SnapCount Insights

Most industries have seen their business activity impacted one way or the other by the pandemic, and lighting retrofitting is no exception. At the start of another year — one that’s likely to bring some of the same constraints and opportunities — we wanted to look forward by hearing from some of the industry’s leaders.

We spoke with David Errigo of Acuity, Brad Picht of Graybar, Gary Pellant of Building Resources and Tim Unruh of NAESCO about the trends from 2020 they believe will continue, and their predictions for 2021.

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.

At some point the owner of nearly every growing business realizes that skill may be what got you here – but smart business practices will be what keeps your company growing.

How you approach lighting audits is a great example of this principle. While knowing the basics of how to produce a solid audit is typically the starting point, implementing audit best practices can elevate your entire game.

So, how can you make sure you “wow” the client during the lighting audit? Focus on these three things: lighting audit accuracy, professionalism, and growth potential.

There is rarely a perfect time for a business to take on an operational overhaul; most are perpetually in 'fix the plane while we fly it' mode. However, the 2020 slowdown in the commercial lighting retrofit business due to the pandemic may have had a small silver lining: the opportunity to take on a long-overdue retooling of a retrofit business operation.

We spoke to two companies that did just that.

To discuss what made 2020 the perfect time to transition to a new software to retool their businesses, we spoke with Brad Dulle (Director of Engineering) and Frank Agraz (Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives) from Eco Engineering, along with Dimitri Papadakis (Chief Operations Officer) from STS Lighting Services Inc.

There’s a reason you can’t spell customer without “custom.” Every customer is unique, and the way retrofitters present a proposal should be adapted to that specific customer.

That’s why SnapCount comes with a built-in selection of custom report templates. The goal of the reports in SnapCount is to give you options to transform raw audit data, so it makes the most compelling case to your intended audience. Here are some reasons why SnapCount’s custom reports can help you build an irresistible case.

Energy and lighting retrofits are all about the benefits of modernization. Yet for some retrofitters, pen, paper, and Microsoft Excel are still the go-to tools for audits.

There are several reasons why you might be reluctant to make the switch, whether it’s because of cost, habit, or concerns about technology. We’ve heard many of those reasons from our own clients before they gave SnapCount a try, so we figured we’d address them here.

How many of these reasons are on your mind?

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.

Retrofit projects aren’t only about improving a facility’s lighting and energy consumption. They’re also about future-proofing facilities and using energy efficiently and intelligently.

Instead of being a one-and-done service, retrofitters with a long-term view work hard to establish themselves as energy consultants. That respect and authority gives them a golden opportunity to offer customers additional energy cost-saving solutions under their brand—and solar is a natural and profitable fit.

The last thing any retrofitter wants is for the project to get within a hair’s width of approval … only for the whole thing to come to a screeching halt when the CFO pokes holes in the metrics.

However, many retrofit companies take that risk by using popular metrics that fall apart upon closer scrutiny.

You’ve outlined the retrofit project, discussed the benefits, showed them before-and-after shots of previous projects, and provided case studies. Then, the CFO speaks up, asking whether this project makes good investment sense.

Whether you’re the lighting retrofit company, or the internal champion lobbying to get a project approved, this is the make-or-break moment. If you can prove value to the people holding the purse strings, you’ve conquered the biggest hurdle in your path.