The Magic and Mystery Behind the Commercial Field Specialist Role

If you’ve ever wondered what is so “special” about a commercial field specialist, we’ve called upon an 8+ year veteran of the role, Nick Jones, to demystify it for us. It may not be as glamorous as being an astronaut or runway model, but the role does have some magic. Read on!

According to Nick, his role is to

“Support, train, and assist electrical contractors, distributors, manufacturer representatives, utilities, and other companies to propose, sell and complete energy-efficient commercial and industrial projects.”

And that’s just for starters!

The role is magic because he helps turn program knowledge into participation, which reduces energy usage and saves energy costs for all!

This is a real-life example of the expression “Knowledge is power” in action. Or maybe we should change it to “Knowledge reduces power (demand).”

There isn’t any big mystery behind the role. Utility companies offer incentive programs to encourage their customers to use more energy-efficient equipment. Unfortunately, the contractors and distributors can be so caught up in doing what their customers ask that they may forget to consider basic needs or how the customer can save money. This is where having a trusted field specialist on the team comes in handy.

For example, customers need effective lighting, comfortable indoor conditions, and protection from the elements. Any LED light bulb, HVAC equipment or insulation can make that happen. Bring in a knowledgeable field specialist to offer recommendations for both giving their customers what they request and helping them save energy and money. Then you have a satisfied, and likely a repeat, customer. Here’s a new expression: “Knowledge is Savings.”

Nick and other field specialists share their knowledge (power) by offering in-person and online courses, visiting and training contractors, performing customer audits or site visits with them and offering marketing materials. But, most importantly, Nick listens to understand needs better.

If you are wondering if Nick magically fell into this superhero role, that’s not quite how it happened. He started as a salesperson for a wholesale electrical distributor. He learned that using the lighting incentive programs helped to sell projects and gain the trust of electrical contractors and end users. Joining Evergreen as a field specialist was the next logical place to take his skill and power – because, as we said before, Knowledge is Power.

Of course, there is always more to learn. Nick likes working at Evergreen because they support his continuing education to keep him abreast of industry trends and technologies. In addition, they give him the autonomy to provide services that meet the needs of end users where they need them most.

As technologies and the needs of the world change focus, energy priorities will change. However, Nick is confident that Evergreen will keep up with the trends and always find places to add value!