Sungevity Comparative Summary

Oakland-based Sungevity specializes in remotely designing and installing home solar electric systems. The company offers project design and quoting over the Internet, and easy, over-the-phone service when setting up a sale or lease. “With our fast and affordable online service, it’s never been easier to go solar,” says owner Danny Kennedy. “We don’t require five visits to your house. We won’t take up your time by making you wait for an engineer to give you a quote.”

For customers who can’t afford to buy a solar system outright, Sungevity offers an affordable lease that puts clean energy within the reach of a growing number of homeowners. “There are a couple of other companies who provide leases,” says Mr. Kennedy, “but ours is a 10-year option, so it offers the shortest time commitment. And it has the best features related to leasing solar systems of any company—guaranteed installments and free cleaning and maintenance are included as part of the package.”

Sungevity prides itself on its service-oriented approach. Customers can count on fast, efficient service from start to finish, says Mr. Kennedy. “You get a quote within 24 hours of applying for it. With most other companies, it takes days or weeks until you get a quote for a full proposal. And that pace continues throughout the process—we make it as quick and painless as we can for our customers.” Sungevity also takes care of all the paperwork. In cases where a customer needs to sign documents, they’ll digitize the forms so it can be done over the Internet.

Once a system is installed, says Mr. Kennedy, Sungevity’s follow-up cleaning and maintenance service is the best in the business. “You really become part of the Sungevity family.” The company has a referral network that encourages customers to let others know about the benefits of having a Sungevity-installed solar system by allowing them to donate their referral fee to charities or local schools. “We try to build relationships with customers over the long term,” says Mr. Kennedy.

Another way Sungevity demonstrates its commitment to quality and service is through its installation team. “Rather than just hiring and training kids to do installations, we work with craftsmen in their communities,” explains Mr. Kennedy. Sungevity has a network of identified, preferred installers throughout California. “We think this ensures good quality. We hold them accountable for their work, and you still get the guarantee and backup of our company—the centralized process, the stabilization of practices and procedures for installation techniques, and our warranty and guarantee.” In addition, Sungevity has technical account representatives in different geographical locations to monitor the progress of installations from start to finish.