4 Questions Customers Should Ask When Considering Permanent Lights
Recently, Brent and I looked at making a product purchase of which we knew little about. In speaking with the salesperson, I asked, “What questions should we be asking that we are not.”
Asking good questions often leads people to the right place. The Wright brothers asked if it was possible for humans to fly and as a result, 22.2 million commercial flights took off in 2022. Alexander Flemming asked why the bacteria near the mold in his petri-dish was dying and as a result, penicillin was discovered.
Although most customers ask questions, there are 4 good questions often missed, asking these will help customers make the right decision:
1. What is the structure of your company?
Most permanent light companies subcontract. Customers often think they are dealing directly with a permanent light company but in fact, are dealing with a subcontractor. Most often the head office is in a different city or country. The subcontractor has little influence over the product or the decision-making process. This can make it difficult for customers to receive proper attention or communicate directly with the owner. This business model can lack accountability which ultimately undermines the quality of the customer.
2. What is unique about your software?
What sets permanent lights apart from one company to the next is the software found in the controller. In other words, What are your lights able to do? Can your lights change colours? How many effects does your software provide? If I want to create my effects, how many options do I have? How do your timers work? Can I integrate my home automation system with your lights? What other fun things can your lights do? Do you have other lighting products that use your software? See the blog post: “Buyer BeAWARE of Current Permanent Light Technology” for more information.
3. Are your lights RGBW?
RGBW lights have an intensity of white that the RGB does not have, this allows for a greater variety of colours, a warmer white and a brighter white. Some companies white label their lights by branding them and tricking customers that their brand is unique and special. Buyer beware because the question a customer should be asking is, “Are your lights RGBW?” If this is the case, then all RGBW lights are almost identical and a company branding their lights is unnecessary.
4. How are your installers paid?
The last thing anyone wants is for their lights to look great in the dark, but the finishing of the installation to look sloppy during the day. We have learned and heard from others that paying installers by the hour (not by the linear foot) ensures a job is completed with the proper time required to make the installations polished and consistent. See the blog post on, Corporate Culture, Why Paying Installers by the Hour is A WIN/WIN.
As a personal coach, parent educator, professional speaker/facilitator, and now a business owner, I have learned that while there may not be bad questions, there are certainly better ones. There is an art to asking good questions and I trust that this article has been helpful for you.
Thanks for stopping by!