Renewable Power Perspectives Q&A with Ally Mendoza, CEO of SUNTEX

By Constance ThompsonSeptember 16, 2021

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is delighted to share the fourth installation in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series.
Each installation features market leaders and subjects connected to speeding up a fair and simply transition to a renewable resource economy. In acknowledgment of National Hispanic Heritage Month, our September features highlight how three Hispanic-owned Accelerate member companies are thriving in the renewable energy sector.
What inspired you to start SUNTEX?
As a natural-born leader, I always set high expectations for myself and always try to find chances to serve others– be it by providing exceptional customer service, language translations, or merely sharing knowledge with others. My individual goals and desire to help others led me to operate in the renewable resource sector, where I can pursue this dream on a bigger scale.
Tell us about SUNTEX?
Our businesss mission is basic: we want to make solar easy and economical every action of the method. We mainly serve the Hispanic community in Texas. That is what we do best– assist Spanish speakers understand and embrace renewable resource as a lifestyle, helping generations to come.
Please show us more about your journey toward developing SUNTEX. Was there an “aha moment” when you chose to focus on solar?
Back in August of 2018, my organization partner and I had the chance to sign up with a really promising small solar installation company in Houston. Through this work we saw the opportunity readily available to bring solar into our (the Hispanic) neighborhood. As an outcome, my partner and I integrated his experience in selling to the Hispanic market with my customer care expertise to develop SUNTEX where “the consumer is the factor we exist as a company”. Our focus is linking the Hispanic neighborhood and our customers with exceptional customer support.
Why is concentrating on the Hispanic community a concern for SUNTEX?
Number Two: in the past, we have actually personally experienced an absence of care and communication from those that can not recognize with our culture. We understood that solar advantages everyone, regardless of race or background, and that our people would require a lot of assistance to understand how to obtain this advantage for their houses.
What challenges do you deal with? Why?
Being a little company with a high level of service expectations for our clients includes its own set of challenges. However, the biggest obstacle we deal with is shared by a variety of small companies: turnover. Furthermore, despite the fact that solar power has actually been around for a while, the essentials of these tasks are not commonly taught in school. So, we need to invest a lot quantity of time training sales personnel to ensure they have the ability to offer a high level of customer care.
How are you making an effect through SUNTEX?
By simply living up to our honest values. I have actually learned throughout my life that in service, there is no other method to do it best but to be sincere. While others might take faster ways, the truth constantly prevails.
Please show us a recent company success story.
Recently, after helping a customer “go solar” in 2 of her homes, she referred a brand-new customer named Angela to us. Throughout our preliminary consultation, I noted that they could just accomplish about 56% of solar power balanced out due to their houses consumption rates and shading from trees on the residential or commercial property. We discussed a couple of additional energy performance upgrades to your home to lower energy consumption, which might supply a greater energy offset. Angela at first cringed at the thought of investing more money into the home, but eventually she called me back and said she wished to progress with the solar and energy effectiveness upgrades. We completed a Home Energy Audit to see why her use was so high and discovered that her home needed a bigger Air Conditioning unit, plus extra ducts to disperse the Air Conditioning evenly throughout your house. We likewise informed her that the finance partner could include the expense of that upgrade to the solar loan– which in doing so, she could certify for a lower interest rate than any other home enhancement loan for that Air Conditioner upgrade. She took my suggestions and chose to move forward and was, in fact, able to reduce her loan rates of interest.
Throughout the installation, we ended up paying for Angela and her elderly mother to stay in a hotel until their upgrades and evaluations were complete to guarantee they were comfy throughout the process.
Now, Angelas planetary system covers 100% of the electrical power used in her home. Thanks to the A/C upgrade, they have actually decreased their energy usage significantly, and she has a flat, foreseeable solar payment monthly that is less than she was paying before setting up solar. This is what we suggest by “client service.”
From a national point of view, how can we enhance access to eco-friendly enery?
From my experience, there is a huge space in gain access to. The majority of the homeowners that we visit are lucky to own a house, yet a number of them have not received solar due to several combined or separated factors such as subprime credit report, lower yearly household earnings, self-employment, or an absence of understanding of offered loan programs. These neighborhoods require more assistance and education on the importance of setting up a solar system that can save them cash. We need to supply more individuals with chances to adopt renewable resource with less inconveniences.
How has your Accelerate subscription helped your company?
By empowering us to believe that there is somebody there to support our development in this industry, and offering us the opportunity to satisfy others in the exact same boat. Now I know that there is wish for minority small companies in the sustainable energy market.
How can prospective partners do business with you?
It is essential that we share the same values and objective to help others, even if it means getting out of our comfort zones. It may cost a little bit more for us to do business, but its worth it in the end for our customers. We d love to meet to discuss possible cooperation chances if youre ready to begin there.
Exists anything else you would like to share with ACORE members and partners?
We are truly grateful for the Accelerate membership program and for all of the opportunities you have actually provided. I know this is just the start, and we have a long roadway ahead of us; nevertheless, I look forward to becoming a sponsor to assist pave the way for other Accelerate members in the future– with a special thanks to all of my customers and partners at SUNTEX, since they are the fuel that drives the mission!
To read more about SUNTEX, visit https://suntexllc.com/.
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In addition, even though solar energy has been around for a while, the essentials of these tasks are not widely taught in school. During our initial appointment, I kept in mind that they could just achieve about 56% of solar energy offset due to their houses consumption rates and shading from trees on the home. We discussed a few extra energy efficiency upgrades to the home to reduce energy intake, which could provide a higher energy offset. Angela at first winced at the thought of investing more cash into the home, but eventually she called me back and said she desired to move forward with the solar and energy efficiency upgrades. Thanks to the A/C upgrade, they have lowered their energy consumption greatly, and she has a flat, predictable solar payment each month that is less than she was paying prior to setting up solar.