CASE STUDY · COMMERCIAL SOLAR INSTALLER · 4 MIN READ
ACG Renewables: Giving Lead Generation a Second Chance, and an NHS Meeting in the First Month
- working with our team at interview
- Just over a month
- working with our team at interview
- the quotes he was doing, in his words
- From £50,000
- the quotes he was doing, in his words
- the potential multi-site job
- Couple of hundred thousand
- the potential multi-site job
- one of his first meetings
- NHS
- one of his first meetings
In short
Chris Shaw is co-director of ACG Renewables, a commercial solar company about two years old and a sister company of an electrical contractor. A lead company at a previous business had put him off, and for two years he was the one arguing against trying again. What changed his mind was that there is no up-front cost: a lead has to be qualified first. Just over a month in, his meetings included the NHS and a multi-site business, and his quotes ran from about £50,000 to a potential couple of hundred thousand.
A commercial solar company with an electrical contractor behind it
ACG Renewables is "a reasonably new company sort of two years old" and a sister company of an electrical business, "primarily we're spe specializing in commercial commercial properties". Chris is co-director, and he does most of the selling himself: "it's me that predominantly does the sales within the business".
Why he gave lead generation a second chance
At a previous business, Chris worked with a lead generation company that sent cold emails. When he spoke to the people it found, the interest was not there. Since ACG was formed, he had been the one saying no:
I have always been the one that's been doing the kickback saying no I've done this before it's a waste of time it's a waste of money
The deciding factor was the way it is paid for: "it's not like an upfront cost regardless of the lead they've got to be a qualified lead". You only pay for appointments that are actually attended, and any that aren't viable we replace. Our guide to commercial solar lead costs shows how the price is worked out, and solar lead companies in the UK compares the ways other providers charge.
The first month: the NHS and a multi-site job
Chris wanted businesses that were ready to move, not just curious: "it's those people that are really looking to do it sort of now". Two stood out from the first month: "the NHS has been a good one", and "There's another one that he gave us which was multiple sites which is also very good".
On size, his quotes ran "anything between 50,000 to the one with multiple sites will potentially be a couple of hundred thousand". None of those is described as won in the interview; they were quotes in progress.
A multi-site customer usually means a connection application for each site, and a public-sector roof brings its own checks. Our G99 application checklist and RC62 fire safety guide are worth reading before you quote jobs like these.
Less time at a desk, more time on the road
Before, Chris "had got very little time for actually sitting behind computers emailing and speaking to people". With the qualifying done before a lead reaches him, he spends his time seeing sites: "it's making it a really nice balance now".
I know when you send us a lead that you know it's worthwhile spending time on
When the site visit comes, our commercial solar survey checklist covers what to confirm on the day, and how to sell commercial solar covers the steps from survey to signed contract.
True to their word
Chris came back to one point more than once. The pitch was qualified leads, and that is what he got. Asked if he would recommend us to other companies, he said "yeah yeah", and added:
you guys have been true to your word
The full interview is in the video above. TNW Marketing's own write-up of Chris Shaw's interview is on tnwmarketing.com. More installers talk about their leads in our case studies and on the reviews page.
ACG Renewables case study: FAQ
Who is ACG Renewables?
A commercial solar company about two years old at the time of the interview, and a sister company of an electrical contractor. Chris Shaw is its co-director and does most of the sales.
Why had ACG not used lead generation before?
A lead company at Chris's previous business sent cold emails, and when he spoke to the people it found, the interest was not there. He argued against trying again for about two years.
What changed Chris Shaw's mind?
That there was no up-front cost: a lead had to be qualified first. You only pay for appointments that are actually attended, and any that aren't viable we replace.
What size were ACG's quotes?
In Chris's words, "anything between 50,000 to the one with multiple sites will potentially be a couple of hundred thousand".
Related guides
- Commercial solar survey checklist
What to confirm before, during and after the site visit.
- How to sell commercial solar
From booked survey to signed contract.
- G99 application checklist
Everything to gather before you submit.
- RC62 and solar fire safety
What insurers recommend for solar on commercial roofs.
- Solar lead companies in the UK
How lead companies differ, and what to ask before you sign up.
- Commercial solar lead costs
How the price of a lead is worked out.
- All case studies
Installers on video, and what they got.
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