FACT: £12 billion of energy is wasted every year in the UK

But, if your business becomes energy efficient – you could reduce your bill by as much as 15% to counter the effects of recent price hikes by your electricity supplier and also combat energy wastage.

Just follow these simple steps to kick-start your energy efficiency plan, there are wide range of free online guides available on the web through some of the leading business electricity suppliers.

1. Benefit from the same level of performance from lower usage – saving you money as well as our climate

2. Make it easy – break your energy management into key areas: policy, planning and action, monitoring and control and measuring success

3. Easy to follow policy – set a positive culture within the workplace, supporting good business practice and the environment too

4. Set out achievable objectives: target clear goals and outline responsibilities for saving energy

5. Monitor how electricity is used in your workplace to control wastage. Do a walk-around energy survey, then monitor consumption on an ongoing basis.

Of late, there has been much written relating to the imperfections of the energy markets and the salaries of the industry’s notorious ‘fat cats’ in particular. Increasingly, the public has also been made aware of the advantages of switching suppliers. Nonetheless, the ‘big six’ electricity companies continue to dominate the market with their huge marketing budgets and cleverly worded contracts.

In a market dominated by businesses which pull the wool over their customers’ eyes, E4B are driven with the need to want to build a reputation for providing reliable information, expert advice and the highest possible level of service. The online newsfeed is only part of that – educating customers and SME businesses on the potential pitfalls of the industry is the central objective of E4B.

At the end of the day, it is up to businesses to choose the best electricity provider for them. But all too often, the perception is that switching is too complicated. It is up to companies like E4B to raise awareness of the imperfections of the market and make switching as simple and painless as possible. The sad fact is that thousands of British businesses are pay over half a billion pounds too many for their electricity every year – it is E4B’s mission to change that.

Save more money today by switching to champion SME supplier

We know that finding time to shop around for cheaper electricity is no easy feat. By spending as little as 10 minutes to talk to an electricity supplier, with the savings made by switching to another company, you could save your business much more than you realize. It is best to find suppliers whose main focus is on businesses like yours, They should be able to offer you a price for your electricity to meet your bottom line which is essential.

Save time shopping around, save on your tariff by switching; and save on your bill by being energy efficient.

About the Author
Graham Paul – Sales and Marketing Director- E4B is Britain’s independent electricity supplier, specializing in the supply to small and medium sized businesses. E4Bs aim to offer lower prices to British businesses.

©2010 Cheaper Gas and Electricity. All Rights Reserved.

There are many suppliers to choose from, regardless of where you live in Great Britain. You can choose separate companies to supply your cheap gas and cheap electricity, or you can choose one company to supply both – this is known as dual fuel. A list of the supply companies operating in your area, together with the prices they charge, is available from energywatch by calling 0845 906 0708.
 
In order to compare the prices being offered by different suppliers with the price from your current supplier, you will need to calculate how much you are currently paying for your fuel each year. You can work this out by looking at your last four quarterly bills. In addition to this there are a number of questions you may wish to ask before deciding to change to a new cheap gas or cheap electricity supplier.

Questions to ask

How much will the new supplier charge?
All suppliers are required to publish their prices. They can send you details of their prices upon request. Comparisons of the different prices charged by suppliers are published by energywatch. These can be requested from energywatch by calling 0845 906 0708.
 
To ensure you get the best deal, it is worth shopping around and making comparisons between the prices being offered by different gas and electricity suppliers in your area.

How can I pay?
Suppliers usually offer a variety of payment options to customers, varying in frequency from weekly to quarterly options and paying by cash, postal order, cheque, direct debit, or prepayment meter. Ask suppliers to tell you about all the payment options available to you so that you can make the best choice for you. You may also wish to make sure that there are no penalties for cancellation of the contract.

Which gas and electric tariff should I choose?
Be aware that some payment methods may be cheaper than others. For example, it is usually cheaper to pay your gas and electricity bills by monthly direct debit, than to pay by cheque on a quarterly basis. Different tariffs (or prices) are offered to different consumers according to their circumstances.

The amount of fuel you use will also have an effect upon the price you pay. Someone who uses a lot of energy may be offered an energy supply at a cheaper rate than someone who uses less. Whatever price you are quoted, you should ensure that it includes VAT.

Will the supplier offer any special discounts, schemes, or incentives?
Some suppliers may offer special discounts or incentives to consumers who want them to supply both their gas and electricity (i.e. dual fuel). Other suppliers have packages which may include other services such as cheaper telephone services or free or discounted air travel.

Some suppliers offer special payment schemes for pensioners. Make sure you ask for details before signing up.

Do they have any extra or hidden charges?
Some suppliers add a standing charge to your fuel bill and others do not. Those companies that do not add a standing charge may instead ask for a higher unit price for the gas and electricity you use.

Do they have a high number of complaints?
If you are interested in the type of service you are likely to receive from a new supplier, as well as the prices they will charge, it is worth enquiring about their performance. energywatch can provide details of the amount and types of complaints they have received from consumers about individual suppliers.

How to change gas or electricity supplier
Once you are happy that you have selected the supplier best suited to meet your needs, changing is a relatively simple process.

Step 1: Get in touch with the new supplier and agree a contract with them. Once the contract is agreed, the transfer process should take about six weeks to complete. Your new supplier will keep you informed about how your transfer is being progressed.

Step 2: Give your old supplier 28 days notice that you are changing to a new supplier. energywatch advises that you do this initially by telephone and follow it up with written confirmation. If you do not tell your old supplier that you are changing, this can disrupt or delay your transfer to the new supplier.

Step 3: Pay any outstanding bills owing to your existing supplier. If you do not, they may prevent you from transferring.

Step 4: Take a meter reading on the day you change supplier. If your old supplier does not use it to work out your final bill, or your new supplier does not use it as the starting point for your first bill, let them know the meter reading you have taken.

©2010 Cheaper Gas and Electricity. All Rights Reserved.