Solar Stuffing vs Solar Solutions

As with any industry that is still in its infancy, sometimes we in the solar business tend to push the envelope when it comes to applications for solar power. Note a solar jacket which ICP was first in the world to market and quickly dropped. Why? OK so picture this..its a hot sunny day..you’re walking around with your ipod…do you need to spend US$500 on a solar jacket that’s going to cook you just so you can recharge your mp3 player?
Let’s just say that this was one of our best bloopers in our history. It was a classic example of bleeding rather than leading. We simply were showing off a technology which was in fact getting a lot of attention (the hot models we employed didn’t hurt getting the cameramen to come by our trade show booth!). But the challenge is more likely that you’re just too smart! That’s right folks..we haven’t yet figured out a way to sell you stuff you just don’t need that well! Or at least some people think so, because they’re out there now still trying to flog it.
So what am I getting at? Well, basically that without any discipline, our industry will tend to turn you off rather than turn you on. If we don’t provide you with valued solutions, we won’t take as much of your money as we’d like to! If “there’s a place for everything” is true, then solar has its place and its value. But we can’t start to exaggerate it, lest we simply turn you off from using solar completely.
Take those solar garden lights for example. Many of you have bought them only to trash them after a couple of weeks of staring out your window at night hoping that they’ll stay on long enough for the neighbours to go asleep and not notice that they don’t work all night like they’re supposed to. Did anyone think of the shading of trees, bushes, homes, soffits…when they designed these things? Or does each time you see a solar product it remind you of that failed attempt to use solar and turn you off? Now finally there are beginning to be solar lights that actually work well in any daylight condition…and may I say its in part to ICP’s new solar cell products made specially for low light situations!
So how do you decide what will work and what won’t? Ah, now if there was a simple answer to this question, we’d never make a purchase mistake. All I can say is that the old saying “you get what you pay for” tends to be true…except in solar you still have to watch out for the ripoff artists who lie about what they give you simply because you can’t measure it, the well-meaning inventors who give you a “solar charger-in-a-whatever” that’s 500times the price of a set of batteries, and the product developers that simply don’t understand solar well enough but jump in because they think it will bring their items distinction in the marketplace.
Bottom line is still buyer beware, but even more so…developer know thy technology and thy customer. When developing a true solar solution, test it rigorously and consider how your consumer will use that device in every day life. If all you’re selling is novelty, consider that like a honeymoon..it doesn’t last forever, and the feeling that your customer will be left with may have lingering effects on an entire industry. The person who bought those cheaper solar lights that are not properly designed is not likely to turn around and spend thousands of dollars on a solar roof!
Does the truth come out in the end? Sure it does but it can be a long road. Paying attention to the delivery of value will make customers come back for more. I know because we’ve got thousands of logged testimonials from boaters, RVers and others who have used ICP solar panels to maintain batteries or for independant power. And yet still we have over 100 communications per day with our customer service center to help people make the right choices. Black and white. Sun and moon. Nothing in solar is so simple.
Have a sunshine day,
Sass