Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, your main goal should be focusing on running your core business, not tracking your utility bills. At home, you could use a home energy monitoring system to track your energy usage. These are ideal for anyone who is concerned with how much energy you’re consuming. With most monitors, you can flick the light switch on and off and watch your consumption change in real-time. If you would watch your consumption at home, why not watch it at work? On another note, at work, you may want to consider looking at the deals if you were to switch energy providers every year. Typically, this is the best way to ensure you get the best rates year-on-year! Bringing in a third-party energy consultant will help you better manage your utility services so your company can become more efficient, lessen its impact on the environment, and save money by identifying billing mistakes and negotiating deals on energy contracts. Rather than tackle this task on your own, companies are encouraged to hire a professional who has knowledge and experience to assist or take care of it completely. An energy consulting firm like Solution 105 can develop and implement a strategy that will stop your utility costs from skyrocketing.
While hiring an energy consultant has many benefits to your company, they are not to be confused with an energy broker. Although they have some similarities and work in the same industry, they are not the same thing. While you are considering bringing in a utility management service, it is important to know the difference between an energy broker and an energy consultant.
Energy brokers are like a “middle-man” that assists companies in procuring utility rates from energy retailers and suppliers. Like an energy consultant, an energy broker will shop around, comparing prices from a variety of suppliers, present those rates to their clients and make suggestions on which supplier the client should contract, such as this site comparing hello energy to other energy providers rates. Since they have access to multiple energy providers they should be able to produce rates much faster than if a company was shopping around on their own.
Unlike an energy consultant, an energy broker may not perform an analysis of the company’s usage to project their future usage and determine the most suitable product type or service that will enable increased savings on energy costs. When working with an experienced energy consultant, the needs of each individual company will be established and matched with a strategy that has that company’s best interests in mind. The likes of these commercial energy consultants will provide on-going support and expertise, whereas an energy broker will usually offer one-time service for the initial purchase.
In many cases, an energy broker will recommend specific suppliers and products because these preferred options will help that energy broker make more money through commissions and other fees. For the same reasons, an energy broker might recommend that their clients sign contracts that are over a longer term, regardless if it’s in the best interest of the client. When you work with an energy consultant from Solution 105, you are not getting a “middle man” who works on commissions from the utility suppliers. You are getting a utility manager who becomes a member of your team.
Solution 105 does not receive payment from any utility retailers. As energy consultants, we don’t receive compensation based on how many specific units of energy your company uses per utility, how much usage you are contracted for, or on the length of your term. We work together with energy retailers and companies to procure the best product specific to each individual client’s needs and goals.
An energy consultant can help you to understand contractual terms, conditions, volume thresholds, products and services so that you can make a decision for your company that is within your budget. Unlike an energy broker, Solution 105 will constantly monitor your energy portfolio, benchmark your utilities, and keep an eye out for billing issues and any new products or rates that will be beneficial.
Learning the differences between energy brokers and energy consultants will help your company make the best decision for its utility needs. With professional consultation and on-going management, choosing Solution 105 can decrease your impact on the environment, increase energy efficiency and produce substantial savings.