the efficiency of the entire project life cycle.
This new scenario not only implies that installers and retailers are more digital and efficient, but also that technology is increasingly prepared to solve the new specific challenges posed by the sector.
And this is wheresolar CRM software comes into play.
"Business management has become much more complex in the current context for installers. Having a solar CRM software like Wattwin allows them to simplify and optimize their operations as well as accelerate their projects, leaving behind inefficient processes and unnecessary costs derived from using non-specialized or non-integrated tools."
2. What is a solar CRM software
Until now, three letters could be enough to be commercially successful in any industry: CRM.
But they are no longer. At least not in the plant and renewable energy sector.
A solar CRM is a vertical CRM software or specialized in the marketing and management of projects in the field of solar self-consumption and electrification, and is the best ally for installers, marketers and other energy companies seeking to master the marketing of electric self-consumption projects.
It is a commercial software, like any other CRM, which has the particularity that it has been specifically designed for companies in the energy sector.
And it is not only large companies that are already working with solar CRM software to be more commercially successful, but also small and micro-enterprises .
Key features of a complete solar CRM include:
Sales management: from the design and preparation of quotations and offers to customers, to the management of the flow of ongoing commercial opportunities being handled.
Creation of studies: design, calculation and simulation tools integrated into the solar CRM. This allows users to create accurate proposals and budgets without the need for external tools or advanced technical knowledge.
Project management: Allows companies to keep detailed track of each project from inception to completion. This includes document management, client communication, task scheduling and progress tracking.
Tracking paperwork, incentives and regulations: The incentives and regulatory landscape in the solar energy sector can be complex and variable. A solar CRM can help companies track paperwork and legalization management processes, track incentives available at each location, as well as keep up with regulatory changes.
Improved business performance: through the ability to analyze data, which is critical to identify trends, optimize business strategies and improve decision making. A good solar CRM provides tools to analyze customer data, project performance and sales results.
Process automation: The planning of tasks and their corresponding automation, as well as the standardization of repetitive processes, can save time and minimize human errors. A solar CRM can automate simple and complex task flows, starting with the creation of tasks and alerts, sending emails, generating reports, updating customer records, among others.
In short: a solar CRM software focuses on solving the specific challenges of the energy sector, improving the commercial management of those companies dedicated to consulting, design, sale, installation and/or maintenance of self-consumption electricity installations - whether solar panels, aerothermal systems or electric vehicle chargers.
"Choosing the right CRM can make the difference between success and stagnation in the solar self-consumption and electrification market. By opting for a solar CRM, companies can leverage tools designed specifically for their needs, increasing operational efficiency and improving the customer experience at every stage of the sales process."
3. Why solar CRM software is better vs. generalist CRM software
Generalist or horizontal CRMs have seen abysmal growth over the last few decades - think Salesforce, Hubspot, Pipedrive or Monday.
However, the trend is changing, especially in emerging and technically complex sectors, where specialized solutions are increasingly in demand. This is exactly what has happened in the energy and electrification sector.
Running and growing a business in the new energy paradigm has become more difficult and complex for installers, especially if they are looking to scale sales and achieve a good level of performance and operational efficiency from sales teams.
Given the current context, working with a solar CRM makes much more sense for energy companies, especially installers and marketers. Solar CRMs bring together the best of general CRMs and the most powerful technical and business tools used in the industry:
- First of all, a solar CRM is a tool designed to improve your company's revenue. It is created exclusively to deal with the complexity of your industry's commercial processes and technical sales. In this sense, the main advantage is the integration of tools and technical functions, which allows you to reduce sales and design times of installations and the calculation of energy balance in an automated way and without the need to resort to external programs or the help of the engineering team.
- Secondly, a solar CRM is an easier and less expensivetool to implement, as it is ready to facilitate daily operations and comes pre-configured with the interface, functions and specialized tools needed to work more efficiently.
- Thirdly, a vertical or specialized CRM is a tool to which you can add many variables related to your area of work or your sector. In this sense, a solar CRM will give you the opportunity to adapt as much as possible to your daily operations and the needs with which you work on a daily basis.
So... Bye Bye to generalist CRMs 
.
Doing so will force you to submit to the way the tool works, or to have to customize it until it adapts to the needs of your business without knowing the particular sector. This implies investing a great deal of time and financial and human resources to customize and implement the CRM. If it can be done at all. Sometimes it may even require the intervention of Ethan Hunt's team (Tom Cruise) in Mission Impossible.
4. Choose the best solar CRM
Using a solar CRM software like Wattwin for the commercialization of renewable energy solutions and systems will have multiple benefits for your business, but the most important of all is that Wattwin will respond to the main challenges of the new energy paradigm of energy installers and marketers, among other companies in the sector.
How do we know? Because we've been in your position too. We have more than 10 years of experience in the design and configuration of energy facilities and we understand perfectly the needs of the sector. That's why we decided to develop a tool specifically to provide a solution for companies like yours.
And what is Wattwin like? Before going into detail,find out for yourself in 2 minutes:
Easy, isn't it? That's because it is.
Now read on to discover all the main things you can do with Wattwin.
Attract customers in a professional manner
Wattwin is your commercial command center. Whether you work with a single or multiple sales channels, all your opportunities can be easily managed from the tool. In addition, you can use our Web Simulators that will help your sales team to capture new online sales opportunities in an agile and organized way. In addition, you also have the possibility to create intuitive simulators depending on the channel or type of installation and post them on your website.
Create studies and design installations in minutes
Design your custom projects with Wattwin's advanced technical tools, saving time and minimizing errors in every area of the design.
Thanks to the integrated designers and configurators, you can create studies and plan your installations of solar self-consumption, aerothermal, electric vehicle chargers, and more. Wattwin automates complex calculations and provides you with recommendations to optimize your installations and choose the right equipment for each project.
And all this without leaving the platform or the need for advanced technical knowledge! Anyone in your team can do it in minutes.
Automate document generation
What would you do if you could save hours of work in creating customized commercial proposals, with all the graphs and calculations of production and energy balance?
Wattwin allows you to generate customized quotation documents in a matter of seconds, ready to send to your customers and close the sale effectively. While you focus on designing the installation, Wattwin takes care of generating the quotation and bill of materials automatically, so that you only have to review and adjust it if necessary.
Save hours of work in creating commercial and technical documents, adapted to your corporate image, whether you want to work with your own templates or use the Wattwin templates already loaded on the platform.
Either way, make sure you know the 5 key elements you can't miss in your solar self-consumption offers and download our commercial offer template here.
Effectively monitor and track your opportunities
With Wattwin, nothing can slip through the cracks. Now, your sales team can streamline sales management in a more structured way and focus their efforts according to the status of each potential sale. In addition, Wattwin's solar CRM allows you to know at all times the exact status of your business and to make decisions accordingly thanks to the graphs and statistics automated within the tool itself.
Optimize and adjust your installations
We know that it is necessary to have every detail of the installation under control, that is why Wattwin provides you with technical tools such as the power to install recommender. With it you will be able to optimize the installation to the maximum according to the consumption of all your customers. In addition, it is also important to have a sensitivity analysis system to visualize different power and battery capacity scenarios that affect the results of the installation. Thanks to this you will find the best solution for each of your customers.
Send documentation through the integrated e-mail
Thanks to the integrated e-mail in Wattwin you will be able to communicate directly with your customers and/or third parties without the need to use other tools for such management. This will allow you to have all the information and documentation centralized in one place and available and accessible at any time.
Efficiently plan and manage your projects
Wattwin's solar CRM helps you plan all your installations and coordinate the different teams involved. You will be able to track your projects in real time, assign tasks to your teams, optimize resources and take control that allows you to make decisions aligned to each moment. In addition, during vacations it will be very easy to manage your team and redistribute tasks to stay ahead of events.
Increase productivity
Connecting all the transversal departments -marketing, sales, after-sales, customer service- of your company is beneficial for the company. The use of a solar CRM software such as Wattwin, shared and accessible between the different areas of your company, will generate greater efficiency in all its dimensions.
Increase customer satisfaction
As they say, "information is power". Having all your customer information centralized will make it easier for you to know what is happening with your entire portfolio. You can know the energy consumption of your customers, if they are having faults and where they are having them, number of reports made, response time of your team, etc. This knowledge will help you to work on your weak points, improve in different areas and make the service to your customers have a higher quality. This quickly translates into the loyalty of your portfolio, and an increase in attracting more customers.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Wattwin can help you to manage your installation projects more efficiently. With the help of powerful and easy-to-use engineering, sales and project management tools integrated into our platform, you will be able to simplify your day-to-day operations and scale your business without the hassle.
Now it's up to you. If you wish, you can schedule a demo with our experts with our experts and see how much you can save with Wattwin.
In short...
Having the right technology and digital tools, such as solar CRM software, will help you simplify your day-to-day life and be more successful in selling self-consumption projects, automating many of the processes that you now perform manually or inefficiently.
Grow your business with Wattwin
Request a free personalized consulting session and demo. Tell us more about your business and your challenges, we will do the rest.
