Finding the ideal grow light manufacturer:

When you’re in the business of growing, whether it is lettuce, cannabis, or flowers, your grow lights are a crucial part of your operation. Without them, you can’t yield a product. That’s why it’s important to partner with a grow light manufacturer that will work with your specific needs and always come through for you. 

If your current manufacturer just isn’t working out, it’s time to switch. Here are the big indicators that it’s time to take the leap.

1. Slow Customer Support

(Technical questions, repairs, pre-sales support, etc.)

If you’re requesting customer support, chances are it’s because you have a time-sensitive need. You may have technical questions, need repairs, or are simply trying to make a purchase.  Customer service that has slow response times, untrained employees, or automated “support” lines is going to slow you down when you need to address your issue at light speed.

Their response to simple questions before you purchase, usually reveals how your support will be after you purchase.

When considering a change to a new grow lighting company, give them a call to see how they respond to some simple questions. You may want to ask questions about product features, lead times, how-to-purchase, warranty, quality control, and more.

2. Lack of Knowledge

When you call your potential grow light manufacturer, you want the person who picks up the call to be able to answer as many of your questions as possible or quickly connect you with someone who can answer more difficult questions promptly. Sadly, it’s all too common to get frustrated with the person who answers the call.

Luckily, it’s easy to weed out the less-than-helpful companies. Take some time to call various manufacturers and ask them questions that are related to your specific needs.

3. Limited or No Product Customization

No two cultivators have exactly the same requirements, or use exactly the same growing techniques! That means your needs may be unique and require specific features customized to your applications. If you’re currently partnered with a manufacturer that only offers one-size-fits-all products, it may be time to find a more nimble manufacturer. Don’t get us wrong: many companies say that they offer customization, but in the end, their request queues and endless layers of management push the lead times for custom features out beyond your schedule. 

The solution is to find an LED grow light manufacturer who is nimble, pays attention to your needs, and really wants to provide you with the best service and products. 

4. Slow to Innovate

As time goes on, industries change. Horticulture is no exception. As new horticultural requirements are introduced and practices evolve, lighting products must evolve with them. A company that made great grow lights yesterday may not meet the technical challenges of today. Ask your current lighting manufacturer what their development plan includes in terms of products and timelines.

5. Poor Product Reliability

You may currently be experiencing a high number of product failures with your current grow light manufacturer. These failures normally occur because steps are not taken to properly engineer, carefully produce, and provide proper quality control before the product is sold. Other reasons include rushing products out the door to meet financial pressures, bypassing burn-in procedures to improve lead times, and not having proper quality control procedures in place.  

Can you determine product reliability before your purchase? The answer is yes! To do this, ask your potential lighting manufacturer some questions, such as the following, that may be helpful to reveal problem areas.

  • Where are your products designed and manufactured? Are they made in China?
  • Who makes your LED drivers and what is their failure rate?
  • Do you Hi-Pot safety test your products?
  • Do you burn in your products and if so, how long do you burn them in?
  • Is your product UL8800 Wet location Certified?
  • What other certifications are your products designed for?
  • What is your product warranty?

In Conclusion…

All of this goes to say that we recommend partnering with a manufacturer that cares about each piece of equipment they produce. Grow lights are the backbone of your operations. Your hard work deserves to be supported by reliable products made by reliable suppliers. You deserve to be partnered with JumpLights. Reach out today and we’d love to put together a customized plan that is right for your business.