Here are some real, true and verifiable facts about why your business is probably spending too much on power. We’re telling you this as independent energy advisors who have already saved Queensland SMEs over $2 million this year.
Before we get to the facts, just answer this question in your mind: What would it mean for your business to have an extra $5k, $10k, $20K or even $100k on the bottom line come 30 June 2019?
The answer to that question matters, because that is money you can actually keep. It’s a choice, you can:
- Take action today to review and reduce your energy costs.
- Keep paying electricity bills that are higher than they need to be.
It really is as simple as that. At Wise Up Energy Solutions, we know this because we have power bills from our clients from before and after we’ve worked with them. They haven’t used less power, but they have paid a lot less for it.
Know what to look for in your power bills
If your business operates from multiple sites, you know that power bills can be extra confusing. Power at one site could be charged at double the per-kilowatt rate of power at another. Surely that’s a billing error!
No, it’s actually quite common. Most businesses don’t even know they’re paying two different rates because they don’t know what to look for and aren’t going through their contracts and bills with a fine-tooth comb.
If you are like those businesses, you are more or less donating your profits to the power companies. It’s like flushing money down the loo.
To say it again as clearly as I can, you can pay less and still get the exact same electricity service! So, let’s take this conversation a bit further and I’ll tell you why and how this works. Because, when we know why, then it all makes sense and we can do something about it.
Why your power bills end up too high
While everyone knows that electricity rates vary between retailers, not enough people know that the “category” of power you’re buying under is just as important. Vastly different energy market rules that apply to the different categories. Let’s look at the three most important ones to know about.
1.Large Businesses on Commercial and Industrial Contracts
Usually found in organisations using a lot of power, the terms of these power bills – such as the peak and off-peak portions plus the environmental charges – are negotiated with a retailer for a set contracted term. The remainder of the bill is broken down to reflect pass-through costs for the network charges and metering charges.
The trap here is in straying outside the contracted terms. If you do, the costs can blow out by hundreds of thousands of dollars (we’ve seen it happen). This type of bill is always monthly.
2. Small and Large Business Tariffs
Tariffs vary depending on a few things. Firstly, what type of meter do you have and who is your energy distributor? Next, within a tariff there are usage charges (based on the energy your business uses) and demand charges (based on how hard the network has to work to supply your usage).
A tariff-based bill looks like your power bill at home and could be on a monthly or quarterly cycle (depending on your retailer and electricity meter type).
3. Embedded Networks
Typically, these are found in shopping centers and office towers. The wiring is configured to enable the site owner to on-sell energy to all the tenants or residents.
Different rules and rates apply depending on how much energy a tenant uses annually. This type of bill would be received monthly and is often included with the rent statement.
You have the power to change your power bills
Regain control, reduce costs and have more time to spend in your business. Yes, you can and we’re here to help you. At Wise Up Energy Solutions we are an independent energy advisory – no, we’re not brokers. We exist to be on your side of the table.
How Wise Up works for you
When we work together, Wise Up will start with an in-depth audit of all your electricity and metering contracts, usage, rates and retailer bills. Next we work out the best deal for your business using different buying strategies based on your category (see above). Usually this is just one approach, but for multi-site businesses we might need to use several different strategies to get you the best overall solution.
As well as reducing bills, we also negotiate lower rates for you ongoing. We’re good at all this because we do this every day, day-in and day-out
We know the market and where you actually fit
We know what to look for and how to compare power suppliers. We use purpose-built analytical tools developed in house that make it easy to give advice specifically built for your business and to find the single best deal for your needs. When we negotiate on your behalf, our expertise means we can secure special deals and pass them directly to you.
We’re your shortcut to “energy bill education” and the executive summary of our reporting presents everything we do in an easy-to-understand format. It’s all transparent. We don’t use jargon. We don’t hide any fees or charges.
Once you understand your power bills and contracts and know they’ve been strategically and expertly minimised, they become one less thing to worry about in running your business. And once we’re done, there’s every chance you’ll soon be paying much less for power than your competitors.
You could do this all yourself – do you have the time?
Yes, the information to reduce and restructure your power bills is freely available online. You can do the research yourself. You can develop your own sense of what are good, low and fair prices for power. You can call the retailers and negotiate your electricity rates. But do you have that much time?
We’ve already done all this for you. We have the relationships with the right people in the energy market to get you the best results. We track the market every day. We already know everything relevant about how the sector works. Giving that experience and expertise to you simply, easily and time-effectively is what Wise Up does.
WiseUp makes the power game fairer
At WiseUp Energy Solutions our fees are very reasonable and are quickly recouped through the savings you make on your energy bills. What’s more, if we can’t save you money, we will tell you upfront – well before you have spent a cent with us. We believe the electricity industry should be fairer for everyone, and that’s why we operate as fairly as we can.
Ready for some good news about your power bills?
The best conversation you’ll have about your power bills can start right now. Just call Sharon Musker, Director of WiseUp Energy Solutions, on 0428 918 180 – it could be worth $100k to your business in 6 months time.
