Aggressive sales tactics by a small number of solar panel installation companies are threatening to tarnish the good reputation that solar energy has with homeowners. Many companies know that there is very little enforcement of the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a law that’s supposed to protect people from getting bombarded with unsolicited sales calls, including people who have joined the National Do Not Call registry. Solar companies should know that these kinds of telemarketing campaigns are unpopular with consumers. Telemarketing is an annoying invasion of privacy. It’s a business practice that exploits low-wage workers. Any company that supports aggressive sales tactics—even clean, renewable energy companies—gives business a bad name.

On June 1, residents in Massachusetts and Connecticut sued SolarCity Corp. in federal court over reported violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Here’s a link to the official complaint: http://blog.pickmysolar.com/hubfs/Complaint.pdf In addition to complaints from the two people named in the lawsuit, the legal papers include online feedback from people who claim to have received sales calls from SolarCity phone numbers, with messages like, “They keep calling and calling. I want them to stop calling me.”

To learn more about why one company’s telemarketing campaign is a problem for the entire solar industry, read an article about the SolarCity lawsuit at http://blog.pickmysolar.com/why-solarcity-telemarketing-is-everyones-problem

Unacceptable business practices like these must end immediately. They deter customers from shopping for solar because they think they will be victimized by harassment. People should be excited about going solar, not scared.

Pick My Solar calls on SolarCity and all solar installation companies to join us in the campaign against invasive sales to consumers.