Tom Rendle
Some review profiles do not reflect customer outcomes.
They reflect sales conversations.
We have now seen pages filled with five-star reviews from people describing:
- a consultation
- an in-home assessment
- a proposal meeting
- a friendly salesperson
- an explanation of solar
- even a cancelled job
In some cases, the reviewer explicitly says they do not own a system from the company they are reviewing.
That is not a customer review.
That is not proof of workmanship.
That is not proof of installation quality, electrical competence, after-sales service, system performance, or long-term support.
It is simply review farming: building the appearance of trust by collecting stars from people who have not gone through the actual process of becoming a solar customer.
A pleasant conversation is not a completed project
A company should not look established because it collected dozens of five-star ratings from people reviewing a sales pitch.
Homeowners should be asking:
- Did this person actually buy a system?
- Was the system installed?
- Did they mention workmanship?
- Did they mention production, savings, or service after the sale?
- Are these reviews about real outcomes — or just first impressions?
If the reviews are all about how “friendly,” “informative,” or “easy to talk to” the rep was, then the public is not looking at a track record of delivered solar projects.
They are looking at marketing disguised as reputation.
Read the words, not just the stars
Five-star ratings can be manufactured surprisingly easily when the only thing being reviewed is a conversation.
Real reputation is built after the install:
- when the design holds up,
- when the workmanship is clean,
- when the system performs,
- and when the company stands behind it.
Until then, a wall of glowing reviews may say far less than people think.
If someone openly says they do not own a system from the company, that should not be mistaken for proof that the company has earned its reputation.