Sun Valley Solar Cuts Costs and Boosts Efficiency: Their Success Story

Justin Hutson, Sun Valley Solar Solutions, talks about implementing Field Squared.

In this fireside chat, Steve John, Chief Revenue Officer at Field Squared, sits down with Justin Hutson, Commercial and Residential Service Manager at Sun Valley Solar Solutions, to discuss Justin’s experience as a new client of Field Squared. The discussion explores the challenges Sun Valley Solar faced with their previous CRM system and how Field Squared’s platform provided a comprehensive solution tailored to their needs. Justin shares insights into the implementation process, the platform's flexibility, and the significant operational efficiency and invoicing improvements Sun Valley Solar has experienced since adopting Field Squared. This conversation highlights the practical benefits of Field Squared’s solution in streamlining workflows and supporting business growth, focusing on scalability and customization.

Transcript of the Video

Steven: Hi, this is Steven John with Field Squared. I'm the Chief Revenue Officer here. Today, we're having a friendly fireside chat with one of our newest clients to learn about their experience with Field Squared and how we're helping their business.

A bit about myself—I was a client of Field Squared before joining the company. I come from an operational role in mostly telecom-oriented companies, holding senior roles in operations and the C-suite. I got to know Field Squared and decided to join several years ago. Today, we're joined by Justin Hutson from Sun Valley Solar. Justin recently became a client and was gracious enough to sit down with us to talk about his experience. Justin, thank you for joining. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself, Sun Valley Solar, and your current role?

Justin: Sure, Steve, thanks for having me. My name is Justin Hutson. I've been in solar for the past 12 years. Right now, I am the Commercial and Residential Service Manager for Sun Valley Solar Solutions. I started as a technician in the field and moved into my leadership position here. Sun Valley is a residential and commercial operations and maintenance solar company. We have three divisions, and Field Squared was a well-researched choice for us as we grew our department on the O&M side.

Steven: Great. Thank you for that introduction. If you don't mind, we'll jump right in with some questions. First, what challenges were you facing as a service provider that led you to seek out a solution?

Justin: Our previous CRM wasn’t designed for the service industry; it was more focused on customer relations for sales. We were having trouble keeping track of our work orders, especially since we do about 10,000 per year. We were using multiple programs for inspections, reporting, and invoicing, which overloaded our finance department.

Steven: I understand. How did you discover Field Squared, and what made us stand out from the other options you looked at?

Justin: I found Field Squared during an internet search. When I took this role, one of my main goals was to find a solution that could handle everything within one program. I compared Field Squared to other CRMs like Salesforce, but what stood out to me was the customization ability and the fact that we could house all our documentation within one program.

Steven: Now that you've had some time with our platform, besides the configurability, what other aspects of the solution have been appealing to you?

Justin: The inventory management feature is really valuable, and I feel we've barely scratched the surface of what the platform is capable of. The open API allows us to integrate with other programs, and the field application is great for our technicians. They can do everything on-site using their phones, and we can track them in real time, which helps with dispatching and ensuring safety, especially in extreme weather.

Steven: How have the field workers responded to using the mobile app?

Justin: They’ve welcomed it. Previously, we were using multiple platforms, so they appreciate having everything in one place. They can easily see their schedule, access work orders, and start their tasks with just a few clicks.

Steven: Have you started to quantify the impact on your operations and business processes?

Justin: The biggest impact has been in invoicing. Our finance team now uses Field Squared to generate reports and export data directly into QuickBooks, which has significantly improved our billing process. We used to be 70 to 80 work orders behind, but now we're caught up daily. Additionally, I can see the status of all work orders in real-time and manage workloads more efficiently.

Steven: Have you seen any improvements in operational efficiency?

Justin: Yes, we've seen improvements in creating and scheduling work orders. However, the number of appointments we handle remains about the same due to our current staffing levels.

Steven: Have you tried to measure ROI, or do you feel you’re getting a return on your investment?

Justin: Definitely. While we haven’t put a specific number on it, we're now paying for one license instead of four. Consolidating everything into one program has saved us both time and money.

Steven: Any learnings from the implementation process that you'd like to share with others?

Justin: There’s a lot to learn during implementation. Having a solid, flexible plan is crucial. Understanding the platform's capabilities helps make the most out of it, and having a great implementation partner made all the difference.

Steven: As you scale in the future, do you see any challenges with the platform’s scalability?

Justin: Not at all. One of the reasons we chose Field Squared was its scalability. We plan to expand across multiple states, and the platform's ability to handle different time zones and track work orders across locations is a huge advantage.

Steven: It sounds like you’re a bit of a super user—how has the platform’s flexibility benefited you?

Justin: I spent a lot of time learning the platform so I could be proactive during implementation. The support team was excellent in explaining everything. We’ve customized the platform to meet our specific needs, and I’ve even recommended it to other companies in our network.

Steven: Any final thoughts or feedback?

Justin: I do have a suggestion: making the pictures in documents larger. Customers have mentioned that they’d like to see larger images. Other than that, I appreciate that Field Squared has a clear roadmap for continuous improvement.

Steven: Thanks for that feedback. We’re working on editable photos, so stay tuned for updates. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your insights with us, Justin. We look forward to continuing our work together.

Justin: Thank you, Steve. I appreciate the time. Have a great day.

Steven: You too, Justin. Thanks!