Organisation: SolarEdge Technologies
Job title: Technical Services Technician
Location in the UK: Hybrid working, living in Suffolk, and working in the Cambridge office.
In this edition of our popular feature, we’re chatting with Joshua Charlesworth, a technical services technician for SolarEdge Technologies. We discover what a day in his life looks like, from the moment his alarm signals its start, to the last thing he does as it ends
Your company in one line
Manufacturer of DC-optimised solar inverters and power optimisers for residential, commercial and utility. We also address smart energy management, battery storage, EV charging and grid services solutions.
My alarm goes off at
This depends on whether I’m going into the office or not. If I am, 5:45 am. If not, 6:45 am!
The first thing I do each day is
After waking up I feed my cats, make a coffee and, sitting outside if I can, I just chill out for a bit before starting the day.
I prepare for the day ahead by
always try to prioritise tasks at the start of the day. Although, of course, working in a support role, new things pop up all the time, so it’s important to be flexible and reprioritise tasks as the day progresses.
I can’t leave the house without
A quick stroke of my cats, and making sure I have coffee and snacks for the journey to work.
My typical day…
My typical day is spent trouble shooting issues for SolarEdge customers. These are usually installers but we also speak directly to end-users. My job is to identify the cause of any issues they are experiencing, and to recommend a solution. The issue could be something going on around the system – damage caused by rodents, for example, or birds nesting in the array that can affect the productivity due to debris sitting on connectors, or cause connectors to become loose. It may be related to the equipment, or even the result of an installation error. Even though the problems are often unrelated to our products, we like to go the extra mile to help our customers pinpoint, and remedy, any problems.
My team and I pride ourselves on responding to all issues as quickly as possible. Everything we do on a day-to-day basis is focused on that goal, to make sure we provide excellent service to our customers.
My most memorable work moment
Some of my recent projects have been my most fulfilling yet, and likely will be some of the most memorable.
For example, I recently took a call from a very unhappy installer who was frustrated that the solar system they had installed on a residential customer’s premises did not appear to be producing power. They contacted us because they thought the inverter was the source of the problem. However, by asking the right questions and by examining the data coming out of the system using the SolarEdge module-level monitoring platform, we were able to quickly identify that it was actually the panels that were at fault and pinpoint its location, without the need for an in-person inspection. They were grateful to avoid the cost and time this would have taken, and to get a clear picture of the issue. For me, it was really gratifying to see their opinion turn around so dramatically from frustration to gratitude for our service.
On occasions when it is necessary for the installer to get up onto the roof to carry out assessments and repairs, we help to coordinate the process for them. For example, I’m currently helping a customer with a system issue on a rooftop that requires scaffolding for access. Generally this creates longer lead times as scaffolding is rarely immediately available and takes time to assemble; however, we have been able to help move things along quickly. I’ve been keeping the installer updated throughout the process and they’ve been really grateful for how efficiently it has been coordinated.
The worst part of my job
Working in customer service, you might expect me to say something like ‘irritable customers’, but I actually enjoy that part of the job, as I can understand where they’re coming from and there’s always a solution. I genuinely enjoy speaking with customers about their issue and finding a resolution – eventually winning them over!
The worst part of my job is cleaning out the coffee machine! I hate doing it, but I’m a bit particular about it and once I’ve spotted it needs cleaning I can’t resist cleaning it.
The best part of my job
The best part is definitely being able to make customers happy again. That’s what I’m here for – to make our customers’ lives easier and enable them to get on to their next job as quickly as possible. I really enjoy speaking to people and providing proper personal customer service, rather than being a robot on the other end of the phone line or screen. For me, it’s a really satisfying job.
I relax after work by
I like to unwind with my girlfriend by going for a walk after work and talking about our day. Then, when we get back, we like to cook together – from scratch – so there’s quite a lot of prep involved. I find that quite relaxing too.
On my bedside table is
An alarm clock and a drink – just the essentials!
The last thing I do each day is
At about 10:00pm I go out around the garden and water all the plants. We’ve got a few new trees and some veg that we’re growing, so we try to make sure they’re watered before we go to bed.
I’m normally in bed by
About 10:30 pm
Image credit: Joshua Charlesworth
