As alternative technology emerges in the golf sector, the nascent company SolarCarts looks to redefine the market by simply, listening.
Like most industries, the golf sector hasn’t been able to evade the current economic depression. However, a bright spot – solar technology – has emerged during this cloudy, dismal time. Golf carts are getting an extreme makeover by replacing the cart’s original, bland plastic roof with a stylish, high-tech solar retrofit. And today there are several companies who are looking to make solar golf cart roofs ubiquitous. After all, doesn’t it seem like the most practical application for this alternative energy source? But like so many other solar companies, this dream is stalled by reality. There is, however, one newbie that is taking a different approach. SolarCarts, a technology firm located in Coconut Creek, Florida, is finally giving consumers what they really want. As alternative technology emerges in the golf sector, this nascent company
SolarCarts first opened its doors in June 2009, but quickly realized that trying to shoehorn traditional carts and the golf cart business into a high-tech solar reality would be extremely difficult. So rather than aggressively selling its product line, SolarCarts chose to do something atypical in the business world; wait, listen, and improve. The company has recently dedicated itself to extensive market research, gathering valuable feedback from golf courses, the private sector, and a myriad of other target customers to hear what they have to say. With this new knowledge the company believes they are in a better position to build a product of value while at the same time building trust with its potential customers. To date, customers haven’t been completely satisfied with the existing solar roof products. Jon LoBello, who carries the unconventional title of Eco- Vice President, said, “Whether their discouragement in this new industry has been because of a product’s functionality, aesthetics, and/or price, we didn’t want to push something that wasn’t ready right out of the gate. Instead, we decided to take the right steps to make sure this new technology has the appropriate features and design as well as the most crucial component, an affordable price tag. By getting to know our market better and designing a product that will meet their needs, we hope this process has built trust in our brand and we look forward to seeing the market’s reaction.”
The company has undergone a complete redesign of their original prototype, which is cleverly titled the Sun Eagle. The launch date for this new product line hasn’t yet been announced. However, SolarCarts does think the market will accept their upcoming product with open arms and little hesitation. With today’s economic struggles and at a time when most companies in this industry are sales focused, SolarCarts is taking a major risk by delaying its sales for the sake of the customer. For once it would be nice, especially in a new industry, for a company to offer a product that doesn’t leave customers with buyer’s remorse. SolarCarts looks to avoid this fate and redefine the market.
