Why Firms Should Compare Business Energy Suppliers

A new survey has revealed why firms, both large and small, should compare business energy suppliers on a regular basis.

The survey was conducted by Citizens Advice which looked at the complaints from employers with 10 staff or fewer and they also looked at the severity of the complaints and how long they took to resolve.

One of the biggest reasons for switching, along with saving money, is for firms to enjoy better levels of customer service and this is one of the main reasons why firms leave the ‘Big Six’ suppliers to enjoy a better relationship.

The survey highlights an important aspect when it comes to contract renewal and that’s to be aware of when a contract is coming to an end before the energy supplier automatically moves the business onto another contract.

The big problem with this is that the new contract will probably be much more expensive than their current rates are.

Unfortunately, there’s only a small window of opportunity in the weeks before a contract comes to an end for a business to take action and find a new energy supplier.

Quickly and effectively find a cheaper and better energy supplier

We’ll come to how firms can quickly and effectively find a cheaper and better energy supplier, but it’s also time to highlight that firms cannot switch suppliers mid-contract and they need to be aware of verbally accepting an offer when contacting a potential energy supplier.

That’s because a contract will have been made and the firm will then be stuck with a contract they may not want or need for a full 12 months before they can switch suppliers.

The survey highlights that this is a common frustration for many firms when their supplier fails to notify them that their contract is coming to an end and they are then moved onto a dear tariff.

The same customers then complain that they struggle to cancel their contract even though this will have moved onto a ‘deemed’ a contract which is easier to cancel since it’s considered to be on a rolling basis.

A spokeswoman for the organisation said that the experiences from small businesses highlighted the problems they face and when small employers need to find a new energy supplier they are often too time-poor to pursue this properly.

The organisation has now produced a league table of the UK’s business energy providers which should help potential customers compare tariffs and services.

Looking to compare business electricity deals

The aim is to help energy suppliers deliver a higher quality service for micro and small businesses who are looking to compare business electricity deals.

However, the process for a firm to switch business electricity suppliers, as well as gas, is simple and straightforward and it’s important to understand that there will be no loss of supply to their premises during the process.

In addition, it’s highly likely they will save hundreds if not thousands of pounds and will boost their profitability by simply switching energy suppliers.

The first step may be to visit one of the many business energy price comparison websites to get an idea of what the market rate might be.

There are several problems with this approach and the first is that the comparison website may not be searching the entire market.

Also, the rate being offered may not be the ones quoted to the firm when they make direct contact since it’s difficult to offer a like-for-like quote when the energy supplier must deliver a bespoke offering.

Quotes to compare business gas and electricity

That’s one reason why firms must source a range of quotes to compare business gas and electricity prices separately even though they may use the same supplier.

For those small firms that have never switched, they are in good company because a survey from the Competition and Markets Authority reveals that around 40% of firms have never swapped business energy suppliers.

The government is keen that more firms swap on a regular basis to help encourage more competition for prices and for more suppliers to enter the market.

For the price of a phone call, a firm can quickly and easily find just how much money they can save on their business energy supply and have the peace of mind that experts will deal with the switchover process.

The experts at D-Energi will only need a few details, including the relevant meter numbers, to carry out a quick check of the potential deals and offers available and then begin the process to switch over.

This service offering isn’t just available for micro and small businesses, it’s also available for larger employers as well as charities and other organisations.

The aim is to offer a better deal for a firm’s energy which is why all firms should compare business energy suppliers on a regular basis to save large amounts of their bills and boost profitability in the process, so for more help and information about how to go about this, contact D-Energi.