Using payment solutions to boost close rates for commercial jobs

September 28, 2022

We sat down with Guy Olian, CEO of Smart Ease, to find out more about how offering payment solutions can support solar pros in selling commercial jobs.

Could you tell us a bit about Smart Ease?

One of the biggest obstacles stopping businesses from installing solar has always been the upfront cost. We started Smart Ease so that we could tackle that obstacle, head on, by offering payment plans.

Our application and approval process is super fast – around 4 minutes – which means that busy business owners can get their solar installed quickly and start saving straight away.

Why is having Smart Ease available in OpenSolar great for solar installers?

It changes the conversation that installers are having with their commercial customers. It turns the obstacle of cost into an opportunity for smart money-management. With rapidly rising power bills around the world, solar can often pay for itself via electricity bill savings. This makes it a much easier decision – $0 upfront and often cash-flow positive from day 1 (as shown below).

A chart comparing annual electricity bills.

When installers introduce payment plans early in the sales process, business owners know that they have options (which can often be tax-beneficial) for paying for their solar. Even if they have the cash to invest upfront, they generally prefer to hang onto it.

The process is seamless. In a few simple clicks, a Smart Ease payment plan is integrated as part of the proposal. Installers can move from proposal to payment plan approval within the one platform. The customer can even click through to sign the payment plan agreements – all within OpenSolar.

What are some of the interesting installations Smart Ease has been involved in?

The range of businesses that we’ve been able to help with solar installations is vast. We’ve provided payment plans across all industries and business types, from outback cattle stations to bayside wineries, food manufacturing businesses to supermarkets and local grocers. We help schools and charities, bowls clubs and breweries – even New Zealand’s most-loved peanut butter brand!

What’s your advice for selling solar in trickier times?

Get comfortable with offering your commercial customers payment options. Help your customers understand that on a payment plan, they can hold onto their cash and still get energy-saving equipment. With rising energy costs, reducing electricity overheads will be one of the many ways business owners can manage their cash flow.

Learn more about the Smart Ease and OpenSolar integration.

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