Trent Mostaert
Fostering customer relationships is critical to maintaining business. Solar EPC Mortenson Construction takes this seriously, even incorporating customer service into its mission statement. We spoke with Trent Mostaert, vice president and general manager of solar at Mortenson Construction (No. 2 on the upcoming 2015 Top Solar Contractor list), to find out how his company gets to know its customers’ needs.
Solar Power World: How has your relationship with customers been important to Mortenson’s success?
Mostaert: Our company’s mission is to create an exceptional customer service experience. I believe that’s the No. 1 factor that’s helped us grow. Last year 100% of our solar projects were from repeat customers. We don’t work with a lot of customers, but we stay focused on those we do and delivering an exceptional experience. We take time to understand their business and how we can add value to their projects.
How do you understand the needs of your customers in solar?
Our project team is consistently in contact with them. On a higher level, we set up quarterly business reviews with our clients to understand where they’re trying to go and how we can help them get there, as well as maintain our alignment.
Also, each Mortenson businesses does research, from healthcare to sports. Solar is no exception. We did a large survey at Solar Power International, one of the industry’s largest trade shows, to help us understand the industry now and gain some insight into what’s to come. We also publish what we learn, which helps our customers and others in the industry stay ahead of trends and get out in front of big industry issues.
You’re still publishing the results, but what are some of the things you’ve learned so far?
We’ve gained insight into how the industry is reacting to the phasing out of incentives and dealing with interconnection issues. We also compare survey data with past ones we’ve conducted. One thing that’s consistent is grid parity; we’re right where we should be.
