The value of strong client relationships is immeasurable for any business, but particularly in the retrofit industry. Most of our clients have limited budgets to spend each year on retrofit projects, and so our business thrives when we’re asked back year after year.
How do we get invited back? By making our client champions look good.
Every successful retrofit project begins with a great audit. But great audits don’t just happen by accident! A lot of work goes into the audit process.
After spending the last two years at StreamLinx in multiple roles – including quality assurance, customer success, and onboarding and training – I’ve had the benefit of working with some amazing auditors. I’d love to share with you some of the audit best practices I’ve learned along the way.
Given the quantity of inefficient lighting still in use in this country, it’s easy to envision a multi-billion-dollar lighting retrofit industry thriving for many years to come. That said, the retrofitters who will be most successful at tapping into this enormous opportunity will be those who adopt a smarter approach to selling – one that replaces conventional phrases like “save energy, save money” with messaging that really captures executive attention and supports proactive decision-making.
The lighting retrofit industry isn’t just about illumination, or even saving energy. Ultimately, retrofitting is about optimization, helping your clients make the most of their spaces, reducing waste and maximizing resources. That’s why the emerging field of the internet of things (IoT) is such a natural fit for the retrofit industry.
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?
