Ever play the telephone game as a kid? A message is whispered down a line of people and, inevitably, that message becomes hilariously mangled by the time it reaches the last person in line. One wrong move, one misquote, and the entire message falls apart. Believe it or not, that’s a good analogy for the lighting industry and the importance a strong distribution channel plays in the success of projects, large and small. Sonepar USA is that distribution strength that powers customized solutions and helps light the world.
Lighting touches every part of our lives. We have it in our homes and in our offices, which are now one in the same for many people. Studies are finding more and more that the quality of light in a space has a major impact on physical and mental health and even productivity. Now that more employees are working remotely than ever before, quality lighting is very important to the efficiency of your employees and businesses.
Is this over-exaggerated? Think about your mood when you are outside while it’s sunny and clear blue skies versus a dark, rainy day. Dark rooms can make you sleepy, lethargic, and unmotivated. Lighting makes a difference! In addition to creating life and energy for a space, lighting is necessary to run the facilities where our food is prepared and processed, where baby diapers and formula are produced, and the grocery stores where we purchase these items. In our factories, it helps us make quality products for consumers and keep employees working in production areas safe. In hospitals and healthcare facilities, it allows doctors and nurses to care for patients and monitor their recovery. On the road, it’s critical for driving at night and helping us feel safe in dark parking lots. Imagine living in a world without artificial light!
Now imagine living through the COVID-19 pandemic without these lighting capabilities. Lighting is vital not just to our well-being, but to our ability to continue to provide to essential businesses.
Unfortunately, the quality of most existing lighting in offices, industrial plants, and even your house, is probably not that great. One of the most intriguing and challenging aspects of lighting is that it is very subjective. We have criteria and recommendations from lighting experts but, unfortunately, what’s installed is often not what was intended in the original design. After several months or years of occupying a poorly lit space, it just becomes your new normal and the benefits of a better lit space are often neglected and overlooked.
With over 400 associates dedicated to lighting across the country, Sonepar USA is well-equipped to provide lighting solutions to all of our customers – from contractors and end-users, to residential builders and DIYers, to industrial and utility – our local specialists have the knowledge and experience to assist with all of your lighting needs. Whether you do business with our operating companies in California or New Jersey, our goal is the same – to manage projects so efficiently that our customers are able to dedicate their resources more comprehensively towards project completion.
During the COVID-19 crisis, we have supported local businesses working to convert large spaces into make-shift field hospitals. The right type of lighting is crucial for these types of situations. Lighting that is installed properly and safely will ensure that each bed is well-lit for doctors to examine and care for patients. Nobody thinks about lighting when it’s on, but if one of these beds doesn’t have a light, it will be a huge problem. In addition to providing light for healthcare professionals, there are non-touch systems installed in some hospitals to help stop the spread of germs.
At Sonepar USA, we dedicate a lot of energy towards our relationships with vendors and creating innovative logistic solutions for our customers. Our real-time product knowledge adds value to project design and our teams incorporate energy efficiency considerations to validate our customers’ upgrade strategies. Our local specialists are the voice for our contractor customers to ensure they can install the lighting systems as designed. We also strive to be a leader in environmental responsibility with our energy programs.
Our 700+ locations across the U.S. are complemented by our ever-growing online capabilities. Customers can quickly and easily find information about products, inventory, and place an order online or through our mobile apps. Our suite of digital solutions allows us to respond quickly to customer needs, whether it’s implementing curbside delivery and contactless signature in response to COVID-19, or providing visibility into project information and jobsite deliveries. We are focused on offering comprehensive services and solutions to all of our customers and innovative lighting solutions are an important part of those offerings. One example of this is our ability to set up on-site inventory programs for maintenance upgrades of existing lighting systems, enabling it to occur on a longer timeline and flatten the customer’s capital investment.
Though we are living in unprecedented times, our focus remains the same – providing the products, solutions, and services to make our customers’ lives easier. We continue investing in lighting and controls and our local experts and global reach make us well-suited to ensure we remain our customers’ first choice.