subject: Conditioned For Business Energy Savings [print this page] Energy supply firms would be very near the top of any poll taken to find the most unpopular companies. They appear to pluck prices out of thin air and attach them to their electricity and gas rates before proceeding to announce profits into the hundreds of millions. Businesses are being encouraged to fight back by taking these fuel providers to task and where necessary switching around and in so doing, forcing a reassessment of pricing.
Initial problems are actually self-inflicted in many cases with a high proportion of businesses not even knowing who supplies their energy, whether the same company is responsible for both gas and electric, or if it is split. They have little knowledge of the type of contract they have in place and consequently are totally oblivious to any hold they may be under within the terms and conditions laid out in the small print.
Therefore they are ignorant to the fact that they may be tied to a long-term agreement or have significant transfer fees hanging over them. These are just some of the reasons why many seek expert assistance and whilst the energy companies still hold the upper hand, they are at least in a better negotiating position. The top and bottom of it is that businesses often pay over the odds for the energy supply, but there are several easy things to do that can reduce those costs significantly in both the short and long term.
By committing extra funding to invest in energy efficient equipment, initial outlay can be quickly recouped and then vast savings can be made over subsequent years. In the shorter-term sub meters are a good way of identifying problem areas that need to be addressed and receive specific attention to monitor usage. Also, spreading the electrical load with the installation of controlling systems will reduce the lighting costs. Education is key, if the whole workforce is singing from the same hymn sheet so to speak, and then it stands to reason that the energy bills will drop. Encouraging a different mind-set will after a period of time pay dividends.
Savings are very often staring us in the face, but sometimes they are so blindingly obvious they simply get overlooked until they are bluntly pointed out. The business sector is competitive by nature, but the same applies to energy suppliers. Therefore, an opportunity exists to play them against each other; after all they are all competing for custom. With a little guidance there are some wonderful deals that can be negotiated. The trouble has been that many companies were either unaware or had not grasped the importance.
Many existing suppliers allow notice periods to expire to enable contracts to be renewed and a common procedure with some is to omit to inform when these renewals are due. This is poor working practice and hopefully businesses are finally catching on to this method and with good assistance moving quickly to renegotiate, or if nothing is presented that is suitable to their needs, then applying their right to switch to something more appealing.
