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With some impressive savings to be had by switching gas and electricity suppliers, means there is a growing demand from firms to explore the market for business energy suppliers. Their first impression may be that the market is complicated with lots of suppliers offering a huge variety of deals, offers, and tariffs. There’s no doubt that this can be a confusing process but it will be time well spent as the firm will, more than likely, save a substantial amount of money. As an indication, the firm should expect to save several hundred pounds, or even several thousands of pounds, depending on their energy needs and future use. On top of this, a new supplier may also encourage an energy audit so that the firm’s consumption of energy can be reduced and the savings will be even greater. How does a firm go about finding business electricity suppliers? So, how does a firm go about finding business electricity suppliers in a keenly fought market with a wide range of suppliers available? One idea is to do a simple Internet search and speak with suppliers separately to see what they have to offer. This is a time-consuming approach and there’s no guarantee that the firm will not be signing up to a deal that is suitable and will not save them as much as they are expecting. They could also use one of the business energy price comparison websites to find a cheaper deal and supplier; while the site will give an indication of the market prices that are available they may not be searching the entire market or indeed every potential supplier. This means that the firm is being restricted in finding a suitable energy deal at great prices. Looking for business gas suppliers However, there is help at hand for those who are looking for business gas suppliers as well as electricity suppliers for their firm’s needs and that is to speak with experts who appreciate how the business energy market works and will have access to the latest deals and offers. It’s also important that when using brokers like this that they appreciate the firm’s current and potential future needs as well. Also, it’s important that firms do not jump onto the first cheap business gas and electricity deal they find since there may be hidden costs and charges which will have an impact and make the deal unattractive.   For more help and advice when it comes to exploring the market for business energy suppliers, speak with the experts at the D-Energi.

It’s one thing finding cheap electricity prices but it is something else completely different to find commercial electricity rates that suit the business’s need. There are a growing number of electricity suppliers to choose from and firms will need to shop around to ensure they get the best deals and tariffs. While a firm can visit various websites and the suppliers themselves, they will need to appreciate that the price being quoted on their website may be rather different to the one quoted when they contact the supplier. The main reason for this is that the supplier will need to tailor their quote to meet the business’s need rather than offering a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Looking for a commercial electricity quote from a supplier This also means that when looking for a commercial electricity quote from a supplier, the firm should be wary and ensure that the tariff being offered meets their current and future requirements. Obviously, the price plans for business electricity and gas will vary depending on the suppliers and the schemes available will also vary. Also, firms will find it more difficult to find a dual fuel deal which is the bundling of gas and electricity since most suppliers will not offer this and will offer each fuel separately. This brings into question the time a firm can spend looking for separate gas and electric suppliers. Finding the best electric prices for a business However, there is a straightforward and time efficient way of finding the best electric prices for a business and that is to contact those who understand how the market works and can find a deal that suits a firm’s needs. The team at D-Energi will appreciate, for instance, the difference between the need for a one-man Internet start-up and the business needs of a retailer with several outlets. In addition, the team can also help with the switchover process which is a seamless transition between suppliers and there’s no loss of supply during the handover. However, a firm can only switch electricity and gas suppliers within a window before their contract comes to an end and they will be unable to break their contract mid-term and their current supplier may lodge an objection for switching but only if the firm owes money on an outstanding bill.   For help and advice about finding commercial electricity rates as well as gas prices, speak with the advisers at the D-Energi who will explain more.

When a business switches energy suppliers, 75% are happy with the process but they do not switch because 40% do not think they can save money and 25% think it’s too complex.   Save Save Save Save

For any business, large or small, looking to reduce their costs then understanding how to compare business energy tariffs could pay dividends. Just as we find when looking at household energy suppliers, the tariffs available for a business can vary hugely and create confusion. This means conducting more research and calling a potential energy supplier to find their best offer. However, the one thing to remember is a business can only compare their business electricity and gas tariffs separately between suppliers since they cannot get a dual fuel deal like they can for their home. It should be remembered though that there are huge savings to be made from switching energy suppliers and depending on usage, some businesses could save hundreds of pounds and indeed several thousands of pounds. Compare business electricity and gas rates However, when a firm wants to compare business electricity and gas rates with various rivals, it’s not that easy since the supplier will need to offer a bespoke deal. The process of finding low bills not only sees lower overheads but it should be done as a matter of routine. This has been underlined by a survey from the Competition and Markets Authority which reveals that 40% of small and medium-sized businesses have not switched their energy supplier in the last five years. More worryingly, 39% admit they have never switched energy supplier. The survey highlights that many firms in the UK are probably overpaying for their energy and missing out on the huge savings to be made which is an exercise that should be done considering that energy prices are predicted to increase this year. The easiest way to compare business gas and electricity prices Perhaps the easiest way to compare business gas and electricity prices is to understand how the firm’s energy bill is put together; this means understanding the breakdown of the energy unit rate and any standing charges as well. By doing so, the firm will then make the process of comparing prices much easier though they should beware of a potential supplier offering an estimated annual cost since estimates can vary hugely. For a micro-business, that’s an employer who employs fewer than 10 people, they will know their energy prices because that’s the regulation for the suppliers to meet. Also, energy suppliers may automatically push their customers into a rollover contract after the firm’s initial tariff comes to an end. One reason for this is that the rollover contract is usually much more expensive than a new customer’s contract from the same firm. Comparing business gas and electricity prices There’s no doubt that when it comes to comparing business gas and electricity prices there needs to be plenty of homework done. The first step is to benchmark what the market is offering for the firm’s usage. Again, the firm should be wary about any quotes being offered since these will not be a precise offering and they will still need to call the supplier for an actual energy quote. Once the firm has a good idea of what the market offering is and how much money they can save every year, then they should begin calling around other suppliers. Contact business energy brokers It might, however, be easier to contact business energy brokers as well to see whether they have any better offers and tariffs available. The other important issue to remember is the business should never stop haggling or pushing for a better offer, even when their current supplier offers a new deal they should contact them to see if there is an improved offer. If the firm is happy with their current supplier then it might worth doing some research first to see whether their current supplier will meet a competitor’s offer. It would not hurt to ask but the business needs to be forearmed with the relevant information. The other big attraction for firms who are looking to compare their energy prices is that they can also fix into a longer-term deal which is worth considering if prices do begin to rise. Energy suppliers offer variable rates which can be expensive while others will offer a fixed price over one to three years of a contract term. Comparing business energy deals Finally, when it comes to comparing business energy deals and the firm finds an offer they like, they need to appreciate that once they sign a contract there is no cooling off period. This means they must ensure they are happy and understand the contract before committing to it because they will have to see the contract through until the time for renewal arises. Essentially, the easiest way to compare business energy prices is to contact experts in the field who know what the latest deals and tariffs are and can put together a cracking deal that will save searching the market extensively and take care of the switchover process which means contacting the experts D-Energi.

There are many reasons why a firm looking to lower their energy costs should use an energy consultancy and this article explains why. The main reason is probably the most appealing and that’s for those firms who do not have the time to source a new energy supplier to use the expert’s experience. They may also lack the expertise in trying to manage their energy needs and usage to pinpoint where potential savings in energy costs can be made. Indeed, most firms will appreciate that there are some very good commercial energy deals available that will help them lower their overheads and boost efficiencies at the same time. This will, inevitably, mean that profitability will be boosted as a result. The experts in energy services Turning to the experts in energy services is a highly recommended course of action since the energy consultancy will know what the latest and best deals are and they will also have a track record in delivering savings. The energy consultants will also understand the finer points in a potential new supplier’s contract and highlight any potential issues. However, energy consultants are not just about looking at the various tariffs and prices from a potential new supplier to find the best possible deal – they also aim to make the firm more energy-efficient. Indeed, the energy consultants should be able to take a holistic view of the firm’s energy needs, both for gas and electricity and also for their water needs too. That’s because the market for supplying water to businesses in England has now opened up and firms can switch suppliers to help reduce their costs. Energy consultants will be able to find better water deals This means the energy consultants will be able to find better water deals and offer water management tips to help improve efficiencies. The energy consultant should also be able to monitor and measure a firm’s energy use to pinpoint where efficiencies can be made. Essentially, along with the prospect of reducing their energy bill by hundreds if not thousands of pounds every year, further savings can be made by reducing energy use to reduce bills by up to, potentially, 15%. Obviously, for many firms and organisations this could add up to substantial savings being made every year by simply switching water, gas and electricity suppliers. It’s also important to use energy consultants who have an in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and have the expertise to deliver the savings the organisation is hoping for. The other benefit for using an energy consultancy is that once they source a new energy supplier offering much lower rates, they can also look after the switchover process and deal with the contracts as well. The switchover process is seamless While the switchover process is seamless, there will be no interruption in energy supply to the firm’s premises, the energy consultant will be able to ensure that the process is indeed trouble-free. Essentially, organisations will be looking to not only lower their energy bills but also their energy usage and improve their green credentials as well. It should also be appreciated that the energy consultants can work with firms of all shapes and sizes as well as those who have several business sites. This also means that those with more than one premises can also have an improved deal from an energy supplier and receive just one invoice rather than having to deal with several suppliers and their invoices. Again, the energy consultants will have the knowledge and experience of the market to find the best suppliers to those organisations with several premises or retail outlets. The work of the energy consultant Essentially, the work of the energy consultant is not just about sourcing lower prices to reduce a business energy bill, but also to monitor the firm’s energy consumption and highlight where energy is being wasted. This may mean tips and advice which may change the way the firm works to help boost their environmental impact and reduce their energy use as well.   So, for those firms looking to use an energy consultancy, they should speak with the team of experts at D-Energi to find out what they can do and what savings can be made over the short-term.

Undertaking research is sound business practice which also extends to finding the best business electricity rates available but some firms may be unaware of what P272 means for them. Essentially, the P272 is a piece of legislation that is pushing organisations to use half-hourly meters (better known as HH meters) so their usage of energy can be better monitored and charged for. It’s also important for those firms who are looking to find a new energy supplier since if they have a P272 meter than the information is an effective way of accessing lower bills. That’s because a potential new supplier can see immediately when and where the firm is using energy and tailor their offering to meet this – there might also be, for instance, some encouragement for the firm to move to off-peak use for lower rates. Indeed, while many organisations may believe that they are on a good deal, unless they check the market regularly, how will they know? It is worth highlighting research from the Competition and Markets Authority which reveals that around 40% of firms have never switched their energy supplier. Firms are probably paying more for their energy The result of non-action is that a large number of firms are probably paying more for their energy needs than they should be doing. The only way to find the cheapest electricity rates is for an organisation to compare the entire market for all business electricity suppliers. On top of this, they will also need to consider how much electricity they are using for their business needs. There are ways and means of searching the market to find a better supplier and organisations of all shapes and sizes could save substantial amounts of money. One of the best ways of finding what the market rate could be is to check a business comparison website that looks at a range of electricity suppliers delivering to businesses. Also, for those firms who have multisite businesses it also possible to have an account that delivers just one energy bill to their head office rather than having to process several invoices every month. Compare the business’s energy needs to find the biggest savings The comparison website will then compare the business’s energy needs to find the biggest savings available and then highlight which will be the cheaper business electricity supplier. With the prospect of business energy prices increasing in the near future, it is also worthwhile considering whether the organisation should lock into fixed energy rates for one, two or three years. There will, undoubtedly, be a fair number of businesses wondering why they should switch their energy supplier at all and the new P272 HH meters will offer data that will show where savings and efficiencies can be made. Also, the reason for switching energy is a simple one, because it makes sound business sense to do so. Data from the HH meter thanks to the P272 rules Not only will the business save money by utilising the data from their HH meter thanks to the P272 rules, the savings will range from several hundred to thousands of pounds every year and they may also enjoy better customer service and other services as well. For instance, some business energy suppliers will offer to undertake an audit of the firm’s energy usage to see where savings can be made so the firm could reduce their overheads even further. The business energy market is a competitive one following the deregulation of the industry and businesses can choose an energy supplier of their choice. Some organisations may also be concerned that their energy supply will be interrupted as they switch suppliers but these worries are unfounded. Also, there will be a large number of firms who have their energy supplied by one of the ‘big six’ business energy suppliers and they may be wondering why they should move from an organisation that meets their needs. The introduction of half hourly meters through the P272 legislation While there’s no doubt that the big six firms will be providing most of the energy needs for the UK’s business sector, this dominance also leads to a range of high energy bills through uncompetitive tariffs – hence the introduction of half hourly meters through the P272 legislation. The government and the energy regulator Ofgem are keen to introduce competition that will help to see lower prices being introduced and improve customer service levels. To help boost the level of competition within the industry, businesses are being encouraged to switch their energy supplier on a regular basis. The other issue is that many businesses are not aware of just how easy it is to switch business energy supplier and the process is smooth and trouble-free. The end result will see the firm enjoying lower overheads which will mean a boost to their profitability. In addition to using business comparison websites, a firm can also utilise the expertise of business energy brokers who understand how the market works and will have access to the latest deals and tariffs that will better meet a business’ need.   For many firms, an ideal solution is to contact the experts at D-Energi who will be able to explain more about the P272 legislation and source a cheaper energy deal with just a few details from the firm to help them enjoy better business electricity and gas rates.