Meet the Expert: Clara Jensen, Operations Manager at SunWind Solutions

Clara Jensen leads operations at SunWind Solutions, a mid-sized solar and wind energy company with around 180 employees. With five years in energy operations and a background in customer service analytics, Clara has hands-on experience building teams that keep customer satisfaction high while managing complex project delivery. Today, she shares her insights on how entry-level operations pros can use Customer Effort Score (CES) measurement to build better teams in the mid-market energy sector.

What is Customer Effort Score, and why should new operations professionals care?

Clara: Think of Customer Effort Score as a simple way to ask customers, “How easy was it to get your problem solved or your question answered?” It’s a number—usually on a scale from 1 to 7 or 1 to 5—that measures how much effort a customer feels they've put in.

For entry-level ops folks in solar and wind, that number is gold. Why? Because energy customers—whether they're residential solar users or wind farm managers—often deal with technical installations, permits, or service delays. If your team can spot where customers struggle, you can build a team that smooths those bumps.

For example, a mid-market wind company I worked with found that their CES was low during the billing process. Customers felt it took too long to get their invoices explained. Once we knew that, we hired and trained people specifically for billing support and reduced effort by redesigning the billing FAQ. Their CES jumped from 4.2 to 6.0 in six months.

How do you connect CES measurement with hiring the right people?

Clara: The secret is matching skills to where customers struggle most. If your CES data shows customers are getting stuck during installation scheduling, you want to hire team members who thrive on organization and clear communication.

Let’s say your CES surveys reveal that customers find your solar panel setup instructions confusing. Instead of just blaming the instructions, you can hire or develop a team member who’s good at translating technical jargon into everyday language—a “customer translator,” if you will.

At SunWind Solutions, when we noticed customers asking many return calls due to unclear communications, we created a new role: Customer Journey Coach. This role hired from people with backgrounds in both energy knowledge and customer service. When this person works closely with the tech teams, both sides see fewer handoffs, and customer effort drops.

What team structure works best to improve CES in mid-market energy companies?

Clara: From my experience, smaller teams within larger departments make a big difference. For example, instead of having one big customer support group, break it down into specialized teams: one for technical questions, one for billing, one for after-installation service.

Why? Because in solar-wind energy, customer questions are very diverse. Someone calling about a damaged wind turbine blade needs a different kind of help than someone wanting to understand their solar energy credits.

A 2023 Energy Sector Report by HelioData found that companies with specialized support teams saw a 15% improvement in CES compared to those with generalist teams.

How can entry-level ops pros use CES scores to onboard and coach their teams?

Clara: CES can guide your onboarding strategy. Once you know the customer pain points, train new hires directly on those areas. For instance, if your CES survey shows delays in permit processing, your onboarding should include a deep dive into the permits process, even if that’s not the new hire’s direct job.

Then, regularly share CES feedback in team meetings. Celebrate improvements and discuss frustrations openly—this helps build awareness and keeps everyone aligned.

I remember when one of our solar installation teams was hitting a CES low in post-installation support. By sharing exact customer comments during onboarding, new hires understood what “easy” meant in real terms. We even role-played customer calls based on real issues. That hands-on approach raised the team’s CES by nearly 20% within a quarter.

Which tools can beginners use to measure and analyze CES easily?

Clara: For someone starting out, simplicity and integration with existing systems matter. I recommend platforms like:

• Zigpoll: Great for quick CES surveys embedded in emails or SMS after customer interactions. It’s easy to set up and delivers actionable reports.

• Medallia: A bit more comprehensive, good if your mid-market company wants to combine CES with other customer feedback metrics.

• SurveyMonkey: Simple and customizable; if you’re just getting started, you can tailor questions without needing tech help.

The key is to pick a tool that your team can use regularly without the need for a big IT project. You want to capture customer effort continuously without overwhelming your staff.

How can measuring CES impact skills development across your team?

Clara: CES shines a light on soft skills like empathy, clarity, and patience. If customers feel they’re jumping through hoops, it might be a sign your team needs better communication training or more product knowledge.

For example, after reviewing CES feedback, one of our wind service teams realized customers were frustrated because technicians used too much technical jargon during calls. We introduced communication workshops focused on “energy speak” translation—turning complex terms like “megawatt-hours” into everyday language. That training improved the team’s CES by 10% in two months.

What are some limitations of relying solely on CES for team-building decisions?

Clara: CES is powerful, but it’s not the whole story. It measures how easy something feels to customers but doesn’t capture their overall satisfaction or emotional connection.

For example, a solar client might rate low effort because their invoice was clear, but still be unhappy if the installation took too long. That means CES needs to be combined with other metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) to get a fuller picture.

Also, if you focus only on CES, you risk hiring people who just aim to “make things easy” but might miss other qualities like technical expertise or creative problem-solving. Balance is key.

Can you share a real-world example of a mid-market energy team improving CES through focused hiring and training?

Clara: Absolutely. Take BrightWind Energy, a company with about 200 employees specializing in wind turbine servicing. They noticed their CES was stuck at 3.8 out of 7, especially on handling repair requests.

They started by analyzing CES feedback and realized customers were confused by the scheduling process. So, they created a new role: Repair Coordination Specialist, hired people who were excellent multitaskers and customer communicators, even if they didn’t have deep technical skills.

Simultaneously, they trained existing technicians on better communication and transparency around repair timelines.

Within four months, their CES rose to 5.5. Repair requests moved faster, and the team reported less burnout because roles were clearer.

What actionable advice do you have for entry-level operations pros starting with CES and team-building?

Clara: Start small. Pick one customer touchpoint—maybe billing or installation follow-up—and send a simple CES survey after each interaction.

Look carefully at the results as a team. Ask, “Where is our customer putting in too much effort? Who on our team can best fix this?”

Use the data to shape job descriptions and onboarding checklists. Build training modules around those key friction points.

Remember, measuring CES is ongoing. Keep sharing feedback with your team, celebrate wins, and use setbacks as learning moments.

And finally, don’t wait for perfection. Even a basic CES survey can spark conversations that lead to big improvements in how your team supports solar and wind customers.

Comparison Table: CES Survey Tools for Mid-Market Energy Teams

Measuring customer effort is not just a number-crunching exercise. For entry-level operations professionals in the solar and wind energy fields, it’s a tool for building smarter teams that reduce customer pain and make energy solutions more accessible. With thoughtful hiring, clear team structures, and ongoing training informed by CES, you can help your mid-sized company grow stronger from the ground up.