A global energy crisis is happening. And the United States is no exception to the strained power lines and grids that severely affect the safety and comfort of your current customers and potential prospects. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in November 2021 that U.S. electricity customers experienced more than eight hours of power interruption, on average, in 2020.

Whether your generator installation company is doing business in the Southwest, where temperatures soar to more than 100 degrees during the summer, or in the East, where temperatures drop below freezing and residents face harsh storms during the winter, individuals everywhere feel the burden of strained power systems and are urgently seeking solutions. Generator businesses across the country have reported skyrocketing numbers of sales and calls for the installation of home backup generators.
 

The pandemic ushered in the use of modern technology to accomplish jobs without the need to be
physically present. Conducting virtual inspections has helped a variety of industries reduce the need
to halt projects altogether and allocate resources toward completing projects.
Credit: Shutterstock
 

In fact, the global generator sales market is expected to grow from an estimated $21.6 billion this year to $28.6 billion in 2027, according to ResearchandMarkets.com. That’s an annual growth rate of 5.8%, driven by industrial, commercial and residential end users’ demand for reliable, uninterrupted power supplies. An expanding manufacturing sector and growing information technology infrastructure also are expected to contribute to demand.

Given the increased demand for generator installations and customers’ rising interest in how well your business manages its operations, generator businesses and installers should turn to virtual services during the necessary inspections and permitting process. Using on-demand virtual services instead of relying on unpredictable, traditional in-person inspections will give you the technology to better manage projects, streamline the installation process and improve your customers’ experience with your company’s service as you install their new generators.

Customers fear being left in the dark

The United States’ aging power grid system and volatile weather leave concerned homeowners desperate to avoid being left in the dark. As a result, demand for residential backup generators is surging, and the average homeowner is coming to regard such generators as a new necessity.

The benefits of adding a backup power generator are becoming increasingly clear to homeowners. During lengthy power outages, generators provide them with the comfort of heat in the winter, cooling in the summer and light at night, as well as the ability to use the appliances and electronics they depend on for daily life. Homeowners also view generators as protecting them from the expenses — ranging from hotel costs to home repairs to replacing spoiled food — that can come with storm damage and power outages. Furthermore, they see that backup generators can keep their home security systems operating and increase the resale value of a home, especially in areas prone to power outages. When enlisting the services of a generator installation company, customers view backup generators as a serious investment in their homes.

Even as homeowners recognize the benefits, however, they most likely have a long wait before they can obtain generators they can rely on. One Florida-based generator installer, estimates that customers in its area may wait anywhere from 20 to 40 weeks to get generators installed. And because many people don’t feel the urgency to buy generators until just before major storms hit or in the weeks after major storms, waiting only adds to homeowners’ anxiety over power outages.

Workforce shortage, surging demand

Generator installation companies across the country face a daunting task: meeting this growing demand while lacking enough time and labor to speed up the process.

They must navigate the ongoing supply disruptions and workforce shortages that have affected the global economy. On top of that, the current process for inspecting and permitting generator installations in the United States is another problem that generator businesses must face.

The generator installation process can be lengthy, and as many as six code inspections are required from start to finish. City and county inspection departments, chronically short-staffed due to the lack of experienced tradespeople able to become inspectors, also must deal with inspectors’ lengthy drive times between job sites and high demand for inspection services during the current building boom. Installers report crews wasting entire days waiting to get inspections completed instead of being able to move on to projects for other customers. All those factors create an inefficient operation that costs generator installers time and money.

Being unable to manage projects and keep up with the increased demand creates a snowball effect that is detrimental to your business operations and customer satisfaction. As labor shortages spread workforces thin, many businesses find themselves unable to send managers out to every project. A virtual inspection service can eliminate the need for managers to travel, spare you from adding more tasks to your employees’ already busy workdays and act as your manager for generator installations.

The general manager of the Florida installation company estimates that virtual inspections save his company more than 100 hours of labor a month because they eliminate the time crews spend waiting for in-person inspectors and because they allow his company to schedule inspections on short notice, if crews finish a job ahead of schedule. That’s an extra two-and-a-half weeks a month that his workforce can spend on starting new installations, serving more customers and serving them quickly.

Generating new value in your company’s services with customer satisfaction

Most businesses, regardless of industry, will agree that customers are their top priority. Customers serve as a lifeline to your generator installation business. A single outstanding customer experience leads to additional prospects through referrals and high praises in reviews, all of which add value to your company’s services.

Customers are paying attention not only to your employee’s soft skills, such as a friendly greeting, but also to your company’s commitment to their project and how your company accomplishes its goal. If the assignment is to install a generator, your customers are paying attention down to the final detail — including the tools and operations your business uses to ensure their generator installation runs as smoothly as possible.

For example, before using the Florida-based generator installer often had to reschedule or make multiple calls to customers due to the complicated scheduling and tight availability of in-person inspections. Although an inspector’s availability was beyond the company’s control, the rescheduling and multiple calls annoyed or upset customers. Now, instead of giving homeowners a last-minute notice of when an in-person inspector might arrive, this installation company asks what time works best for the homeowners. The installer then schedules the remote inspector according to the homeowners’ availability, giving customers control over their schedule and improving the customer experience and satisfaction.

By using a virtual inspection service to streamline the inspection and permitting process, you give your company a competitive edge and the ability to stand out against local competitors that are stuck in the current permitting and inspection process. A company that can offer shorter, quicker installations to customers desperate to avoid the problems of power outages is a company that will have a competitive edge in selling and servicing backup generators.

Virtual inspections have an advantage for your bottom line, too. For companies that finance their inventory of generators, being able to shorten installations means they can invoice customers more quickly and save money on their borrowing costs.

Bringing innovation to inspections

Video conferencing technology has gained wider adoption in recent years, especially during the pandemic. Managers and co-workers in a range of industries conducted meetings from distant offices and home. The health care industry embraced telemedicine, with doctors using secure video platforms to meet with patients or consult with specialists. Higher education offered online learning, giving students across the country and around the world the chance to study with experts in their field.
 

Businesses connect with inspectors and other on-site personnel virtually to achieve a
safer work environment, save time, money, labor and ultimately, higher customer satisfaction.
Credit: Adobe Stock Photos
 

Smartphones and tablets make this technology available at the personal level, too. Nearly all of us use our phones and tablets to make video calls, take photos and videos, share them with others and save them for future reference. Given that we have the technology and already use it in our daily lives, it’s a natural next step to bring this innovation to the process of installing backup generators.

States across the country have recognized the advantages of using video technology and third-party inspectors to conduct inspections of projects such as generator installations. In July 2021, Florida lawmakers approved third-party inspections to use these emerging technologies, in part as a way to protect the health and safety of municipal code officials, contractors, employees and property owners. More states, including Louisiana and Texas, are passing laws to embrace virtual inspections as a permanent solution to help businesses work more efficiently.

A new best practice

Virtual inspections can reduce costs, save time, maximize resources, increase productivity and benefit customers by eliminating the time spent waiting for a government code inspector. Virtual inspection platforms developed with contractors in mind allow those working on a generator installation, such as project managers or installers, to create a profile for each project online, geotag it to verify the address and open a permit request with the local government. A worker on-site will be able to take high-quality video and images of the installation in progress.

A roster of remote, third-party inspectors, all certified to the same standards as government inspectors, is available on your schedule, not theirs. Your employees can contact a remote inspector as needed, and the inspector can join a call, review the installer’s work and verify that it meets the code requirements. In less than a day, an inspection can be scheduled, completed and passed. Your business can schedule an inspection whenever the crew is ready instead of the traditional way of waiting — and waiting and waiting — on an in-person inspector.

Conclusion: Sparking a new solution

By turning to a new technology with virtual inspections, your generator installation business is setting itself up with a new best practice and as an industry professional.

Since the Florida-based generator installer began using the virtual inspection service in September 2021, its installation time has been slashed in half. Before using the virtual inspection process, the company’s installations would take up to a month. Its installers now complete customers’ generator installations in an average of 14 days. Customers and their neighbors, friends and family have all noticed. The generator installer connects the use of virtual inspections to an increase in customer referrals and positive reviews.

Chances are that your business’s office already uses technology such as paperless timekeeping systems, or it adjusted to remote solutions during the pandemic. Having done that, it’s time to take the next step and use virtual, remote services in the field. Multiple benefits come from using a virtual inspection service, all of which led to improving customer satisfaction.

When your business can get a generator installed and operating quickly and efficiently, it makes all the difference to the person most important to your business – the customer.