BUSINESS: Many business owners are paying over the odds for their Utilities and are unaware that this can be easily changed.
Rory Farrell of Utility Choice has saved small and medium businesses in the North West over €200,000 this year alone, simply by giving them a free review of their Energy, Telecoms and Merchant Service costs.
Rory has 5 tips for businesses;
1. Understand the Make-Up of your Bills
The main problem with commercial bills is that they can, at times, be difficult to understand. To help reduce costs, look at the variable costs on your bills. Variable costs are the areas over which the end user has control, governed by their usage/consumption. By examining their bills and identifying the areas where they are spending more than they should be, businesses can then take the necessary action to change this, and therefore reduce their spend.
2. Review
The most effective way to reduce costs is to conduct an annual review of your Utility Bills. Providers’ pricing changes on a continuous basis, so reviewing your providers and what you are spending with them, is a worthwhile exercise. The problem is that many businesses can become complacent over time, and they also rarely have the time to conduct an in-depth review of each Utility, therefore they aren’t in a position take the time out to make the changes that could save them money.
Utility Choice offers an ongoing service by conducting an annual review of their clients’ utility costs, to ensure they continue to keep costs down, year after year, meaning they don’t have to worry about losing the savings they achieved in the previous year.
3. Shopping Around
Comparing the pricing from multiple providers is a key factor in identifying areas of savings. Business owners should make a list of all providers, call each provider and compare prices, and what they are offering as part of their price. This can take time and can sometimes be confusing if you are not familiar with the components that make up your monthly bill. However, it is a worthwhile process, as depending on the type of business, potentially thousands of euro can be saved each year. Utility Choice does this quickly and efficiently for their clients, saving businesses time, and money in the process.
Utility Choice works with the leading utility providers to ensure they are always getting the value for money for their clients.
4. Monitor
Reviewing once a year is a great way to save on utility costs however it should be a continuous process as well. Ask yourself, “Are your bills higher this month than last?” and if so, why? What has changed?
When businesses evolve and grow so can their utility costs. Therefore, it’s important to re-assess as their requirements change, to avoid any unnecessary over expenditure.
Utility Choice also offer a monthly review service that can assist businesses in monitoring this.
5. Efficiency
Being aware of Energy efficiency and actually practicing it, are two very different things. It is all too easy to forget the most basic rules of energy saving. Rory commented “I’ve visited many businesses where rooms are empty and locked, yet through the window, I can see five or six lights may be switched on inside”
Even starting with basic energy saving tips like turning lights off, not using air conditioning unless necessary etc. can significantly reduce spend on energy over the year.
Rory continued “I know this sounds really simple but even the most diligent of us, forget these basic things, so it helps to be reminded”
At first meeting Rory identifies potential areas where consumption/usage could be realistically reduced.
Conor Coyle, Financial controller of The Kernan Group says “Through Utility Choice, The Kernan Group achieved an annual saving of circa 10% on their energy costs at our multiple sites around the county, which was a fantastic saving”.
We are all familiar with comparison sites for travel, insurance, hotels etc. like that, Utility Choice is a Utility comparison service, based in Co. Donegal. The Utilities Market can be a confusing place, and shopping around effectively can be a time consuming and laborious task. Rory will analyse a business’s individual needs and tailor a solution specifically for that business. It is not a one size fits all solution by any means. Each business can save money in different ways and with different providers, suited to their particular set of requirements.
Emma Wasson, Manager of TT Childcare Ltd commented “Utility Choice identified areas of potential cost reduction on our telecoms at TT Childcare. They presented us with the options available to us from a number of telecom providers, and we made our own choice as to what provider to move to. Utility Choice managed the entire switch for us from start to finish, and we have noticed a reduction in our monthly telecom costs as a result.”
Utility Choice will conduct a free, no obligation review that will identify areas of potential cost reduction. Call Utility Choice today on 074 9116097, or visit their website www.utilitychoiceireland.com.
On Friday August 5th, Rory Farrell of Utility Choice will be providing one-to-one Utility Reviews for business owners at their offices at the BASE Enterprise Centre in Stranorlar. Places will be limited. To book a one to one, call The BASE on: Tel: 07491 90909 or email: info@utilitychoiceireland.com
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