You have decided to look for a solar system. But there are a few points to consider when choosing the right provider. We have gathered for you the eight most important points.
1. Is it a local company?
Because building application regulations vary from canton to canton and municipality to municipality, the more experience a company has in Switzerland and in your region, the better. A local company already knows the regulations of your place of residence very well.
This presents three decisive advantages: firstly, you will be better informed about the process, and secondly, it will take less time to request building permits. Thirdly, local providers can intervene more quickly in the event of a system failure or maintenance.
2. What references does the company have?
Look for a reference map on the company's website to see if the company has already implemented projects in your region. Of course, it is also important to study feedback on social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google Reviews.
But more than positive or negative feedback, it is the responsiveness of the company that is most important: how does the installer react to criticism? Has the mistake been corrected in the meantime? If necessary, you can also request references directly from the company.
3. What financing models does the company have?
Although the purchase costs of photovoltaic systems are constantly decreasing, solar systems can still represent a significant investment for customers. Good providers offer modern solutions to this problem. For example, if as a customer you only pay for the electricity produced by your system instead of buying the entire system.
4. How do you feel about the company?
Yes, your instinct also plays an important role in this decision. How do you integrate the messages from the company? What do you think is the motivation of the company? Is it a question of quick money or do you feel the passion with which the company wants to create a more sustainable world?
Does the website mainly consist of photos of expensive real estate, or does the company focus on photos of people whose lifestyle has been complemented or made possible by a solar system?
5. Do the employees listen to you?
You have browsed various websites to find the best solar solution, clicked on references, and compared images. You then call a company of your choice for the first time. Do you feel that the employee on the other end of the line is listening to you? The following (or similar) questions should be asked to offer you a system that suits your needs:
What goal do you want to achieve with a photovoltaic installation: do you want to reduce energy costs? Live more sustainably? Or have a smart home?
Do you own an electric car and want to charge it with solar energy from a charging station?
How do you heat your home, how do you produce hot water?
What are your electricity consumption habits?
Do you want to use the solar energy produced, sell it to the grid, or store it in a battery?
6. Does the company offer comprehensive service?
A good solar provider takes care of its customers from A to Z. Ideally, the company handles all planning requests and subsidies for you.
It communicates with the municipality and the canton, takes zoning plans and construction rules into account, while you can relax and enjoy your solar energy. It is also important that the company gives you a "roadmap" in advance so that you know the next steps and regularly informs you of the current status of the process.
7. Does the company have a monitoring system?
There are many solar system monitoring platforms. However, the best ones come directly from your installer. Here are the three main reasons:
You can know the status of your solar system in real-time.
Monitoring platforms continue to be developed with the company's customers.
In addition to monitoring, such a system also serves as an online storage place for expert reports, correspondence, maintenance instructions, invoices, and other documents.
8. Does the company offer the latest technologies?
New solar technologies come onto the market year after year. As a relatively young industry branch, the solar field is making significant technological breakthroughs. It is therefore important that the installer you trust always uses the latest products and includes them in their portfolio as soon as they are available. For example, the latest generation of inverters, which we started offering to our customers as soon as they were released on the market.
However, it is also important that your installer gives you in-depth advice on different products to determine the best value for money for you and allow you to make the most of your system. In addition, a reliable installer removes old products from their portfolio. The installer must know: systems that perform above average generate above-average satisfied customers!
