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Small businesses can get stiffed in the business energy market. A broker will help fight your corner and find you the right deal. But there are lots of other advantages of using a broker as well. Here are seven reasons you should consider a broker next time you switch.

Switch for success

Just like with domestic energy, regularly switching suppliers is one of the right ways to save money. And going with a broker is the easiest way to do it. A survey from Ofgem found that of the 67% of small business owners that switched their tariff or supplier last year used a broker. And 42% said that the broker was their main source of influence.

Boost your bottom line

Ofgem research shows that small businesses paid around 35% more for their electricity in the first quarter of 2018 compared with larger firms. Brokers can help you shop around the market and negotiate better prices with the suppliers. If energy costs make up a high proportion of your business expenditure, then reducing these costs can significantly boost your bottom line.

Save yourself time

Most small business owners can do without the hassle of researching and collecting quotes from a panel of energy suppliers. Business energy quotes are quite detailed, so comparison sites don’t work very well. Utility Helpline compares 70 tariffs from more than 30 suppliers for you, without you lifting a finger.

Get the right contract

The world of business energy buying can be complicated. Particularly all the different contract types and terms. Most small and medium sized businesses will need a fixed-price contract which locks in a fixed unit rate for up to five years. An energy broker can give you information about different suppliers and advise you how long to lock your contract price in for.

Reduce your energy consumption

As well as finding you the cheapest energy deal, business energy brokers provide a range of additional services designed to help companies reduce energy consumption. Consultancy services including smart metering, auditing and reporting can inform leaders how energy is being used, save money and help reduce a company’s carbon footprint.

Get a better service

Ofgem’s survey revealed that only 17% of smaller firms would recommend their energy company to others. Businesses that used a broker were around 63% satisfied with the service. You can get a sense of a broker’s quality by checking online reviews for the broker. Utility Helpline has a five-star service record on Feefo.

Avoid rollover contracts

If a business doesn’t tell their supplier that they wish to end a contract before a certain point, the supplier may roll them over onto a new energy contract. For the smallest businesses, suppliers may only roll a contract over for a maximum of one year, but this contract will probably be expensive.  An energy broker will work with you throughout the length of your contract and will get in touch when it is time to renew. Most roll over contracts have now been replaced with variable tarriffs. So aftre your agreed contract terms end, you are placed onto variable tarriff terms. These are expensive in comparison to standard or negotiated agreements. Our fully managed service will help avoid any variable tarriffs and make sure you are always payng compeititve prices.