Overview
You don’t last more than 30 years in any business — nevermind solar — by settling for “just OK.” Real business leaders are constantly searching for the best possible solution for every situation.
During its three decades in solar, New Day Solar has always sought out the best tools and people to get things right the first time for solar customers throughout Southern California. The company is known for quality craftsmanship, long-standing customer relationships, a strong referral network, and for getting things right the first time.
But by early 2024, internal bottlenecks had started to strain the team.
When their previous sales and design software, Solargraf, could no longer keep pace with the growing complexity of solar sales — particularly as financing options evolved and customer expectations rose — New Day didn’t hesitate. The company quickly and decisively started the process of finding the best possible solution.
Kelley Barber, New Day’s Sales Manager, saw firsthand how daily inefficiencies were eroding team productivity, design accuracy, and ultimately, the customer experience.
“We were hearing about glitches every day. Support took days, and reps had to jump between systems just to close one deal. It wasn’t sustainable.” – Kelley Barber, Sales Manager, New Day Solar
The moment New Day found a more efficient way to work, they made the move to Aurora — well ahead of schedule.
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15%
Increase in close rates. Empowered reps with fast, accurate designs they could trust—and confidently sell on the spot.
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20%
Increase in engineer productivity. Reduced back-and-forth and bottlenecks with cleaner inputs and fewer redesigns.
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6 Hrs
6 hours saved per project. Reduced issues and back-and-forth between sales and engineering with more accurate, complete designs from the start.
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30 Min
30 minutes saved per proposal with Aurora AI. Cut proposal time from 30 minutes to seconds—plus real-time adjustments.
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2 Days
2 days saved per proposal using Expert Design Services. Offloaded complex designs to Aurora’s expert team—returned in under an hour.
The Challenge: Glitches, Gaps, and Growing Pains
New Day Solar had been early adopters of their previous tool and had even helped shape the platform during its beta phase. But over time, the cracks began to show.
Key Limitations
- Sluggish evolution: The software lagged behind fast-moving financing and utility rule changes
- Design errors and glitches were frequent: AI-generated proposals lacked the accuracy New Day required
- Fragmented workflows: Reps were forced to toggle between multiple tools for APRs, dealer fees, and TPO rates
- Support issues: Resolution times stretched days or longer
- Time drain: Kelley and her engineering lead spent full days troubleshooting sales reps’ issues
“It started taking up my entire day. I wasn’t doing my job — I was just supporting reps who couldn’t get through the tools.” – Kelley Barber
Even advanced reps — many with over 7 years of experience — struggled to trust what the tool produced. The team needed accurate designs, faster workflows, and a support system that didn’t rely on workarounds.
The Solution: One Platform. Real Confidence.
Aurora Solar’s platform offered something Solargraf couldn’t: an end-to-end system that combined speed, automation, and trust.
“Aurora gave us accuracy, automation, and consistency — all in one place. That was the game-changer.” – Kelley Barber
Aurora AI: Speed Without Sacrificing Accuracy
With Aurora AI, reps now generate accurate, fully bankable designs in seconds. They can even create complex layouts live during a customer call, allowing the team to remain consultative without losing momentum.
- 60× faster design time: From 30 minutes to under a minute
- Up to 6 hours saved per project by avoiding redesigns and proposal rework
- 15% higher close rates thanks to real-time options and data-driven trust
Why It’s So Accurate
Aurora AI isn’t just fast — it’s precise. Trained on over 2.6 million solar designs (more than any other solar software), and powered by the best available satellite and LIDAR data, Aurora AI continues to improve thanks to a 4× increase in training data and smarter model infrastructure. The result? Bankable designs in under 10 seconds with 25% better obstruction detection and performance that now matches or exceeds human designers 80% of the time.
“Our team has deep design experience. They love how dialed in Aurora’s AI is — it’s quick, accurate, and reliable.” – Kelley Barber
Expert Design Services: Complex Doesn’t Mean Complicated
When a roof is particularly intricate, or when newer reps need a hand, Aurora’s Expert Design Services (EDS) deliver proposals in under an hour — giving reps the time and confidence to keep deals moving.
“We had reps struggling with complex roofs for hours with our previous process. Now, they request an ‘Expert Design’ and get something back in under an hour.” – Kelley Barber
TPO Tools + Financing Integrations
Previously, reps had to manually build out TPO pricing structures, flip between screens, and recalculate values before presenting options to the homeowner. With Aurora, all of that lives in one place.
Reps now:
- Compare cash, loan, and TPO options side-by-side
- Toggle between escalators instantly
- Auto-adjust designs to match financer requirements
“Aurora’s TPO tools are seamless. No bouncing between tabs. No second calls or rework. No mistakes. It’s all there — and it builds confidence.” – Kelley Barber
Aurora’s TPO tools are seamless. No bouncing between tabs. No second calls or rework. No mistakes. It’s all there — and it builds confidence.
Kelley Barber
New Day Solar
Results That Speak for Themselves
| Metric | Before Aurora | After Aurora | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales design time | ~30 min | 30 sec | 60x faster |
| Complex proposals | 1 day or longer | < 1 hr | 8 to 10x faster |
| Close rate | Baseline | +15% | Higher win rates, revenue growth |
| Engineer productivity | Baseline | +20% | More projects, fewer bottlenecks |
| Project rework | Frequent | – 6 hours per project | Smoother handoffs, operational efficiency |
Strategic Impact: Built to Scale
Aurora’s platform hasn’t just improved New Day’s output — it’s reshaped their workflows.
Unparalleled Automation
Automated design, auto-validations for financing, and API-based CRM integrations mean reps spend less time fixing errors and more time selling.
Scalable Operations
Aurora enables New Day to scale operations without scaling headcount. The company now supports more proposals, more project types, and more financing scenarios — all with one consistent tool.
Empowered Through Expertise
Whether using AI, manual tools, or Expert Design Services, reps at every experience level can build accurate designs and confidently guide customers to the right solution.
Aurora empowers my team. It makes them look like experts — because they are. And that trust shows in our close rates.
Kelley Barber
New Day
The ROI: Why Aurora?
Aurora wasn’t the cheapest option — it was the best one.
“Aurora cost more — but we didn’t care. Eric, our co-owner and numbers guy, did the math. It’s already paying for itself — and will continue to, again and again.” – Kelley Barber
With measurable time savings, improved accuracy, and fewer customer callbacks, the decision was made even before their Solargraf contract expired.
“We didn’t wait. We had months left on our old license — but we needed positive change now.” – Kelley Barber
Final Word
New Day Solar isn’t just selling systems, they’re building trust. With Aurora, they’ve streamlined operations, empowered their team, and given every department — from sales to engineering — the support they need to move faster and work smarter. focus forward.
Aurora’s platform is more than a design tool. It’s a growth engine.
“Make the switch. Don’t hesitate. Just do it. You’ll be glad you did.” – Kelley Barber, Sales Manager
