Most businesses have realised that they can save huge sums of money, simply by changing energy suppliers.

The problem isn’t discovering this knowledge, it is having the time, resources and expertise to find any worthwhile deals. To maximise your returns requires an in-depth knowledge of the energy market and the various pricing structures used by suppliers.

It is possible for businesses to complete this work themselves internally, but it is a serious amount of work. If you doubt whether you need to bring on an energy specialist, simply ask yourself these questions.

Do I have the time to dedicate to do a proper job?
How high are my energy costs in comparison to other areas, would I be of more use running my core business?
Do I have the knowledge to understand costs and pricing, and then negotiate favourable terms?
If something goes wrong at any stage, would I be able to spot it and fix the issue?

How do brokers help your business?

Brokers do an awful lot of thankless work for the businesses they work with – but at the end of the day, the results speak for themselves. Brokers can make a huge difference in the following ways:

Brokers get the best prices: When the power dynamic between customer and supplier is reversed, energy suppliers are forced to compete for your custom – saving you money. Competitive energy markets are largely to thank for the low energy prices we see in the UK. Brokers take this competitiveness to the next level, with many suppliers offering lower prices directly to brokers as they know they are dealing with an expert. Brokers can even lump customers together when placing them with a supplier, gaining a better price as a collective.
Brokers provide in-depth market expertise: Many businesses can see the value of outsourcing some areas of the business – why? Well, because it’s often difficult and expensive to hire an expert on a full-time basis and because they can save on costs by doing so. Energy procurement should be thought of in the same way!
Broker provide strategic direction: As there is a such a broad spectrum of businesses who benefit from working with energy brokers, there are serious gains to be made as result. The best energy brokers will appreciate the uniqueness of the business they work with, and formulate a plan based on the complexities of your business.
Brokers can lead energy procurement: There is a lot more that goes into energy procurement than simply finding the cheapest unit rates. Thanks to the competitiveness of the UK energy market, energy suppliers have been pushed towards offering a greater variety of products to ‘one-up’ each other. Flexible contracts, off-peak, variable rate, and block pricing are all terms that may be unfamiliar to you but energy brokers will encounter daily. Brokers deal with these complexities regularly, and can be as hands-on or as hands-off with your businesses energy procurement as you like.
Brokers can oversee bill validation: Energy brokers will be well positioned to monitor any incoming energy bills from your supplier to look for mistakes. If a dispute over a contract is raised, brokers will most often resolve the issue on behalf of your business. This is a thankless job that can only be done by someone with a strong knowledge of energy contracts and experience of bill validation.