The solar industry is rapidly evolving, with new technologies and mounting competition forcing companies to adapt or be left behind. On this week's Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Kelly Shamblen, Regional Sales Manager West for Chint Power Systems (CPS America), the leading three-phase string inverter manufacturer in North America.
Kelly has been with CPS for six years which is a testament to the company’s ability to recruit and retain top talent. She has a somewhat unconventional background for the solar industry but Kelly has made an indelible mark on CPS during her tenure. Though she didn't have a technical background, Kelly was drawn to CPS's customer-centric culture and tight-knit feel as a smaller organization at the time she joined. She started in operations, getting exposure to finance, logistics, and order processing. This diverse experience gave her a perfect foundation to transition into her current sales leadership position.
Today we explore how inverter manufacturer CPS America creates a customer-centric culture. Guest Kelly Shamblen, Regional Sales Manager West, shares her passion for partnering deeply with customers and problem-solving their toughest needs. With over 90% customer retention, CPS focuses on service and responsiveness when issues arise. Kelly discusses the company's tight-knit, solutions-oriented approach, embracing difficult situations as learning opportunities. From lean operations to plans for rapid growth, she highlights CPS's core tenet - growing together through integrity, transparency and human connections.
In this episode, Tim and Kelly discuss how CPS has built a customer-centric organization in the competitive technology sales industry. Kelly talks about how CPS focuses on treating customers as long-term partners rather than one-off transactions, taking the time to understand their unique needs and challenges. Even if a customer comes to them seeking a specific solution, CPS will work to advise them on the best overall system design for their project.
They also highlight CPS's commitment to responsive customer service. If there are ever any issues with CPS inverters, the team works diligently to diagnose problems and get systems back up and running as quickly as possible. Tim notes that he's seen major solar developers switch from competitors to CPS due to their superior focus on service.
Key Takeaways
1. What makes CPS stand out? Treating customers as long-term partners and taking the time to deeply understand needs.
2. How does CPS handle product issues or rollouts that don't go smoothly? Faces problems head-on, puts resources into fixing root causes the right way.
3. What is CPS's approach to difficult customers or complaints? Listening, patience and sometimes humor to build partnerships.
4. What opportunities and challenges does CPS's growth present? Expanding into new markets like storage while retaining family-feel culture.
5. What is CPS's expected growth? Aiming to double revenue and headcount again in 2024.
Social Media Handles
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-shamblen/
https://www.chintpowersystems.com/
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The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. CPS America has offices in California, New Jersey, and Texas. Learn more at https://www.chintpowersystems.com/
0:00 - Introduction
3:15 - Kelly's Background and Joining CPS
4:40 - Company culture and employee loyalty
7:48 - CPS's Customer-Centric Culture
14:25 - How CPS America handle setbacks
15:17 - Handling Difficult Customers
17:09 - Being a Woman in Solar
19:25 - Non-Technical Backgrounds Welcome
21:18 - How to Find Out more about CPS America
22:23 - Why Customers Should Consider CPS
24:06 - CPS's Growth in 2024 and Beyond
25:40 - Central to String Inverters
27:13 - Kelly's Parting Shot
28:19 - Conclusion
