SnapCount Insights

Electrical contractors know new doesn’t automatically mean better.

If a tool or technique works reasonably well, why risk the potential cost and disruption of switching to an unproven alternative, like energy retrofit software? Paper is cheap, and you already have an Excel license. Plus, any new software typically comes with a learning period (and maybe a little grumbling from employees.)

As it turns out though, energy retrofit software can quickly pay for itself, and then some—and in ways you might not have expected.

There were over 12 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things by 2021. By 2025, the IoT will have over 27 billion endpoints (according to IoT Analytics).

Lighting technology will account for a large percentage of those new IoT devices. Will your retrofit company have a hand in installing them?

It’s no secret the construction industry has been experiencing a labor shortage for a while.

But now, it’s even worse. In 2020, more baby boomers retired than ever before. This wave of pandemic-motivated early retirements is expected to continue throughout 2022 and beyond.

The loss of the older generation of workers has hit the lighting and energy retrofit industry particularly hard. The wave of new generations of skilled workers is forcing businesses to prioritize sustainability & ESG initiatives as a way to attract top talent to their organiziation.

The LED lighting revolution has been excellent for retrofitters, building owners, and anyone who values energy efficiency — but there have been a few downsides for those tasked with product information management.

The pace of change in the commercial lighting market nearly matches the breakneck speed for which the microchip field is notorious. Lifecycles, efficacy, and performance are improving at such a rapid rate that the industry can barely absorb all the product information coming at it.

Many energy service companies (ESCOs) and contractors aren’t set up for this challenge. Simply maintaining a catalog and parts list almost requires a full-time person.

The SnapCount Retrofit Showcase 2021 was another huge success. But if you had other plans and couldn’t make it, don’t worry. One of the perks of an online conference is that you can always go back and revisit video recordings of the sessions you missed.

We brought the SnapCount Retrofit Showcase back this year by popular demand – and because of the speed at which the retrofit industry changes, there’s so much new ground to cover.

When SnapCount got started, we set out to optimize the way the retrofit industry wins and performs work. This required automating the many unique (and sometimes complex) workflows required by this specialized industry. Now, with hundreds of thousands of projects developed, won and completed by our valued customers, SnapCount is the most advanced and comprehensive retrofit solution in the industry.

We’ve heard from many lighting retrofit companies, especially those in states with more rigid lock-down restrictions, that even if their sales efforts get them past the gate-keeper to a live prospect, getting into the facility for an audit has been a non-starter. The contractors seem to get shut down before they can even make a valid, data-driven case.

Thankfully, the retrofit world is gifted with many out-of-the-box, creative thinkers that seem to engineer their way around many of these initial objections. Many have come up with ways of conducting a “virtual” audit using creative digital methods. Often, the results of these methods provide good enough information to make the case for “getting in” more powerful.

The global market for lighting retrofits is growing at a staggering annual rate of over 9%. Analysts predict it will reach a value close to $5 billion by 2026.

It’s easy to understand why. LED technology is only getting more efficient and longer lasting. Companies, hospitals, schools, and other large organizations see lighting as a key to a complete energy transformation that will save electricity and money sooner, rather than later.

As a lighting retrofitter, how do you define a win?

Successful lighting retrofit businesses are not built simply by conducting a great audit or delivering a compelling proposal. A job isn’t really a win until the work is completed, the revenue is booked, and the client is satisfied – ecstatic, even.

In many fields, digital tools have supplanted the old ways of doing things. So why is it that the lighting retrofit industry continues to rely on pen and paper when conducting audits?