An energy broker has been forced to repay over £25,000 to a chocolatier after a significant amount of undisclosed fees were discovered in its contracts.

Business Energy Claims, the UK’s leading organisation in tackling energy broker mis-selling, looked into two electricity contracts which had been supplied to The Cocoabean Company by Npower in 2018.

They went on to win back more than £25,500 on the company’s behalf.

Business Energy Claims has already helped hundreds of companies recover sums ranging from £2,000 to £1.8 million after discovering a significant amount of hidden fees, unstated commissions, and overcharging.

Brokers assist businesses by offering them gas and electricity contracts from energy suppliers, and Business Energy Claims has found that a large percentage of them have made misleading statements about how they are paid and why they have recommended certain deals or suppliers.

Over 90% of the companies spoken to by Business Energy Claims had been unaware that they have been misled and therefore entitled to make a claim for potentially thousands of pounds.

The Cocoabean Company is one of hundreds of companies to have benefited from their help.

Callum Thompson, Director at Business Energy Claims, said: “When The Cocoabean Company approached us to look into their energy contracts to see if they had been mis-sold to, we identified that there was a significant amount of undisclosed fees included in their bills, which occupied a significant proportion of their overall energy spend.

“Our ambition is to legitimise the business energy market so that brokers are more transparent in selling energy contracts to businesses.

“This is a multi-billion-pound issue for UK businesses, and we are pleased to be able to assist in recovering such substantial sums.

“We would welcome any business who has used an energy broker or consultant to contact us.

“If their fees were not disclosed to them, they may have a potential claim and could recover these sums.

“We look forward to helping many more businesses like The Cocoabean Company in the future.”

Emma Turley, Marketing Consultant at The Cocoabean Company, said: “When we suspected that we may have been paying more than we should for our energy, we found Business Energy Claims and made an enquiry with them to see if they could assist.

“It was quickly identified by them that we had a claim, and we were surprised at the sums that were involved.

“The team there were very helpful and walked us through the process, and of course we are delighted to have recovered £25,500, which will help us a lot, particularly in the current financial climate.”

To find out if your business has a business energy claim, call the Business Energy Claims team on 0800 689 4259 or visit www.businessenergyclaims.co.uk to see how much you could claim.

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Business Energy Claims recovers £25,000 for UK chocolatier

A manufacturing firm has joined the growing list of businesses to recover thousands of pounds from its energy broker as a result of mis-selling.

County Durham-based North East Sheets & Panels won back approximately £8,000 after an energy efficiency audit which was carried out by the Business Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP), which is part of Durham County Council. The audit highlighted a discrepancy in their bills and identified that the contract may have been mis-sold.

Business Energy Claims is the UK’s leading organisation in tackling energy broker mis-selling and has already helped hundreds of companies recover sums ranging from £2,000 to £1.8 million after discovering a significant amount of hidden fees, unstated commissions, and overcharging.

Energy Brokers assist businesses by offering them gas and electricity contracts from energy suppliers, and Business Energy Claims has found that a large percentage of them have made misleading statements about how they are paid and why they have recommended certain deals or suppliers.

Over 90% of the companies spoken to by Business Energy Claims had been unaware that they have been misled and therefore entitled to make a claim for potentially thousands of pounds.

In the case of North East Sheets & Panels, it was quickly identified that substantial sums of hidden commission had been included by the broker within its energy contracts with SSE and Npower.

Richard Williams, Managing Director at North East Sheets & Panels, said: “Having only contacted the Business Energy Claims team earlier this year, we are absolutely delighted to have already been successful in recovering money back from our broker.

“The team was quick to spot the potential mis-selling within our contracts, explained the next steps and got to work immediately on processing our claim, keeping us updated at every stage.

“I would highly recommend Business Energy Claims to anyone for their truly professional and efficient service.”

Callum Thompson, Director at Business Energy Claims, added: “The issue of mis-selling and malpractice is widespread within the industry and it’s our aim to change the energy brokering market for good, putting the consumer back at its heart.”

According to Ofgem, businesses, charities and public bodies spend £25 billion per annum on energy.

A significant percentage is often made up of the undisclosed fees that are stinging UK businesses year after year.

Callum added: “It’s been a real pleasure working with North East Sheets & Panels and we are pleased to have attained a positive outcome for Richard and the team, adding to a series of successful wins.

“Many businesses have become exposed to hidden commissions and anyone can be affected, and we’d welcome businesses who aren’t sure if this may have happened to them to get in touch.”

To find out if your business has a business energy claim, call the Business Energy Claims team on 0800 689 4259 or visit www.businessenergyclaims.co.uk to see how much you could claim.

Read more:
Manufacturing company recovers thousands from mis-sold energy contracts

For any business to be successful, it’s vital to manage costs effectively. Reducing your monthly expenses can make the difference between positive or negative cashflow, a bulging bank account, or overwhelming debt leading to the failure of your business.

Most businesses are already at a disadvantage. Research by Bionic indicates that each year, businesses are overspending by £8.7bn on their energy, insurance, and telecoms services, averaging out to around £1,500 in excess for each business in the UK. For small business owners, this puts added pressure on finding options to get out of the red.

Joe Gallard, CEO of Reducer explains that the good news is that your core business services don’t have to be expensive, and there are easy and actionable ways to reduce the cost of your bills. To make the cost-reduction process simpler for you, he’s chosen three key ways you can begin to reduce your bills and have more cash in the bank.

1. Reduce your utility usage

Encouraging more efficient habits among your employees can have a significant impact in reducing your electricity, gas, and water bills.

Reducing electricity usage can be as simple as unplugging appliances and turning lights off when they’re not in use.  On top of taking advantage of natural lighting, small investments in LED light bulbs and motion sensors can help to minimise electricity usage and, in turn, reduce your bill.

Similarly, turning off taps when not in use or installing water-efficient cisterns in toilets can reduce water spend. You may also want to think about changing water supplier or calling yours to see if they are happy to talk about your tariff, especially if usage levels have been down these last twelve months.

To reduce gas usage, a quick fix in the winter months is to turn down the thermostat by just one degree. The Energy Saving Trust reports that this will save a household £60 a year, meaning even bigger savings for commercial properties. In the longer term, draught proofing and insulating your office will help you to be more energy efficient, but will demand a larger investment that isn’t viable if you’re already struggling for cash.

2. Only pay for what you’re using

It seems obvious to only pay for what you’re using, but it’s easy to get caught overspending without realising it.

For your gas and electricity supply, you’ll want to make sure that you’re being charged based on meter readings to avoid paying in excess. Unless your supplier is receiving regular meter readings, you’ll be charged based on estimates for your property. So, any efforts to be energy efficient will be pointless in terms of saving money.

Manually submitting meter readings, or better yet having a smart meter send automatic readings for you, will ensure that your business is paying for no more energy than you’re actually using.

In regards to some other services, you may be subscribed to a contract with a minimum threshold. For example, you may be on an unlimited data plan for your broadband. If you’re not meeting this threshold and are instead using a quarter of your allowance, plan a move to a cheaper tariff to avoid wasting cash.

3.  Switch to a cheaper supply

Switching suppliers is the best way to reduce the cost of your bills without affecting the level of service you can provide. With hundreds of suppliers, and 80% of businesses overspending on their energy bills alone, it’s highly likely there are savings to be found.

Typically, expensive bills can be traced back to out-of-contract rates on auto-renewed contracts. These are hiked prices dealt by suppliers when they auto-renew your existing deal. Failure to pay attention to your invoices can mean this goes unnoticed, leaving businesses paying up to quadruple the average market price for their energy.

In these cases, loyalty doesn’t pay and switching suppliers is the best way to make a concrete cut to the cost of your bills.

What Reducer is doing to help

Reducer is helping to empower small and medium businesses by equipping them with the tools needed to reduce their business costs in just a few clicks.

If you use cloud accounting such as Xero or QuickBooks, as well as a data entry app such as ReceiptBank or AutoEntry, then the Reducer app is able to use the data in your bills to source bespoke quotes for your business.

Once your account is connected, we’ll compare the prices you pay to over 150 suppliers and create a personalised cost savings report detailing our supplier recommendations. Choose which switches you’d like to take and Reducer will handle all the admin for you.

It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s completely free.

For more information on how Reducer can help your business, head to our website, or check out our blog for more tips on increasing your profitability.

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3 ways you can reduce the cost of your business bills

Business managers and owners have to find solutions for the many challenges they face on a day to day basis.

Saving money by reducing operating costs is just one of many examples. For many businesses, their energy consumption could be a significant expense.

This is why you will want to make sure you’re getting the best deal when it’s time to renew your contract. Business electricity comparison site, Utility Saving Expert is one of the most highly rated destinations to compare suppliers and tariffs online.

Before you start comparing quotes, this guide will help you understand what you need to look out for when searching for the most competitive pricing. We will cover how commercial power differs from domestic energy and what different types of contracts are available.

How does business electricity differ from my home energy?

Switching your home energy provider is fairly easy to understand. However, when it comes to comparing and switching business electricity tariffs, there are a number of differences you need to be made aware of.

To start with, business electricity rates are generally cheaper compared to domestic rates. This is because your commercial energy supplier will be buying and selling electricity in bulk to ensure it lasts for your contract duration. Although you will be paying a lower unit rate, this also makes it far more expensive to terminate your contract early.

Commercial electricity contracts normally last for a longer period. You will generally sign a contract that is between three and five years, regardless of choosing a fixed rate or variable rate tariff. You will not be able to compare and switch to a new tariff until your current contract is close to completion, at which point you will be within the renewal period. This is typically one to six months before its expiration date.

Most business energy contracts will not offer a cooling off period. Before agreeing to the terms and conditions, make sure you’re completely on board with what’s on offer.

Business energy tariffs are single fuel only. This means that you will need to compare both gas and electricity rates separately. However, some providers may be able to offer you a discount if you choose them for both fuel types.

What are the different business electricity contract types?

Suppliers offer a variety of different contract types, it’s important to make sure you select the most suitable one for your business’ needs to avoid being overcharged. Here are the five main business energy contract types:

Fixed term – These charge you a set price per unit (kWh) for the duration of your contract. Note that the total amount you will be expected to pay each month will not be fixed. This will still depend on your consumption.

Variable-rate – These charge you a unit rate (kWh) that is based on the wholesale market price. Your energy bill will increase and decrease according to price fluctuations.

Deemed rate – These are considered to be a commercial energy supplier’s most expensive rate. If you allow your current contract to lapse and don’t negotiate a new deal or switch providers, you will be placed on this rolling contract.

Rollover – In some ways this is similar to a deemed rate contract. This contract type is used when you haven’t agreed to new terms with your current supplier just before your expiration date. Expect expensive unit rates on this.

28 day – This is a contract for businesses that have not switched since the energy market was deregulated.

How much energy should my business be using?

Every business has different needs. This will depend on a number of different factors such as the size of the business, what type of activity takes place, and how many hours/days you operate for in a single month. Micro, small and medium sized businesses will all have their own unique requirements.

The price you pay will be calculated through a number of different factors including: contract type, business size, location, supplier, tariff and energy consumption.

How do I compare business electricity deals?

It’s quick and easy to compare commercial electricity suppliers. Before you begin, it will be useful to have a copy of your most recent energy bill to hand. Here’s a breakdown of what you will need to do:

• Visit a business energy comparison site such as Utility Saving Expert.
• Enter a few details about your business, including how much electricity you consume.
• You will then be presented with a list of suitable deals filtered by price.
• Each offer will include important information about the supplier, contract type and duration helping you make an informed decision.
• Choose the deal that is right for you.

We hope this guide has given you the knowledge you need to confidently compare and find the right business electricity deal for your needs. Before switching, please remember to read through the terms and conditions in full.

Read more:
A small business owners guide to comparing business electricity

The festive season is approaching. For smart businesses, this means giving some thought to business waste and other fundamental services.

With businesses closing their doors for the holidays and the weather getting colder, the winter months present some unique challenges around commercial waste management. Keep the following points in mind as the mercury drops:

WINTER WEATHER

The cold weather affects your business waste and its removal in a few different ways.

• Wet waste: Wet cardboard and paper can quickly turn to muck. Wet waste can contaminate your recycling, undoing the hard work you have put into your waste strategy.
• Frozen waste: As above, frozen waste can cause contamination when it melts. It can also make it difficult to separate different waste types for recycling. Waste also often expands when it freezes, which can damage your waste bins.
• Waste in the wind: When the weather gets very bad, this can mean strong winds. Wind can cause bins to blow over, which can result in damage. Depending on the location of your bins, this can also mean rubbish is strewn around, blown far and wide by the wind. Nothing cements a poor reputation like littering the streets with your waste.
• Collections: When the weather is bad, this can cause unavoidable waste collection delays.
• Bin access: In the case of heavy snowfall, this can affect access to your bin storage – which could cause some running around on collection days. Similarly, snowbanks and snowed in containers can hide bins from view, which can also affect collections.

Cold weather waste solutions:

• Strategise for safe bin collections and the health and safety of anyone dealing with your business waste. Ensure there is a clear, de-iced path to and from bins for movement on foot or by forklift.
• If bad weather is expected, keep bins indoors wherever possible.
• Allow some room for waste to freeze and expand. Don’t overfill bins and containers.
• Ensure your bins close securely at all times.
• Accidents tend to increase in wet and icy weather – especially at sodden entrances and exits. Keep your waste bins well clear of these points on your premises.

HOLIDAYS

The holidays can interrupt your business’s usual waste management routine.

• Within your business: Employees going on leave can affect timeous collection and cause stored waste to increase when collections are missed. Depending on the nature of your business, the holiday period can be a waste intensive time. This makes bungled planning around waste responsibilities over the festive season a potential storage problem.
• Waste collection interruptions: Your usual waste collection schedule could change on and around holidays.

Holiday waste solutions

• Make waste everyone’s responsibility. Make it a goal for everyone within the business to reduce, re-use, and recycle as much as possible – especially during waste intensive times. Allocate waste duties and don’t miss any collection days.
• Contact your waste management provider to find out more about their winter waste collections.

The business waste specialists at Smarter Business aim to take the hassle out of waste and commercial waste recycling through expertise and exceptional customer service. Contact Smarter Business for tailored business waste solutions and strategies for businesses of all sizes.

Photo by Jasmin Sessler on Unsplash

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Commercial Waste: Dispose of winter worries of Christmas bin collections

Winter is coming. That means the days are shorter and the mercury is dropping – and keeping your business running as smoothly as possible during winter has some inevitable cost implications for your business.

This includes things like keeping your staff warm and your offices well-lit – and that’s just the beginning. Can your business do anything about the rising price of winter? Start planning now and implement a few winter best practices to minimise the effect on your business’s bottom line.

ENERGY & GAS

An increase in gas and energy usage is somewhat unavoidable during the winter months. With a strain on gas supply, businesses are often the first to suffer the anxiety of supply interruptions and the knock-on effect to their businesses.

Be neat with your heat Heating is something many businesses take for granted. For every 1° of heat, you can expect your bills to increase by approximately 8% – a notable cost to any business.

• Save on heating by ensuring heating is turned off at the end of every business day and don’t heat unoccupied or unnecessary areas of your building.
• Avoid heat loss and added heating requirements by keeping doors and windows closed as much as possible.
• Adjust the temperatures for lesser-used areas in the building (the corridors don’t need to be as cosy as office spaces).
• Keep an eye on your thermostat. Make sure it is located somewhere with a constant temperature, unaffected by outside temperatures and the temperature effects of machinery. Make manual adjustments as the temperature changes to avoid unnecessary heating.

Don’t pay for loss of daylight As the days shorten, the kilowatt hours from lighting increases.

• Make the move to more efficient LED lightbulbs.
• Control your lighting. Don’t waste energy on lighting unoccupied parts of your building and look into automated lighting solutions for the most seamless lighting options.

In terms of general energy usage:

• Making use of smart meters and advanced energy monitoring software can provide invaluable insight into your winter energy usage – and help to avoid any nasty surprises when it comes to billing.
• If your contract is coming up for renewal, this is the time to compare quotes to ensure you are on the best possible tariff for your business. This is also important to avoid automatic increases and to explore the best contract for your business’s ever-changing needs. At this busy time of year, take the legwork out of comparing quotes by working through energy procurement experts. Ideally, get a full-market comparison and advice around your energy strategy

FACILITIES MAINTENANCE

Get equipment working at its best, so you can too The British Institute for Facilities Maintenance reported that 25% of its members do not have a winter facilities maintenance plan and 26% of those who do reported that they do not review it annually. This is missing a trick in terms of efficiency – and cost efficiency. Servicing your boiler and assessing your building’s insulation could have a notable overall effect, but comprehensive, specialist facilities maintenance ensures compliance and reduces the chance of liability during the winter months.

WASTE

Putting your waste network to the test Inclement weather can put the brakes on waste collections – and this backlog can create a nightmare of storage and sanitation for SMEs.

• Working with reputable waste management specialists means you will get the most reliable service when it comes to waste collections – and a dedicated customer service team to assist when you need them.

Need help with planning to make the most of winter? Contact Smarter Business for comprehensive energy, facilities maintenance, waste, and business services.

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Winter is coming: Don’t let your bills take the heat

Many start-ups and SMEs operate within the misapprehension that green practices are reserved for big corporates – and it’s costing them.

The expression of environmental realities holds the world captivated and this has certain consequences for businesses of all sizes. Gone are the days of paying lip service to sustainable business practices. To operate a business in the 21^stcentury, business owners very clearly need to give real and meaningful thought and action to going green.

IS THERE A COMMERCIAL BENEFIT TO GOING GREEN?

In a study conducted by Barclays, it has been shown that 75% of businesses (large corporates and small to medium enterprises alike) have seen commercial benefit following the inclusion of green technologies in their operations.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES FOR GREEN BUSINESSES?

Cost-effectiveness and optimised operations

• Evidence has shown that around a third of businesses have seen a drop in business costs as a result of their green investments. This is becoming more and more tangible as green technologies become more accessible to the masses, with costs being offset in the long term.
• On a basic level, waste costs your business money. Being aware of things like water and energy usage and innovating to reduce wastage not only boosts profits; it affects outlook for optimised operations.
• Adjusted behaviour can see your business qualify for tax breaks and government grants. Strategic focus can also see reduced impact of climate change levies and other regulations and compliance requirements faced by different types of energy users.

Customers

• Consumers are more eco-conscious than ever before. This means that your green policy matters to your customers, with many people unwilling to support businesses with no environmental ethos. In many cases, customers are prepared to pay a premium for green, eco-friendly, and sustainable goods and services.
• In addition to attracting the attention of new customers, an ongoing, sincere, and evolving environmental outlook stands to strengthen relationships with your existing customers.

Reputation

Apart from doing good for the environment, adopting conscientious environmental measures for business can enhance your business reputation – great PR for growing businesses with an eye on the future.

Employees

On a global scale, green businesses have noted boosted employee morale. Over and above this, creating a culture of environmental awareness and sustainability in the workplace often has a trickle-down effect into the homes and communities of employees for an enhanced overall environmental effect.

WHY NOT?

A third of businesses surveyed in the Barclays study gave financial constraints as the reason behind their failure to go green, with 16% being concerned around the return on investment on green technologies. 19% of businesses stated that they invested in going green as a result of regulatory demands. 

From in-depth understanding of the energy market and insights from their team of experts, Smarter Business works with businesses to strategise for sustainability. From procurement to monitoring and management, contact Smarter Business for a comprehensive business energy management strategy suited to your unique business requirements.

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The grass is greener: The benefits of sustainability for SMEs

It is widely known within the crypto-community that cryptocurrency mining is an energy-intensive business.

Its energy usage has been said to surpass the national consumption of countries like Switzerland. With blockchain and cryptocurrencies being the great gold rush of the 21^stcentury, miners and investors cannot ignore this notable consideration in the blockchain supply chain.

SOME INTERESTING CRYPTO-FACTS

• Electricity is said to account for 60% of mining revenue.
• The Bitcoin network uses around 64TWh of energy – more than Switzerland.
• Bitcoin is responsible for 0.25 of the world’s electricity consumption.
• Bitcoin processes fewer than 100 million processes per year.
• Annual carbon emissions from the network are said to be 22.9 million metric tonnes.

WHY DOES CRYPTOCURRENCY USE SO MUCH ELECTRICITY?

It is one of the great advantages of cryptocurrencies which account for its energy appetite. While decentralised computing systems enhance safety for users, this contributes to its energy-hungry nature. In a system of tracking and verifying transactions, mining blocks of transactions is both central to the workings of cryptocurrencies and incentivised, making this an exciting prospect for members of the crypto-community.

WHY MINERS SHOULD THINK ABOUT ENERGY

Sustainability It was reported at one time that, at the current rate of consumption, cryptocurrencies would deplete the world’s energy sources by February 2020 (if this is right, we are in very big trouble). Whether this turns out to be the case or not, the sustainability of energy usage is impossible to ignore given the importance of environmental considerations. A study has shown that the network predominantly uses clean energy sources. If you haven’t already, looking to alternative, renewable energy sources and strategising around energy usage is critical to this.

Cost There are myriad reasons for the success of cryptocurrencies around the world. The main attraction is obviously the potential for sometimes enormous profits. This makes your expenses as important as ever. With electricity a significant expense for miners, it is essential to shop the energy market for the best tariffs, but also the contracts which are best-suited to your activities.

ROI Mining is a time sensitive thing, with levels of difficulty and profits in a constant state of flux. You are putting in time and money to nurture your investment. Around the world, miners are looking for the best energy deals. Failing to actively source the right energy solutions means you simply won’t get the same return on investment as other miners.

ENERGY BEST PRACTICE

Do your research If you are looking to enter the crypto-world, find out as much as you can about the different elements of blockchain and how it works.

Be active Take the time to really understand the energy market, explore the different options, and secure the best deals. This should be an ongoing process.

No man is an island Taking the time to do the legwork around energy management for the crypto-community can be immensely time consuming. Working with energy procurement specialists can have notable advantages. Their industry knowledge can translate into meaningful advice based on your unique circumstances. Their advice can become the basis of successful strategy. Their insights can equate to real value for your portfolio.

The team at Smarter Business is geared to provide essential energy services to the crypto-community. To explore the best options to power your investment, click here.

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Powering profits: energy best practice for the crypto-community

It’s tough to be plastic these days – and rightfully so. It would seem the days of thoughtless consumerism around plastic is over, with a keen focus on changed attitudes as awareness grows.

That said, of the over 5 million tonnes of plastic waste produced in UK each year, only around a quarter of it is recycled. It’s well-known, but it bears repeating: our consumption of plastic is unsustainable. Within the business environment, the following are some key considerations around plastic recycling in the workplace.

THINK ABOUT (AND ACT FOR) THE ENVIRONMENT

• Environmental concerns around plastics arise long before they end up in the ocean. The manufacture of plastics also has environmental consequences. Plastics are a chemical bond of oil and gas and this process is energy- and resource-intensive.
• Plastic infamously takes a very long time to break down. In landfill, combined with other waste forms, toxic leachate from plastics are released into the ground, often ending up in our water systems. These are damaging to human health, wildlife, and eco-systems. Large volumes of plastic also end up in streams, rivers, and the ocean. This is extremely harmful to marine wildlife and eco-systems.
• We need a healthy environment for our own health. The contamination of our water sources and the food we consume from the oceans has potentially dire health effects.

GOVERNMENT’S AIMS

• A target of 50% of the UK’s plastic to be recycled by 2020
• Three quarters of the UK’s plastic to be recycled by 2035
• In addition to single-use plastic regulations, the Government is proposing a number of regulations around plastic usage. One of the main areas affecting businesses is packaging. Government aims to tax plastic packaging which is made from less than 30% recycled material and impose a ban on plastic packaging where another material could be used in its place.

HOW TO REDUCE YOUR PLASTIC WASTE TIPS

• Be mindful of how you and your business consume plastics. Are alternatives available? If so, use them.
• Re-use your plastics wherever possible. Be conscientious around packaging and try to innovate around ways to use your plastics elsewhere.
• Make waste management a part of your business strategy. Recycling culture has myriad benefits for businesses – including potential cost savings and an enhanced reputation for responsible business.
• Recycle responsibly. This means avoiding contamination wherever possible. Educate your employees on what goes into which bin, cleaning, and readying your bins for recycling.

PLASTIC RECYCLING QUICK FACTS

• What plastic can be recycled?Every plastic can be recycled. It’s just that some are more costly and complicated to recycle. Your plastic water bottle? This is one of the most commonly recycled forms of plastic. The least recycled plastic? Polystyrene.
• What is dry mix recycling?Recycling creates new products and components from old products. Dry mix recycling takes uncontaminated plastic items (and other products like glass, aluminium cans, cardboard, and paper) and gives it new life, reducing its impact and the resources associated with creating new products.
• Single-stream recycling.A time- and cost-effective recycling solution for many businesses, single-stream recycling removes the need for bin system and assumes the responsibility for cleaning and sorting waste on your business’s behalf.

DOES YOUR BUSINESS HAVE AN EFFECTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY?

For many businesses, waste management is a question of cost – and understandably so. It makes sound business sense to shop the market for the best rates on everyday business services. However, every business stands to benefit from the advice of waste specialists. This allows for waste management solutions tailored to every business’s unique set of requirements and circumstances. This is the aim of the team at Smarter Business. Click here to find out more about their waste management and other utility and business services.

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One of the ways to develop a sustainable outlook to business is to think about what happens to your business waste.

This includes food waste. Whether you generate substantial food waste (such as businesses in the hospitality sector) or not, food waste is worth consideration. In working out what to do with food waste, the following is an overview of some critical considerations.

WHY IS FOOD WASTE IMPORTANT?

What happens to food waste?If you put your food waste into your general waste bin, it could end up in landfill. It is a common misconception that food waste harmlessly decomposes. In actual fact, it rots – forming harmful methane gas. It also has potential to seep into our groundwater.

The cost of food wasteAround of a third of the world’s food ends up in the bin (waste which has a cost equivalent of around $984 billion. The UK generates more food waste than any country in Europe. While this is undeniably socially and environmentally disturbing, this has notable economic consequences. It is also cheaper to recycle food waste than it is to send it to landfill.

Food waste is an environmental issue The UK’s food supply chain is responsible for around a fifth of its carbon emissions. Recycling food waste would be the environmental equivalent of removing one in five cars from the road.

The cost of heavy binsFood waste can be immensely heavy. This, firstly, has certain effects on health and safety – both of your staff and the person collecting your waste. If your general waste bin is overweight, it is going to cost you anything from 12p to 30p per kilo and that adds up fast!

FOOD WASTE TIPS

What can’t I put in my food waste bin?

• Food waste packaging (this includes cardboard and paper). Generally, food waste in its primary packaging is acceptable, but secondary packaging contaminates the bin.
• Liquids
• Oil
• Black bags
• Large bones
• Glass
• Compostable packaging
• Metal
• Meat which is not intended for human consumption

What can I put in my food waste bin?

As a general rule, aim to only throw loose, unpackaged waste and animal bi-products into your food waste bin.

• Raw and cooked meat, fruit, and vegetables
• Non-liquid dairy products
• Coffee grinds (no filters) and tea bags
• Plate scrapings
• Peelings
• Egg shells
• Small quantities of bones
• Liquids in small amounts – preferably frozen
• Packaged food waste in cardboard or plastic

WHERE DOES FOOD WASTE GO?

• Food waste is collected by sealed, specialised food pods.
• It is taken to an anaerobic digestion facility, where it is pre-treated.
• Biodegradable food is broken down by micro-organisms (methanogens) in an oxygen-free setting, transforming it into digestate (often used in agricultural applications) and biogas or bio methane (methane and carbon dioxide).
• Biogas is stored, purified, and becomes a source of renewable energy.

Smarter Business provides in-depth industry knowledge to the disposal of your business waste. Through industry expertise, they are able to offer tailored general and food waste solutions to every kind of business – including members of the hospitality and restaurant industries. Clickhereto elevate your waste services to the realm of strategy for cost effective, sustainable business.

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Taking payment for products or services is central to every business’s operations, but cash isn’t king like it was in the past.

These days, with businesses having online commerce options and consumers having a preference for online and card payments, your business’s merchant services have joined the realm of strategy for businesses of all sizes. Use this quick guide to understanding the nuances of merchant services and discover all-important ways to save.

What are merchant services?

These days, we are so used to swiping a card and making a successful payment as part of our daily lives that we aren’t really aware of the steps that take place in the background (and so it should be!). Merchant services is the phrase defining the transactions that take place behind the scenes in the payment process.

What is the process?

1. When a customer swipes his or her card, a payment request goes through a payment gateway, which contacts your bank.
2. Your business bank requests authorisation from your customer’s bank.
3. Money is released from the customer’s bank account into your merchant account.
4. Fees are deducted and the final amount appears in your business bank account. This can be a next-day payment or can take anything from two to five working days.

What to think about when shopping for merchant services?

• Cost: Your merchant service fees will make a very big difference to your bottom line. It pays dividends to shop for the most competitive price. However, this is not always easily done at face value, with factors such as the type of business, risk, and credit history playing a role in the final price.
• Value: Find out what is included in the package.
• Transparency: The last thing you want is to sign the deal only to find out about hidden costs after the fact. Work with a provider with a reputation for transparency.
• Ease: Does the merchant service provider offer seamless end-to-end service? Work with a merchant service provider who takes the time to tell you what kind of services are required for your business needs.
• Support: Your merchant service provider should have support systems in place so, when things go down, your business doesn’t have to suffer.

Smarter Business is proud to include merchant services amongst its stable of services. Benefits include:

• Fixed-fee transaction charges
• Broadband terminals at £12 per month
• No authorisation and PCI compliance fees
• No minimum monthly fee
• Next-day payment at no extra cost
• 24/7 support
• Faulty terminals will be replaced the next day

Contact Smarter Business here to find out about how to enhance your business competitiveness and strategise to do smarter business through savings.

Read more:
Merchant services: the cost of getting paid

Many businesses regard their waste management as an unavoidable operational cost and that is their final thought on the matter.

Smart businesses, however, view this as a point of strategy.

Apart from statutory regulations governing how businesses deal with different types of waste, businesses stand to gain from understanding business waste and optimising their waste management.

WHAT IS WASTE MANAGEMENT?

Waste management looks at the entire life cycle of waste within a business. This includes how your enterprise generates waste, how it is stored, transported, and the means of disposal.

WHY IS A WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPORTANT?

Waste doesn’t come cheap Business waste disposal can account for 4-5% of your turnover and it is predicted that this is an expense which will continue to grow over time.

Make it legal There is a statutory duty of care associated with business waste which has been put in place for human health and the good of the environment.

It can improve your bottom line Apart from finding cost-effective waste management services, coming up with a waste management strategy can reveal ways to reduce use of certain raw materials and re-use and recycle certain waste products.

The best businesses are sustainableThe importance of sustainable practices are well-known. Considering businesses dispose of millions of tonnes of waste each year, the effect of waste disposal on the environment is becoming increasingly important (and makes a difference to your business reputation too).

WHAT IS THE COST OF BUSINESS WASTE?

The where The location of your business can affect the amount you pay for your business waste management services. Big cities tend to be expensive. However, more remote locations can also be pricy because of complicated logistical requirements.

The what The type of waste your business generates affects your waste costs. The disposal cost for recyclable waste can be up to 50% cheaper than hazardous waste on the other end of the spectrum – just another reason to recycle.

The bins Different businesses need different bins. Bin hire is part of the bill. Add bin collection too – a weekly service affected by the quantity of waste you put out for pick-up.

The transfer Before your waste goes to landfill, it is sorted at a waste transfer station, which charges a fee for its services.

The tax Landfill Tax is a very real expense for British businesses. Government is intent on reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill each year and so charges a levy for every tonne of commercial waste sent to landfill.

The fees Landfill and recycling facilities can charge a gate fee. On top of this, an admin charge can be expected as part of your bill.

Outsourcing your commercial waste services to a reputable company can streamline operations and have benefits for your business.

Business waste specialists can ensure your compliance, give advice on your business’s bespoke needs, and take the stress out of emergency waste. Contact Smarter Business to find out more about their comprehensive waste network, waste services, and ways to build your business waste management plan.

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Why your business needs a waste management plan

When it comes to your business energy strategy, procurement is the first step. Defining effective monitoring and management systems within your business stands to have a long-term effect – and this can, in turn, affect your bottom line.

Most businesses can achieve between 2 and 10% annual savings through the implementation of better management systems, according to business energy consultants, Smarter Business. But what are business management systems and what value do they bring for businesses?

What are effective energy management systems?

Energy management is the use of techniques, tools, and systems to improve a business’s energy performance. In order to be effective, this system needs to look at a business’s energy holistically – from procurement to data collection, usage, and adjustment.

In this past, this would have involved time-consuming quote comparisons, meter readings, and poring over energy bills. Today, many energy consultants offer energy management solutions to save time and streamline energy management – making best practices easily achievable for all businesses. 

Where to start? The case for energy monitoring

Collecting data and analysing reports on your business energy is central to any effective business energy management system. Energy monitoring means your business can keep an eye on its consumption, identify waste areas and rectify inefficiencies, as well as validate invoices.

You’re your business makes changes, you will also be able to meaningfully assess the return on investment for these projects. When the time comes to renew your energy contract, business owners are also empowered to get the contract suited to their needs, backed up by powerful data.

Energy management steps

1. Come up with an energy management plan.
2. Set targets for energy performance.
3. Collect energy data in real time.
4. Conduct thorough analysis on this data.
5. React robustly to areas of inefficiency.

What are the benefits to your business?

• Reduced costs. Energy is a major cost to businesses of all sizes. No business can afford to ignore the savings potential around its energy portfolio.
• Improve your environmental profile. There is a duty on all businesses to adopt a responsible, sustainable approach to energy consumption. Not only does a shift in attitude affect the well-being of the planet, it also makes a difference to your business reputation; giving you a place amongst the businesses of the future.

Smarter Business has developed user-friendly, secure, and reliable energy management software to provide real solutions to businesses of all sizes. This includes instant, customisable reporting on consumption and invoicing across multiple sites.

For customers with more intensive energy usage, businesses stand to benefit from the most advanced energy management platform on the market in the form of Openview. This software provides reporting, forecasting, data management, and market updates for competitive energy management and strategy.

Contact Smarter Business here to find out more about their energy management solutions.

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Energy management systems and their value to your business

With the rising price of energy, few businesses in Britain can ignore strategising around this essential cost.

From procurement managers to buyers, businesses are exploring different ways to get the most out of their energy contracts. Using a third-party intermediary is the number one way businesses of all sizes stand to optimise their energy portfolio – and this goes beyond pure procurement.

“Businesses want different service. Some of them want consolidation. Some of them want internal account managers to talk to. It depends on their spend. It depends on their level of engagement,” says top energy consultants, Smarter Business. “Sometimes you’ve got to place that customer and their business based on their requirements with a supplier with the right product or morals, policies, billing requirements, and payment requirements in place to ensure that customer’s contract runs as seamlessly as possible.”

With this in mind, here are some reasons to consider using a TPI to strategise around your commercial energy:

– As a business owner, you are more engaged than ever.With energy forming such an integral cost in the running of SMEs and big corporates, business owners are more informed than ever about the energy market – and this is great for stimulating the market.

– Information with ease.From understanding tariffs, commodity and non-commodity charges to unpicking the intricacies of the terms of energy contracts, using a TPI is the shortest way to understand energy. This saves time which is better spent growing your business and achieving your goals.

– A tailored service to suit your unique business needs. Every business is different – and the expectations of every business owner is different. If you are a small business owner looking to fulfil the instant need of securing the best tariff on renewal or if you are a corporate looking for data analysis and reporting, a TPI should offer a full suite of bespoke services to meet your needs.

– TPIs can save you money.With supplier relationships and the knowledge to accurately budget forecast, TPIs have the ability to shop the market effectively and provide unbiased options and assist business owners in making the best, most informed decision around their energy contracts.

– TPIs take the hassle out of shopping the energy market.By working with a customer-centred TPI with a keen focus on transparency and compliance, securing the best energy contract for business is a seamless affair. This saves on the invaluable time and resources it would take to independently source these deals.

– A long-term solution. By working with a reputable TPI, you will have a partner who will work with you for the duration of your contract (and beyond if you choose). By working with the right TPI, you will enjoy a consultative experience – one where you have a partner to address any issues and strategise around your business energy. With innovation growing within the industry, businesses also now have access to powerful technology and tools through TPIs which can save the cost and environmental burden of commercial energy usage.

Contact Smarter Business here to find out more about their business energy solutions.

Read more:
Why every business should use a TPI for their energy

Energy switching levels have risen by 12 per cent this year, allaying concerns that the government’s price cap would stifle competition.

More than 615,000 customers switched electricity supplier last month, up 29 per cent on the same period a year earlier, according to Energy UK. Lawrence Slade, the trade body’s chief executive, said it was “most likely that this month’s increase is in response to the recent price cap rise”.

In February a rise in wholesale costs forced Ofgem to authorise suppliers to increase annual bills for 15 million homes covered by price caps by more than £100. The increase came into effect this month. Price rise announcements historically have been a big driver of switching because suppliers have to write to their customers to notify them of the increase and to alert them to cheaper deals on offer.

Read more:
Thousands switch energy firms after price cap rise

From SMEs to big corporates, every business relies on computers and digitalisation to perform their basic functions.

As our reliance on technology evolves, questions around data and privacy come to the fore. In recent years, this has also seen an increased prevalence of cyber-related crimes. As awareness around cybercrime grows, business owners are tasked with assessing the impact data breaches and cybercrime would have on their businesses, but what exactly is the threat to businesses and what can be done to mitigate the risk?

The greatest threat to business

It has been reported that one in ten businesses in the UK will become the victim of cybercrime. With most reports in the news covering security breaches at big firms, it is a common misapprehension that start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses are absolved from risk. The reality is that every business has the potential to fall into the sights of cyber criminals, with smaller enterprises often providing a soft target.

The cost of cybercrime

Globally, cybercrime and data breaches have cost businesses billions in recent years. On an individual level, businesses that fail to take heed of the risk and institute precautions against breaches stand to severely damage or even prove fatal to businesses with little to no warning.

The value of your data

The days of turning a blind eye to cyber security are over. Every business owner needs to acknowledge that their digital processes, data, and client information are all exposed to the threat of cybercrime, opening you up to liability and fines. Busy business owners rarely have the time and resources to invest in obtaining specialist advice and security measures around their data – and hackers know this. Phishing, ransomware, and worms – to name a few – are ever-evolving and grow in intelligence over time.

Empower yourself and mitigate the risk

There are a number of steps business owners can take around their cyber security. With many cyber crimes occurring as the result of non-malicious internal human error, business owners should generate awareness and educate staff around security best practices. It is also worth implementing a cyber security and disaster recovery strategy. A data breach can have far-reaching repercussions for businesses. In the event of a breach, commercial cyber insurance can stand to alleviate the burden and cover the hefty financial consequences around this event.

In meeting their clients’ sophisticated business needs, Smarter Business has added cyber insurance to their suite of business services. Powered by James Hallam – trusted for commercial insurance solutions for over 30 years – Smarter Business provides portfolios tailored to the individual risks of businesses. To discuss the best cover for your business at the best price, contact Smarter Business here.

Read more:
Cyber security – should your business be worried?

How businesses look at energy has changed drastically in the last decade. Modern business owners are far more engaged when it comes to the effect of energy on their bottom lines and this comes down to a single reason: cost. With wholesale energy prices on the rise, energy procurement has joined the realms of business strategy, says leading TPI, Smarter Business. The following are some insights into the wholesale market and energy procurement, as well as some thinking points to strategise around procurement in your business.

What drives the price? The volatile energy price we experience is the result of certain short- and long-term drivers including weather and seasonal factors, the geopolitical landscape, market considerations, as well as your business needs, budget, hedging capabilities, and overall strategy.

Is it all black and white in your contract? Fixed, flexible, or both? Where do you look for hidden charges? What is the standing charge? How are your charges structured? Finding the cheapest tariff is only one component of your energy contract. Take the time to understand the market, your business’s bespoke energy needs, and conduct a full-market comparison for the best deal. Also be aware of your out-of-contract rates and make changes around the time of renewal where necessary.

Understand behaviour. Looking at your current consumption is the first step in implementing your energy strategy. This offers up invaluable information on how to save energy and costs around your consumption.

It won’t be hard with the right software. Technology takes the legwork out of many fundamental tasks within your commercial energy portfolio. With procurement and management capabilities, software such as Smarter Business’s Openview offers complete transparency around costing, simplifies tender negotiation and execution (whilst enhancing supplier competitiveness through transparent bidding), offers holistic management capabilities around meters and consumption, and empowers the modern business owner to make the most informed choices around their energy. Looking at current and future energy costs, this assists in saving money on your energy procurement.

Outsource for success. Working with energy specialists will always help you implement the strongest strategy. Partner with a leading TPI who takes the time to understand your unique business needs, makes suitable recommendations, and works with you over the long-term to increase your bottom line through clever energy management. Energy consultants should be able to give you meaningful insights into every element of your energy portfolio, providing real value through service and data analysis. This saves business owners valuable time, but also often exceeds what can be done internally.

Contact Smarter Business here to find out more about potential savings, clever strategies, and Openview technology for long-term success.

Read more:
Why energy procurement has become part of business strategy

There is immense uncertainty around the effect of Brexit on different markets.

This makes it a stressful time for business owners looking to make the best choices in preparation for 29 March.

Amongst these is the proposition that energy prices are set to soar – a reality which will affect the daily running and bottom line of businesses around the country. Energy and utilities specialists, Smarter Business, give us the chief considerations to keep in mind around your business’s energy contracts in the lead-up to Brexit.

Why will energy prices rise?

The UK sources much of its energy supply from the EU. The free trade and decision-making power we currently enjoy within the EU could, therefore, be disrupted after 29 March, with a cost implication for consumers. Further, should the UK have insufficient energy, this could result in outages which, apart from its effect on the economy and market, could have dire consequences in terms of lost income and production, as well as the business costs associated with operational downtime.

The cost of risk

Amidst predictions of shortages, carbon pricing, and cross-border electricity and gas trade, market uncertainty and risk are contributing to an increased likelihood of increased bills for consumers.

The prevailing uncertainty could also contribute to a decline in European investment in energy infrastructure. Additionally, reduced trading efficiency could see a rise in the cost of energy for domestic and commercial customers. The disruption of supply could also provide a major setback to Government’s climate change plans.

What can your business do to prepare for Brexit?

Taking a robust approach to your business’s gas and energy in the lead-up to Brexit could have far-reaching consequences for your bottom line. As in any time of market volatility, suppliers are as prepared as they can be for every eventuality around Brexit – and you should be too.

• Switch– Conduct a thorough investigation into the energy market and shop for the best tariffs for your business and your pocket. This is always a good idea, but this is especially the case now, affording you the chance to fix tariffs and make the best deals for your business.
• Strategise – Switching is not enough. The potential increase in energy bills is the catalyst every business should use to implement an energy strategy to improve efficiencies and drive down costs as much as possible. How do you do this? In-house monitoring of energy usage and a shift in behaviour is a great first start. To optimise, combine clever technology and expert advice to give real time metrics and suggestions.

Contact Smarter Business today to discuss the options around your business energy portfolio and to strategise around energy best practice for your business – no matter what the future holds.

Read more:
Should businesses switch energy supplier in preparation for Brexit?

Faced with potential growth, many businesses bring the question of outsourced business services into their strategy equations.

The modern office and business structure have evolved from the in-house approach of the past, but what are the real benefits for businesses – and what are the perils? Working with the right third-party organisation stands to bring real advantages to both SMEs and large corporates, according to Smarter Business – a firm of industry-leading utilities brokers and business service providers in the UK. The following are the points to weigh in outsourcing as part of your business strategy.

It saves time and energy. Taking the time to meaningfully understand the different markets, contracts, compliance issues, and developments around water, energy, gas, waste, and business services is an enormous task. With contract and circumstantial nuances which have an impact on the daily running of your business, business owners rarely have the time or resources to dedicate to the fundamental task of shopping the market for cost effective and suitable deals. Such a time-consuming task inevitably leads to levels of neglect when it comes to your core business.

It increases profits for growth through savings. Probably the greatest pro attached to outsourcing is the potential to save money. Working with a TPI with great supplier relationships and industry expertise means negotiating power where it matters – your bills. This money can then be re-allocated to enhance growth.

It boosts efficiencies. The right TPI can optimise how you do business – both in background and on-the-ground services. Combining technology and expertise, they can work with you to identify and report on how your money is spent and strategise on areas of potential saving. By having a team to do the legwork on your behalf, you and your team are also able to focus on your core competencies, which is a breeding ground for efficiency and growth.

It gives you the edge. Working with key players in the industry gives you unparalleled access to industry trends and developments so your business can stay ahead of the curve. Contract managers can also advise on bespoke solutions for your particular business. This chain reaction of benefits, savings, and strategy gives businesses an undeniable competitive advantage.

It unlocks widespread opportunities. Working with a single company who is au fait with your business operations means industry experts can apply their mind to your circumstances on an ongoing basis. Where TPIs offer a range of services, this can have a far-reaching effect on maintenance, merchant services, and insurance to name a few.

The major con attached to the idea of outsourcing is relinquishing control and the financial and managerial implications of this. Select a TPI with a solid reputation and one who is openly transparent and compliant, advises Smarter Business. Contact Smarter Business today to find out about their services.

Read more:
Is outsourcing business services a good idea?

It may be the time of year when personal resolutions start to fall by the wayside, but your business resolutions should start to take shape.

These should all have your bottom line in mind – and your utilities and business services are a good place to start. By shopping the market for the best deals and adopting sustainable practices, finance for non financial managers within the business could potentially unlock immense savings, says utilities broker Smarter Business. Here is your energy resolutions quick guide for 2019.

Switch things up a bit. When it comes to your utilities contracts, adaptability is key. If your contracts are coming up for renewal, it is the perfect chance to shop the market for the best tariff. Doing a full market comparison is the only way to truly secure the best deal for you.

Switch to strategic thinking. Many businesses ignore utilities as a given expense every month, but they really are a hotbed for strategic planning. Getting the right contract for your business’s unique requirements is the first step. Making your utilities work for you is the next. With smart meters and technology, you are able to monitor usage, identify energy-intensive areas, quickly rectify problems, and design a strategy for savings. An environmentally-conscious ethos is of strategic benefit as a marketing point too.

Switch things off. Your business could save up to 10% on its energy bills by adopting small changes for increased energy efficiency. Work together with your team to implement a new approach to energy by switching off lights and appliances. You may also consider conducting workshops and training to generate real understanding around your energy strategy and why it’s important. Conducting regular facilities maintenance on machinery and appliances can also make them run more efficiently, which can affect your invoice amounts.

Switch to a consolidated approach. By partnering with the right company, you can get a full suite of business services from one provider who takes the time to really understand your business needs. When it comes to your utilities contracts, this stands to be a great time-saving exercise. With long-standing relationships with suppliers, they are positioned to broker the best deal on your behalf.

If you are looking to give life to your business service resolutions in 2019, Smarter Business is here to assist. Contact Smarter Business today to find out more about their energy and business solutions. Click here.

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New year, new business savings resolutions

Cutting down on the waste generated by your business has easy yet far-reaching benefits. With waste disposal costing businesses up to 4% of their turnover, strategising for business waste optimisation can affect your bottom line in a meaningful way, says business service providers, Smarter Business. The benefits include:

• Saving money. Discovering the correct waste strategy both saves and has the potential to make your business money.
• Legal compliance. Your business has a duty to dispose of its waste responsibly. Avoid penalties and enjoy peace of mind around your business’s compliance.
• Environmental impact. By adjusting behaviour and embracing sustainable practices, your business has a reduced negative environmental impact.
• Competitive advantage. The changing trend towards green businesses affects the environmental ethos of businesses awarded contracts and who clients want to work with. Going green improves your reputation and meets your clients’ demands.

If your business is generating an inordinate amount of waste, this can be directly linked to inefficiencies in your systems and processes. Making a change to your business waste strategy is easily achieved and is a matter of approach. This is how you can reduce your business waste and save in 2019.

1. Audit your waste. You can’t reduce your waste unless you understand the different waste areas of your enterprise. Look generally and then start to look into specifics. How much unnecessary waste packaging do you generate? Speak to your employees and see if they have any insights. Where are you using excessive raw materials and what waste do your processes create?
2. Re-use. Recycle. This adage applies more than ever. By collecting meaningful data, you will reveal areas where you can reduce usage, where you can re-use materials, and how you can recycle. By minimising your landfill impact, your environmental profile is improved and you can save money and strategise your business waste.
3. Train your employees. Get buy-in from the people who can make a real difference – your employees. Get their insights into how to reduce waste and keep them informed of the details of your waste initiatives, provide training where necessary, and make implementation of your strategy easy.
4. Streamline your waste management.It makes sense to employ the services of experts in the waste field. There are a range of important considerations that affect your waste management impact. Your waste strategy is a unique line in your business’s individual fingerprint. Your circumstances will dictate the efficacy of your strategy and working with a local, effective, expert team frees up resources and unlocks potential for business optimisation through waste.

The team at Smarter Business is best-placed to provide a full range of waste services to SMEs and large corporates around the UK. Partner with their team by clicking here.

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How to reduce your business waste & save in 2019

When it comes to responsible energy usage, knowledge is key. Many people want to use less energy but aren’t sure what uses up the majority of the energy in their homes.

Electricity needs vary greatly, but these are some of the top electricity users in the average home.

Heating and Cooling

Since most homes require some heating or cooling system, this cost takes up the majority of electricity usage. It can be close to 50% of the energy used in a home. Not only does this cost a fair amount, but it’s also a lot of usage for homeowners who may want to be more eco-friendly. There are many ways to save on heating and cooling needs, so it’s worth exploring options in this area.

Water Heater

Regardless of the size of the home, it’s going to use up hot water. Showers, the washer, dishes, and more all require hot water. While it’s impossible to get away from hot water entirely for most homes, reducing usage is often possible. For homes that have a lot of people, reducing hot water usage can result in significant savings over time.

Washer and Dryer

If the house has a washer and dryer, then it’s going to be using up a fair amount of energy. The more energy efficient models are a great way to cut back on usage. Also, many people find that they do fewer loads of laundry throughout the week and this can make a significant difference as well. Regardless of how you choose to cut back, it’s important to know a washer and dryer contribute to costs.

Computer Usage

Computers, especially desktops, use a fair amount of electricity. Most people have at least one computer in their homes and may even have several. Running a computer constantly, even when not in use, can use up a lot of electricity. Consider turning off computers and even unplugging them when they’re not being used. Additionally, laptops tend to use less energy than desktops so it may be worth considering simply having laptops.

Refrigerator

It takes a lot of electricity to cool, and a refrigerator is a must-have in most homes. Although there are energy star models available, simply having a fridge is going to use up electricity. Consider having only one instead of several and use the cooling settings to be as efficient as possible. When following these guidelines, most people find that their fridge doesn’t have huge electricity costs.

These are the major users of electricity in the average household. It may not be possible to cut down on all electricity costs, but there are many ways to be more efficient. Companies like Electricity Monster can also help people save on their bills by offering competitive and lower rates for energy and gas.

It’s a good idea to use various methods to save on energy costs. Consider making changes that will reduce electricity usage and also using a cost-saving company to make a large dent in the monthly electric bills.

Read more:
What uses up electricity the most?

As 2018 draws to a close, the new year presents the perfect opportunity to fine tune your business for success in 2019.

From SMEs to corporates, having a facilities maintenance programme in place is crucial to optimal business operations, says Smarter Business.

If you are considering overhauling your maintenance strategy or are weighing up the pros and cons, what should business owners and maintenance managers take into consideration?

The true cost of your business maintenance. Case studies conducted around the world provide evidence that regular maintenance strategies have a range of benefits for businesses and organisations. Outsourcing to facilities maintenance companies is often dismissed for budgetary reasons, but this needs to be carefully looked at with the broader picture in mind. What is the true cost of deferred maintenance? What are the all-inclusive costs of an in-house maintenance department, equipment, staff, and storage and office space? What does it cost your business when your equipment goes down?

Equipment cannot run on hope alone. Your business equipment needs maintenance. Failing to conduct routine maintenance is waiting for disaster. If you have conducted reactive maintenance in the past, you will know the disruptive effect this can have. A planned preventative maintenance schedule reduces the need for emergency call-outs and contingency plans.

The role of maintenance within your business ethos. Conducting regular maintenance on your equipment has far-reaching consequences for your business. If you are actively pursuing ways to improve efficiency, reduce energy usage, and increase safety within your business, your facility should reflect this. These are critical marketable points for any business. Where machinery is running at its best, it uses fewer resources and increases outputs. Facilities maintenance specialists can also give an indication of leading technologies and advise on alternatives for operational excellence to give you a competitive edge.

It matters to your employees. From the efficient running of the heating or HVAC to your business’s key equipment, your employees bear the brunt of systems failure – whether in terms of personal comfort, the ability to perform their jobs, or manage customer expectations. By working with facilities maintenance specialists, you not only improve the safety of working conditions – you reduce stress levels and the redistribution of resources when things go wrong by having a team on call to assist you when you need them.

Hand over responsibility to the right partner. An in-house maintenance team is an added burden for your business. The people, equipment, management, and space all present added expenses to your business. Maintenance tools and equipment, the space to house them on your premises, the staff and members of management required to manage them are all added burdens on your business. Outsourced facilities maintenance teams remove the need to manage these processes, gives you the assurance of latest training, and provides you with insights into industry trends.

Work with Smarter Business to develop your business maintenance strategy in 2019. Click here

Read more:
Why your business should embrace maintenance culture in 2019

In recent years, the global community has woken to the realities of climate change and the responsibility to shift attitudes to be more sustainable.

As awareness broadens and industry seeks to proactively address their energy usage, so comes the natural resistance to change. Some myths have made their way into public thinking.

If you are looking to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency practices within your business, these are the top myths to keep in mind according to energy brokers, Smarter Business.

Renewable energy is expensive

Solar and wind power have become primary renewable energy sources around the world. As they gain in popularity and technology advances, so the cost of these is reduced. Further, with solar panel innovation gaining momentum, energy outputs stand to be radically increased at a fraction of the price. Solar plants in some warm-climate locations are already competitive with coal and this looks to be the economical and environmental choice of the future.

Renewable energy is unreliable

Countries around the world already increasingly use renewable energy sources to power their nations. This means that renewable energy is proving itself as suitable for mass use to a growing collection of countries. Wind and marine power are often treated with scepticism, but this is also largely unfounded. The reality is that we are at the threshold of understanding their capabilities. Harnessing wind power in Northern Scotland, for instance, could cost-effectively produce 10-15% of the UK’s energy needs. An investment into storage and optimised technologies for these systems are what is needed to see the full effect of these resources.

Electric cars offer poor performance

The aversion to electric cars for their limited range, appearance, and performance is shifting. The industry has seen developments which have put some models on par with petrol vehicles – an exciting glimpse into the roads and automotive world of the future.

As with solar and wind energy, advancements in electric cars (particularly around batteries and charging) are making these a sustainable alternative that deliver on customer requirements.

Renewable energy is bad for the environment

In the argument against renewable energy, the environmental effects have come under harsh scrutiny. The studies around the environmental effects of renewable resources is ongoing. With bio-fuel shown to be a no-go in early applications, environmental considerations are at the forefront of next-generation bio-fuel concerns.

When it comes to the effect on animals, land use, and noise associated with turbines, many studies have dispelled the concerns – showing that land used for turbines can successfully be used for grazing and the community concerns centred more around appearance than sound.

As long as environmental assessments are properly conducted and studies continue on the long-term consequences, renewable energy sources emphasise their environmental importance, ultimately providing a far reduced carbon option to coal energy options.

The team at Smarter Business are passionate about coming up with energy solutions to suit the sustainability initiatives of SMEs and corporates around the UK. Discuss your energy portfolio and options, backed by a team of experts by clicking here.

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Myth-busting for business: renewable energy

Homes and businesses that generate their own electricity could end up paying extra charges under proposals set out by the energy watchdog to overhaul Britain’s energy network fees.

Ofgem said it is consulting on reforms to the £9 billion-a-year charges for the UK’s energy network of pylons and cables to ensure the costs are “shared fairly between all consumers”.

These costs are ultimately included in household energy bills.

It is proposing to introduce fixed charges for all households and businesses, rather than charges based on the amount of electricity they take from the grid – similar to fixed telephone line rental fees.

This, together with proposed reforms to the way smaller generators are charged compared with larger generators, could save consumers between £5 billion and £7.6 billion in total by 2040.

But Ofgem also warned that some homes and businesses which generate their own electricity through renewables such as solar power could end up paying more.

Ofgem is now asking for views on whether the changes should be implemented in 2021, or phased in between 2021 and 2023.

Ofgem said increasing numbers of households, public bodies and businesses generate electricity on site, but they still rely on the grid on dark winter evenings when solar power cannot generate electricity.

It said: “Users who generate electricity themselves on site can avoid a lot of these charges even though they use the grid as back-up.

“As a result, consumers that take all their electricity from the grid, including households which have not installed solar panels or other renewables, pay more of these charges.”

“Ofgem’s proposed charging reforms will ensure these charges for the grid are shared fairly between all consumers,” it added.

Ofgem also said it plans to announce in December its next steps for tougher price controls for energy networks from 2021 and freeing up electricity network capacity.

Read more:
Costs set to increase for homes and businesses generating own energy

New energy suppliers will have to show they have adequate financial resources and can meet customer service obligations under proposals by the regulator.

Ofgem said its proposed tests would be a “safety net” for customers in the event of supplier failure and follows several smaller providers going out of business over the last year.

Ofgem said the tests should ensure new entrants are robust while encouraging competition and innovation in the market.

Applicants for new supply licences would have to demonstrate to Ofgem that they have the funds and resources to manage their business for at least 12 months after entering the market.

They would also have to provide the regulator with a plan to meet customer service obligations, including Ofgem’s complaint-handling standards and obligations to assist customers in vulnerable circumstances.

Ofgem said the tests should be in place by spring.

A quarter of customers are supplied by small and medium-sized suppliers after switching to get a better deal.

But while smaller suppliers frequently top the Citizens Advice customer service league table, there have been increasing instances of some new entrants providing poor levels of customer service, prompting regulator action against the worst offenders.

Ofgem also announced it is opening enforcement investigations against two suppliers which have failed to make payments owed under the Government’s Renewables Obligation scheme, and steps to seek repayment from two other firms.

Mary Starks, executive director for consumers and markets at Ofgem, said: “Our proposed new tests for suppliers wanting to enter the market will ensure consumers will be better protected against the risk of poor performance, while still allowing more competition and innovation in the energy market to benefit consumers.”

Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy welcomed the proposals, saying the collapse of GB Energy cost consumers £14 million.

She said: “For too long, firms that are unprepared, financially unsustainable or both have been able get a licence and start operating as a supplier.

“Ultimately it’s consumers who suffer when unprepared energy companies are able to enter the market. Many customers suffer with poor customer service, long waits on the phone and inaccurate bills. And everyone pays the price, through their bills, when weak suppliers fail.

“While the proposed new rules will protect consumers from unfit firms getting a licence in the future, there are still poorly performing suppliers operating now. Ofgem must take appropriate steps to remove these firms from the market.”

Read more:
Ofgem proposes finance tests for new energy suppliers

The days are shorter and the mercury is dropping. Keeping your staff warm and your offices well-lit during winter has some inevitable cost implications for your business.

An increase in energy usage is somewhat unavoidable – and has the potential to be significantly over your anticipated budget. By implementing a few winter best practices, minimise the impact on your business’s bottom line.

Be neat with your heat It may seem to be common sense, but many businesses make fundamental errors in their heating practices. Heating costs increase your energy bills by approximately 8% for every 1° of heat, which makes this a potentially costly area in winter. Don’t heat unoccupied or unnecessary areas of your building and make a habit of turning off the heating at the close of business every day.

Trap the heat by keeping doors and windows closed as much as possible. Adjust the temperatures for lesser-used areas in the building. Keep an eye on your thermostat or manually adjust it as the temperature changes and ensure that it is located somewhere with a constant temperature, unaffected by outside temperatures and the effect of machinery in office and work spaces.

Don’t pay for loss of daylight As the days shorten, so the use of lightbulbs increase. Convert traditional lightbulbs to more efficient LED varieties and control your lighting by eliminating unnecessary usage in unoccupied areas around your building. Automated lighting is another option, controlling usage through motion detectors in key areas in your building.

Get equipment working optimally, so you can too It is worth investing in new technologies for premium cost-effectiveness. If you haven’t already, service your boiler and assess your building’s insulation for best performance.

Use data for cost management A smart meter and advanced energy technologies can provide invaluable insight into your winter usage. They also take the guesswork out of your energy bills, so there are no nasty surprises.

Speak to your supplier If your contract is coming up for renewal, this is the ideal time to get and compare quotes to ensure you are on the best possible tariff for your business. Every business’s needs change and it is advisable to explore the options to avoid automatic increases. At this busy time of year, take the legwork out of comparing quotes by working through a broker. Ideally, get a full-market comparison and advice around your energy strategy.

Get your staff involved in energy-saving this winter and experience corresponding cost savings for your business. If you are looking for facilities maintenance services, energy procurement, and expert advice on your utilities, contact Smarter Business today.

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Is your business ready for winter?

Energy suppliers need to triple their smart meter installation rates to have any hope of completing a national roll-out by 2020, new analysis suggests.

Consumer champion Which? said large suppliers would need to install 30 meters per minute, every day, for the next two years, to meet the deadline.

The Government wants energy firms to install smart meters in every home in England, Wales and Scotland by 2020 to give consumers more control over their energy usage.

But according to Which?’s analysis large suppliers are behind schedule, having installed more than 11 million smart meters to date, just a quarter (25%) of the 46 million existing meters that could be replaced.

Which? believes it is “increasingly unlikely” the 2020 deadline will be met, with large suppliers currently installing meters at a rate of just 9.7 a minute.

It highlights the Government’s estimates for expected savings for an annual dual fuel bill in 2020 have already fallen from £26 to just £11.

Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said: “The smart meter rollout has been plagued by problems and been massively delayed, the benefits have been overstated and the savings they could bring consumers are at risk.

“Therefore it’s time for the Government to replan with industry and consumer groups to ensure people get the maximum benefit at the minimum cost.”

But a spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the government remained committed to its smart meter target.

“Millions have already chosen to have a smart meter and take control of their energy use to cut their bills,” he said.

The spokesman argued an £11 reduction in annual fuel bills was “not insignificant”, representing £300 million of savings in 2020 alone.

Up to 53 million smart meters, that will replace traditional electricity and gas meters in homes and businesses, are due to be installed across Britain by the end of 2020.

Large energy suppliers, those with 250,000 customers or more, are responsible for rolling out 46 million meters but Which?’s research suggests installation rates are slowing down.

In February, the consumer group found that large energy companies needed to install 24 meters a minute to hit the 2020 target.

A spokesman for Energy UK, which represents the energy industry, said suppliers were committed to ensuring all eligible households and businesses are offered a smart meter by the deadline date.

“The industry is working hard to reach as many customers as possible and to ensure the roll-out is carried out safely, efficiently, cost-effectively and delivers a positive experience for customers,” he said.

“With more than 12 million smart meters now installed in the UK, more and more customers are enjoying the benefits that smart meters bring and are reporting high levels of satisfaction.”

Robert Cheesewright, director of corporate affairs at Smart Energy GB, which runs the public awareness campaign for the smart meter roll-out, said: “Britain’s smart meter roll-out is a vital upgrade for the nation’s energy infrastructure.

“Smart meters are crucial if we want to tackle climate change and reduce our carbon footprint.”

The £11 billion smart meter roll-out is expected to help consumers save £47 on the average bill by 2030 and provide wider economic benefits of around £16.7 billion.

But a report by the British Infrastructure Group of Parliamentarians published in July said the roll-out was “plagued by repeated delays and cost increases”, with suppliers “almost certain to miss the 2020 deadline”.

The National Audit Office is expected to publish the findings from its own review into the smart meter roll-out on November 23.

Read more:
Energy firms losing battle to hit 2020 smart meter target, Which? warns

Despite high switching statistics across the country, a staggering number of businesses in the UK have chosen not to shop the energy and water market.

Regulators and brokers encourage this to boost market competitiveness and secure savings for businesses, but do businesses really save money when they switch supplier? Leading brokers and industry experts, Smarter Business, highlight the different ways you save by switching supplier:

No business is stagnant

As time goes on and as your business grows, so too do your energy and water requirements – and this should be reflected in your contract. If your energy contract is coming up for renewal or you are moving or expanding premises, this is the ideal time to test the market on contracts that meet your needs. It is also important to avoid being put on to a deemed contract with suppliers when your contract ends or if you move premises as these rates can be exorbitant.

The new age of renewable supplies

Suppliers who offer sustainable, renewable options are becoming increasingly popular for businesses trying to reduce their environmental impact and embrace sustainability culture. Your energy broker should be able to provide quotes for these and look into implementing infrastructure for the generation of renewable energy. Depending on your business, you stand to benefit from not only reduced bills but government incentives too.

Letting a contract roll over triggers higher costs

Whether on fixed or variable tariffs, letting your contract roll over generally starts a new age of higher tariffs. By taking the time to compare quotes, it is likely you will discover cheaper rates for your business with a different or your existing supplier.

The market is competitive – and so are you

By conducting a full market comparison, you take advantage of one of the greatest benefits of the open water and energy markets – competitiveness. Taking the time to negotiate the best rate for water and energy for your business gets you better service and better rates. The effect on your bottom line in turn makes your enterprise more competitiveness, with additional resources which can be used in different areas of your business.

Time and timing

As with most things in business, time is of the essence – and we mean yours. If you partner with a broker, you stand to get cost-saving insights into your portfolios, as well as a notable time saving. According to the well-worn cliché, time is money so delegate yours as cleverly as possible. A broker is also able to give you advice on the timing for ideal market conditions for your switch.

Contact Smarter Business today for expert advice and to find out more about your business’s switching options.

Read more:
Do businesses really save money when they switch supplier?

With more than 11 million smart meters installed around Great Britain, more and more businesses are starting to investigate this technology as part of their energy management strategy.

However, many businesses remain ignorant or averse to the thought of implementing the technology – usually on the basis of installation costs or the belief that this will make gas and electricity more expensive through hidden costs added to utilities prices. In reality, smart meters have the potential to save corporates and SMEs money on their energy bills, says energy broker Smarter Business. This is done in the following ways:

Understanding your usage results in changed behaviour

Around eight out of ten consumers surveyed this year have said that they have reduced their consumption since installing their smart meters. There is a definite correlation between being able to see what your business is using and finding ways to reduce usage.

By monitoring useful data on a smart meter, you get real reporting of your usage in real time. This means you can see that everything is running as it should, identify areas of heavy usage and strategise to reduce this, and adjust usage to fall outside of peak times where possible to make the most of savings.

No overspend on inaccurate bills

By sending your energy readings directly to your supplier, you only pay for what you use and instances of inaccurate billing are minimised. This means no wasted expenditure on incorrect bills and the resources it takes to rectify issues.

The bigger picture: increased supplier interaction for increased savings

Up-to-date grid updates have a notable effect on the customer experience. Firstly, it empowers suppliers to react to power cuts faster, which means you don’t carry the financial burden of operational downtime and the loss of income associated with these. In the long term, it also stands to streamline the procurement and switching process to the benefit of customers.

Time is money – so don’t waste yours on energy

No matter the size of your business, the time you spend one your energy portfolio has a monetary value – more so if you are an SME. By not having to conduct manual meter readings, you are automatically saving time and so money by investing time in your duties and the growth of your business.

Meaningful collection of data also means that you aren’t spending time resolving issues or analysing your account for ways to save. The information is right there for you to utilise.

For cost-effective smart meter installations and to include smart meters as part of your energy strategy, contact Smarter Business today.

Read more:
How smart meters will reduce your business’s energy spend

Starting a business is not for the faint-hearted. For many new business owners – and as operations gain momentum – the day-to-day requirements of running the business can overshadow areas of potential savings and overlooked simple best practices.

Utilities brokers and business service providers to SMEs and large corporates around the UK, Smarter Business offers the following advice to new and emerging enterprises:

1. Make sure your necessities are working for you Water, electricity, waste, telecoms, merchant services. Many elements make up the necessities – the day-to-day expenses your business need to run. This doesn’t mean that they can’t work for you. Many of these components offer the advantage of competitiveness, giving business owners the power to negotiate and strategise. Some careful planning and the establishment of a management strategy can provide long-term solutions to ensure your business makes the most of these fundamental areas.
2. Maintenance is better than replacement Planning a maintenance schedule is a good habit to establish at the outset. From HVAC and heating to specialised equipment particular to individual industries, working with a facilities maintenance company ensures maintenance is being done to the requisite level and, in some instances, guarantees compliance. Ensuring that your equipment is working at its best can result in meaningful savings for a small business and being able to pre-empt and avoid equipment failure is an invaluable service where this would result in costly downtime.
3. Don’t rest on your laurels Shopping the market and securing the best tariffs for your business is merely a starting point. A meaningful, long-term strategy and a savings-based approach to utilities and services results in noteworthy accumulated savings. Budget around investing in technologies to monitor usage and understand the data generated by your business processes and adapt accordingly to make changes you’ll see on your balance sheet.
4. Never stop looking to the future The business landscape of the future is anybody’s guess, but there are some predictions that hold a lot of weight. Sustainability and going green are two of the big ones. Starting to look into renewable, sustainable options within your business infrastructure is an investment in the future and your preparedness will affect potentially enhance your service and competitiveness.
5. Accept help No business owner is an island. Everybody stands to benefit from expert advice and experience. For those new business owners struggling to justify the expense, quantify the value of your time. The hours spent grappling to understand areas secondary to your main business have a money value and detracts from your ability to identify and pursue opportunities and focus on the business at hand. Better yet, if you can pool expert services from one company, you are saving time, money, and anxiety around multiple service providers.

Want to find out more about how to streamline your business for savings? Contact Smarter Business today.

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Top five tips for new & growing businesses

For many landowners, landlords, and managing agents, sub-metering is often an afterthought in new builds and re-developments. However, clever sub-metering can inform a strategic energy management ethos within your buildings.

Sub-metering is the best technology investment your business can make. The energy specialists at Smarter Business believe that sub-metering strategy is not only mandatory for billing in multi-let buildings, but also informs a strategy that will simplify your tenant relationships and has the potential to increase your cash flow. Some of the benefits and features include:

Fair, accurate billing Gone are the days of billing different tenants in a building based on averages. Sub-metering allows for the collection of detailed data for accurate billing from tenant to tenant.

Improved energy management practices Research has shown that, where tenants are accountable for their individual habits, energy management practices improve and behaviour changes resulting in up to 15% reduction in usage over time.

This data can also alert you to waste areas and indicate the energy requirements of particular equipment and processes which can, in turn, inform a change in behaviour.

Ease of administration Data is a powerful tool to reduce disputes and save time and resources from a managerial perspective. Administering tenant bills can be enormously time consuming – but this is nothing compared to the time and resources it can take to resolve a dispute.

The collection of accurate data also stands to reduce instances of non-payment and these attitudes can lead to long-standing tenants rather than a string of different businesses moving through your premises.

Let sub-metering be the starting point and invest in the best Don’t just do the minimum for compliance and leave it at that. Treat your sub-metering as the specialist area it is. By installing a robust, trusted meter system, you are investing in potentially powerful technology for your development – but that’s just the start.

At the development or re-development stage, give real consideration to additional outcomes you would like to achieve and incorporate this into your sub-metering strategy. By adopting an inclusive approach with your tenants, this is an important cog in greater energy strategy to make the most of incentives, make use of reporting, monitoring, and set targets for optimal energy management – and this may well differ from building to building.

Engaging with energy experts who have a solid understanding of sub-metering is good practice for any developer or managing agent. Smarter Business have expertise and the latest industry knowledge to advise on the best course of action for your sub-metering strategy. Contact them today to develop your strategy.

Read more:
Sub-metering strategy: The key to tenant billing

Preparing to move your business premises can be a daunting prospect. Along with moving physical office infrastructure, there are a number of other business-enablers you need to take into consideration to get your company running optimally as soon as possible.

For example, have your telecoms been set up? What about your internet connection and cabling? And your utilities and meters?

Use this checklist to help your office move on time and without a hitch.

Set your timelines

The first step is to create your clear plan and timeline to map out the move. What will the move entail, and when does each step need to be completed by?

You may need to plan your move in stages, rather than trying to accomplish everything in one day. This will mean careful management between your move-in and move-out dates. If the dates don’t match up, you’ll need to consider storage options.

Top tip – Work backwards from your move-out date, making a list of all the things you need to do before the moving trucks arrive.

Gather your team

Get your staff involved in the move early so that they know what is expected of them during the move. It may help you to set up a move committee to help you plan and organise the move.

Top tip – Don’t be afraid to delegate! There are many steps and tasks involved in an office move, so assign tasks to your team members to ease the load.

Set up a communications plan

Keep your employees informed of the moving plans and process with an internal communications plan. Plan to communicate regularly with all employees to make the transition as seamless as possible. Before the move, be sure to provide directions to the new location as well as instructions on public transport, parking etc.

You’ll also need to inform clients and suppliers of your move and how it may affect business operations.

Top tip– Start a list of people who will need your change of address.

Evaluate your service providers

When you move premises, you may need to switch service providers. You’ll need to determine the current infrastructure and setup of the new premises, and whether your existing providers can use it or not.

Services that will need to be connected include phone lines, internet, and utilities. When it comes to utilities, you’ll need to either transfer your connection to the new property, or look for a new (possibly cheaper) energy contract.

Hire the professionals

Do your due diligence when hiring a moving company. Take some time (or assign another team member) to compare moving quotes and services and decide which company to hire. If your moving budget supports it, consider hiring professional packers too. Remember to hire cleaning professionals for your new and current premises.

Plan your new office layout

Create a detailed floor-plan of the new space, mapping out where every employee will sit and where each piece of furniture will go. Share this plan will all employees and your movers so that everyone is clear on the new layout.

Arrange for new office access

How will employees access the new office space? Will they need parking discs, keys or access cards?

Celebrate!

Welcome the team your new space with an office-warming party. Congratulations on your new space!

Need an energy contract for your new premises? Contact Smarter Business for a no-obligation quote.

Read more:
The ultimate office move checklist

With electricity switching rates making headlines in 2018, it is clear that your business is missing a trick by failing to examine its energy portfolio.

It has been reported that there is a particular reluctance amongst SMEs when it comes to switching suppliers. Smarter Business – a utilities broker that offers business services across a range of industries – has outlined the importance of reviewing your business utilities portfolio and the role this plays in boosting your bottom line.

Make the most of the open market

The beauty of the open market is that it fuels competitiveness between suppliers on price and customer service. As a result, the consumer is well-placed to negotiate the terms and tariffs that best suit their business by virtue of the system. Combined with a robust approach to evaluating gas and waste suppliers, these are areas of easy savings.

Ignorance is bliss – and bled profits

Many small business owners have claimed to be unaware of their ability to shop around for their utilities. Those who are aware primarily attribute their inaction to a lack of time, a reluctance to make a shift to the unfamiliar, and the hassle that goes with change. Simply put, this ignores the potential for huge monthly savings and improved service. Often, the reality of the switching process is not as daunting as it’s perceived to be. Utilising an energy broker to negotiate and compare quotes on your behalf not only streamlines the process and saves you valuable resources, but provides clarity on contract details and strategy which may otherwise have been overlooked.

Banking extra money through low-risk budget strategy

Great businesses don’t let their budget strategies stagnate. By reducing outputs, you stand to unlock other potential areas of growth and apply extra budget where your business needs it most. Using your energy, gas, and waste portfolios, you can boost business competitiveness in small ways which make a large impact.

Adopt a forward-thinking mindset

Being able to strategise for the future is an invaluable business trait. This is easily done when your business operates within the correct system and has access to pertinent information and data. By partnering with an energy expert, your business gets the added benefit of budget predictability through rate negotiation and data collection and analysis. You also have the assurance that, as your business grows, you have a partner to advise on the best utilities plans for your specific business needs. With increasing importance being placed on sustainability practices, brokers are also able to provide renewable energy options to ensure your business keeps up with mandated and conscientious trends. 

If you are sold on the idea of exploring your options around your utilities portfolio, work alongside the experts to procure the best deals and develop optimal strategies. Contact Smarter Business to find out more.

Read more:
Why every business should review its energy portfolio

Without question, our outlook on climate change and sustainability have reached a global turning point.

This has caused a shift in corporate and individual attitudes to energy. Purchasing around 56% of the UK’s energy, businesses are under the closest scrutiny for the role they play in a green energy future.

Business owners are well aware of their environmental and moral responsibility to look to green energy, but many are unaware of the impact this can have on their profits. These are the ways renewable energy stands to have a cost benefit for your business:

Make the most of government incentives

 Using renewable energy sources drastically reduces your carbon footprint. With carbon targets a pertinent consideration to businesses, renewable energy can now be offset against carbon targets and allowances under the Carbon Reduction Commitment Scheme. 

Boost your business reputation

With consumer consciousness around environmental issues increasing year on year, investing in your company’s sustainability practices is an investment in positive consumer perception for your business. Not only is the majority of consumers willing to pay more to work with environmentally responsible businesses, this positive reputation becomes a strong marketable point. Additionally, government and private instruments are starting to include eco provisions to procurement contracts which stand to unlock business opportunities for your organisation.

Going green means no brownouts or blackouts

Independence from the grid means you don’t have to suffer without energy during brownouts or blackouts. Operational downtime brought on by these drops has a plethora of associated costs to your business – interrupting manufacture and productivity, frustrating clients, and requiring additional resources to make up for lost time. 

Profit from energy generation

With the potential to sell surplus energy back to the grid, your business’s investment in renewable resources could end up paying off in real terms in profit to your business.

It’s an investment that pays off

With companies around the country investing in green energy infrastructure, the reports around the cost-effectiveness of these resources is resoundingly positive. Different renewable energy sources have different set-up costs. By implementing the correct technology in the right way, your business stands to make back the value of this investment and increase profits through energy savings.

Consulting with an energy broker around your business’s green energy options is the best way to assess the suitability of different solutions to your particular enterprise – whether you are looking for gradual implementation or large-scale transformation. The team at Smarter Business is geared to provide businesses of all sizes with holistic energy solutions. Find out more and get green energy advice here.

Contact Smarter Business for energy saving solutions

Read more:
Businesses under scrutiny for the role they play in a green energy future

For many businesses, energy costs are a given. For smart businesses, however, energy portfolios present opportunities for great savings – generating cash which can be re-invested in business growth.

Understanding consumption is critical to identifying areas for potential savings. The benefits of using energy data analysis tools such as Dataview from Smarter Business include:

1. Saving time is saving money. Using a comprehensive, fully managed reporting tool means you can set your objectives and get the required feedback on one platform geared to streamline assimilation of information. Business owners rarely have the time or resources to invest in understanding, monitoring, and reporting on energy data so it makes sense to use a reporting tool as part of your energy management strategy.

2. Adjust your usage to suit your strategy.By getting a complete picture of your spending, you are able to review historical data to inform your future energy portfolio and assess costs between peak and low periods and adjust usage where possible, shifting the load during red periods of consumption. By receiving a range of reports across multiple sites, you can replicate those facilities with the lowest energy cost and determine optimal supply capacity for ongoing future success.

3. Remove financial guesswork. Data analysis and reporting give businesses the added advantage of prediction and alerts. Plan your business expenses by creating invoice estimations, avoid penalty charges by staying in the know about your usage, and get alerts on changing portfolio patterns as they happen to avoid nasty surprises on your invoices and to engage all of your site managers on energy consumption. 

4. Tariff and invoice policing. Data analysis can play a central role in ensuring the accuracy of your billing. The information generated through reporting has the power to reveal that you are on the incorrect or an undesirable tariff and also assists in validation and verification. This key information stands to assist energy brokers in conducting supplier dispute resolutions on your behalf and rectifying any errors which may have taken place in the billing process.

Looking into the world of energy data analysis for your business? Energy broker Smarter Business has developed its Dataview platform to assist businesses with this task. Contact Smarter Business today for a Dataview demonstration and to find out more about the role it can play in your business’s energy management strategy. 

https://smarterbusiness.co.uk/bmm/

Read more:
The top 4 business benefits of energy data analysis

Has your business taken any measures to operate more sustainably? Or are you planning on putting a sustainable strategy in place?

Aside from the corporate social responsibility angle, businesses in the UK are experiencing tangible commercial benefits after investing in green technology.

Recent research by Barclays revealed that 75% of UK businesses enjoy commercial benefits after going green. This applies to both large corporates and small businesses.

The evidence suggests that investing in green, sustainable measures is not only an ethical decision, but also a profitable one. Although there can be costs involved when implementing greener infrastructure, these have shown to be more than offset by the resulting economic benefits. 

In fact, the Barclays survey found that over one-third of businesses reported a drop in business costs thanks to their green investments. Twenty-seven per cent also believe that their actions would help their company gain “environmentally responsible” status in the marketplace.

3 benefits of going green

1. Reduce waste and save money by using your resources more efficiently. An example would be unplugging devices when not in use. 
2. Qualify for government grants and tax breaks –such as reducing your Climate Change Levy by up to 90%.
3. Generate positive PR – Improving your company’s reputation by showing dedication to sustainability can have an indirect effect on your bottom line. More than ever, customers care about the general behaviour of the brands they choose to buy from. 

What holds businesses back? 

Barclays’ study suggests that more can be done by the authorities  to make green investment more attractive, particularly for smaller firms: 

• Only 19% of survey respondents cited regulatory demands as a driver of investment
• One third said that financial concerns are a barrier to implementing sustainable 
• 19% said that they hold back on green investment due to a lack of funds 
• 16% cited concerns over returns on investment

Where to start when going green 

When it comes to implementing green practices in your business, using energy more efficiently is a good place to start. Energy efficiencies can be realised through quick wins – such as replacing all light bulbs with energy efficient alternatives – as well as longer-term strategies identified through close energy management and monitoring over time.

Looking for ideas for saving energy at your business?

Read these guides from  business energy broker Smarter Businessfor helpful hints and tips:

• Ways to Save Energy in the Office
• Your Business Energy Saving Guide
• Saving Energy for Small and Medium Businesses

Looking for an energy quote to reduce your energy costs?

Let Smarter Business do the hard work for you: https://smarterbusiness.co.uk/bmm/

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How going green benefits small businesses

For retail businesses, installing the right lights can reduce energy costs by up to 15 per cent

In today’s competitive retail environment, effective lighting is not only a customer expectation, but essential for achieving ‘the right look’ for a retail outlet.

While most retailers recognise the importance of lighting in providing a pleasant shopping and working environment, few merchandisers realise that it’s possible to reduce up to 15 per cent off their energy costs, by installing the right lighting technology.

The retail industry often demands bright, flattering lighting to draw customers and maximise sales but this is seldom very energy-efficient.  Yet there are substantial savings to be made on both the shop floor and in the back office, with many simple and inexpensive ways to reduce the energy consumption and costs associated with high-impact lighting without compromising profits.

Saving energy in a retail business is one of the simplest ways to directly increase margins without the need to grow sales—in fact, a 20 per cent cut in energy costs can represent the same bottom line benefit as a 5 per cent increase in sales, making energy-saving the new profit centre for retail businesses.

It’s estimated that a 20 per cent saving in retail energy costs is achievable nationally in the UK, totalling some £340 million per year across the sector.  And whilst energy costs may be only a small percentage of turnover, they represent a much larger proportion of profit.

By focusing on easily actionable measuresyou’ll be amazed at how simple actions can save energy, cut costs and increase productivity with the quickest payback.

Many energy-saving opportunities are within the control of staff and easily achievable at little to no-cost, which is an ideal way of making energy conservation part of a collaborative staff effort.

Low-to-no cost quick wins

Lighting accounts for anything from 15% to 70% of your total energy costs, depending on the type of store, but there are several quick-fixes you can implement to enhance your energy efficiency and reduce your energy spend:

• Install energy-efficient lights—LED lights and compact fluorescent products use 80 per cent less electricity than conventional light bulbs
• Use movement detectors, time switches and daylight sensors
• Encourage staff to switch lights off when they’re not needed

Lighting’s role in the retail environment

Beyond its basic illumination function, a well-designed lighting scheme must satisfy varied business needs in the retail environment:

• Sets the mood and atmosphere of the store so that customers will want to enter
• Directs the customers’attention to the merchandise and stimulates impulse buying
• Draws attention to the shop and its displays
• Helps to enhance the store’s image
• Improves the use of space

From the perspective of the owners and staff of a retail outlet, a lighting scheme should:

• Provide adequate light to enable transactions to be completed efficiently, leading to fewer errors
• Provide favourable working conditions to minimise eye fatigue and general tiredness
• Help to create the brand image of a store or chain of stores
• Convey an inviting atmosphere within the store
• Provide an effective deterrent against crime

Selecting energy-efficient lighting

With the vast range of lighting sources, designs and controls now available, modern lighting techniques present abundant energy-saving opportunities, whilst achieving a greatly enhanced level of illumination and visual appeal at minimum cost.

Making the switch to LEDs

Lighting accounts for about 20% of all electricity generated in the UK, but with most current lighting systems still reliant on inefficient light sources, moving to low-energy lighting such as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) has never been more critical in energy-saving initiatives.

Install low energy lighting

Originally developed for use in electronics, LEDs have become the light source of choice, providing illumination at a fraction of the cost of legacy sources.  LEDs have the highest efficacy and lamp life of all lighting types, are easy to control and have no warm-up period.

They also provide superior colour and contrast, essential in helping to generate sales, particularly in fashion retail where the visual appearance of merchandise is critical, and in food retailing, where produce needs to look appealing.

LED fittings satisfy the demand for superior:

• Cost, energy and carbon savings
• Display illumination levels
• Contrast and highlighting
• Health and wellbeing
• High efficacy ratings
• Glare suppression
• Colour rendering

LED cost benefits

In addition to providing direct energy savings, LEDs generate further cost savings from:

• Reduced heat gain: LEDs produce very little waste heat compared to conventional sources, reducing the need for additional cooling on warm days
• Longer lamp lifespan: this equates to lower and less frequent maintenance costs
• Better controllability: through dimming and instantaneous switch on and off

Boost your energy-efficiency—and bottom line

There are varied other ways to bring your business energy bills down, by introducing energy-efficient best practices into your store without compromising service levels or health and safety concerns.

“Switch off” policy

Involve staff and increase awareness

• Involve staff at all levels in savings efforts by encouraging them to turn off light switches
• Clearly label light switches to help employees know which ones they can turn off
• Switch off lights in unoccupied areas

Maintenance

Without regular maintenance, light levels can fall by at least 30% in 2-3 years

Establishing a basic lighting maintenance programme can reduce costs by up to 15 per cent while improving in-store appearance:

• Replace old, dim lamps, and keep controls in good working order by ensuring timers are set to match trading hours
• Ensure windows, skylights, light fittings and occupancy sensors are kept clean

Refurbishment

Design for adequate, but not excessive, levels of light

Specific display items that require high light levels will benefit from local task lighting, rather than illuminating the whole store to a high level.

Invest in sensors

Occupancy sensors

Installing an occupancy sensor with a photocell override to give the option of keeping lights off on bright days can achieve savings of up to 50% on lighting costs.  These automatically turn lights on when a room is occupied and turn them off after a period of vacancy.

Daylight sensors

Light sensors or ‘photocells’ can be used to dim or turn off artificial lighting when there’s sufficient natural daylight.  As daylight hours vary throughout the year, sensors help to provide closer control and thus, substantial savings and often pay back their costs in less than a year.

Both types of control are sometimes combined with time switches.

Simple energy solutions with a big payoff

Combined, these relatively simple solutions help you save money, increase your staff productivity, and reduce your carbon footprint—all of which enhances your Triple D bottom line.

As one of the UK’s largest business-to-business utilities brokers,contact us hereto get more expert advice on how you can save thousands on your utility bills with our smart energy solutions.

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Lighten your retail overheads with energy-efficient lighting

For retail businesses, shaving a third of their store heating costs can deliver the same bottom line benefit as a 5% lift in sales

Most retailers recognise the importance of keeping customers and staff comfortable, but few realise that it’s possible to shave up to a third off their heating costs, regardless of which system is in place, by rolling out some simple energy-saving measures without sacrificing customer comfort.

With energy one of the largest controllable overheads in retail stores, there are substantial savings to be made on both the shop floor and in the back office, so getting energy educated is critical.

Saving energy in a retail business is one of the simplest ways to directly increase margins without the need to grow sales—in fact, a20% cut in energy costs can represent the same bottom line benefit as a 5% increase in sales, making energy-saving the new profit centre for retail businesses.

But with winter heating pushing gas and electricity bills higher—not to mention electrical equipment to run —it might seem as if your energy bills are beyond your control.

However, by focusing on easily actionable measures you’ll be amazed at how simple actions can save energy, cut costs and increase productivity with the quickest payback.

Many energy-saving opportunities are within the control of staff and easily achievable at little to no-cost, which is an ideal way of making energy conservation part of a collaborative staff effort.

Keep your store heating costs down, regardless of the system in place

Contrary to popular perceptions, controlling energy usage at little to no cost whilst providing customers with comfortable temperatures are doable goals and not mutually incompatible.

Heating in retail businesses: low-cost quick wins

• Don’t use extra electric heaters—these are one of the most expensive heat sources
• Close window blinds in the early evening to help reduce night-time heat loss
• In warm weather, turn down the heating rather than opening the windows
• Encourage staff to turn down the thermostat radiators in their rooms

Reducing your store temperature by just 1°C can save enough energy to print over 40 million sheets of A4 paper

Reducing heating temperatures by just 1°Ccan cut energy consumption by 8%. Listen to staff, especially after making changes, and act on any feedback.

Boost your energy-efficiency—and bottom line

There are varied other ways to bring your business energy bills down, by introducing energy-efficient best practices into your store without compromising service levels or health and safety concerns.

Consider outside temperatures

Customers will be wearing warmer clothing if it’s cold outside, so in-store temperatures should be set to avoid them becoming uncomfortably hot while in-store. Always provide practical staff uniforms so comfortable temperatures can be maintained—some retailers waste energy by heating stores to accommodate staff wearing short-sleeved uniforms.

Open all hours?  Check system operating hours match the times when heating is required

Check system operating hours match the times when heating is required, as needs vary throughout the day.  It’s often possible to reduce or shut down heating an hour before store closing without any noticeable difference to staff or customers.

Use simple time switches in smaller stores to help automate this process so that nobody forgets—and ensure time settings are reviewed every month to check that they’re correct, rather than relying on temperature controls alone.

Systems often function inefficiently because someone made a short-term adjustment that was forgotten about.  Often, simple adjustments to the location and control settings can reduce costs without affecting staff and customer comfort.

Control the loss of warmed air through open doors

Shoppers and suppliers require easy store access but open doors allow warmed air to escape and cold air to enter.  The thermostat then senses a temperature drop and automatically switches on heating which may be unnecessary.  If you have an open-door policy, try to keep external doors open only at busy times or try one of the following:

• Install automatic or revolving doors to help maintain the inside temperature while ensuring that shoppers and delivery personnel have easy access
• Install a draught lobby, or alternatively, heat pump-powered air curtains, to reduce the amount of hot air lost through open doors

Maintain boilers and pipe work

Quick fixes here include:

• Service gas-fired boilers once a year and oil boilers twice a year by a reputable firm—aregularly serviced boiler can save as much as 10% on annual heating costs
• Insulate boilers, hot water tanks, pipes and valves to prevent heat escaping

Invest to save

Upgrade to weather compensation and optimum start controls

Comfortable customers tend to spend more time in-store, but heating systems can be problematic with old, inefficient time controls.

Certain heating systems now automatically adjust themselves to the UK’s changeable weather.  These include a compensator, which automatically regulates the heating temperature according to the weather, and an optimum start controller, which adapts to how quickly a building reaches the desired temperature and brings the heating on at the optimal time prior to building occupancy.

Upgrades can pay for themselves very quickly through energy and cost savings.

Simple energy solutions with a big payoff

Combined, these relatively simple solutions help you save money, increase your staff productivity, and reduce your carbon footprint—all of which enhances your Triple D bottom line.

As one of the UK’s largest business-to-business utilities brokers,contact us hereto get more expert advice on how you can save thousands on your utility bills with our smart energy solutions.

Read more:
Cutting store-heating costs can enrich a retailer’s bottom line

Every business receives an energy bill, but not every business owner or manager takes the time to delve into the billing details.

This means that many businesses are missing out on energy savings opportunities through out-of-contract tariffs, inaccurate billing and a lack of understanding about energy consumption patterns and potential efficiencies.

This guide to business energy tariffs will help you understand your energy bill better, helping you manage your business energy costs more efficiently as a result. 

How to read your energy bill 

An energy bill may seem complicated at first, but once you know what you are looking for, making sure that your invoice is accurate is be easier than you may think. 

Although energy bulls differ slightly in structure from supplier to supplier, they all include similar information.

Identifying details

• Bill date
• Bill number
• Billing period 
• VAT number
• Your account number
• An outline of your energy contract details 
• MPAN/MPRN number: unique reference numbers used by your supplier to identify your property and your meters.

Charges

• The type of reading your charges are based on – accurate (meter readings) or estimated?
• Outstanding charges from previous energy bills:
• Charges for the billing period based on your consumption
• Standing charges 
• VAT charges
• Total amount due

Remember that your energy bill is comprised of two types of charges:

1. Standing charges – a charge for the physical supply of gas and electricity to your property and a contribution towards the maintenance costs of the national grid. This amount remains the same every month over the contract period. 
2. Unit charge – the amount for each unit of electricity or gas you consume 

You can find a graph to help you understand your energy bill on the Smarter Business website. 

The different types of energy contracts 

The type of energy contract you choose will depend on your business type and needs. 

• Fixed-term contract– allows you to set a fixed amount for your per unit energy price for the duration of your contract.
• Flexible contract– your unit rate will be linked to market activities and can fall or rise accordingly.
• Deemed rate contract– arranged for customers with no formally agreed contract. These contract rates are usually more expensive.

How to pay your bill 

The various methods to pay for your energy will usually be listed on your bill. These could include:

• Direct debit 
• BACS 
• Debit or credit card 
• Cheques
• Giro

Invoice validation 

Reliance on estimates, tariff errors and overcharging on a supplier’s behalf could mean that you are paying more than you should for your gas and electricity. That’s why invoice validation should be an essential aspect of your business’ energy management strategy. Your business should regularly:

• Check your bills against contract rates
• Validating meter charges
• Analyse standing charge
• Conducting monthly bill validation

This will ensure that you only pay what you are contracted to pay.

For assistance with your energy contract and billing, why not leave your energy management to an expert energy broker? Contact Smarter Business for a no-obligation quote today: https://smarterbusiness.co.uk/bmm/

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Your guide to business energy tariffs

All buildings leak heat but regular maintenance of your building fabric can avoid costly energy-loss problems later.

Typically, two-thirds of heat in an office is lost through the building fabric, with the remaining third lost through air infiltration and ventilation.

If the building suffers from draughts through windows and doors, it’s better to address these before improving its heating, ventilation or cooling systems.

Improving an office’s building fabric makes good savings sense for many reasons:

• Better temperature control can lower ventilation costs and prevent overheating
• Improved staff morale and productivity can be enhanced by providing a more comfortable working environment through reducing draughts, solar glare, overheating and noise
• Lower capital expenditure – a more efficient, well-insulated office needs smaller heating and cooling systems
• Good investment – better insulation can increase an office’s value and attractiveness.

By focusing on easily actionable and, in many instances, low-cost measures, you’ll be amazed at the savings you can make with the quickest payback without compromising staff productivity.

Start by focusing on the following six areas:

Take control

Building control systems, coupled with building management policy have probably the most important influence on the energy performance of an office.  The more complex a building is, the greater the need for a clear control strategy for each service.  To be effective, controls need to be user-friendly for managers and intuitive and accessible for occupants.

Undertake regular maintenance and avoid expensive problems later

2 RED Ltd said”Maintaining buildings well means identifying potential problems pre-actively and dealing with them promptly before they become expensive problems—inparticular, gaps or holes in walls, windows, doors and skylights should be repaired immediately”

Establish a housekeeping schedule and involve staff

Compile a checklist to address areas where energy is lost via the building structure.  A comprehensive schedule should include regularly checking window panes and frames, roof lights and doors.  The larger a building, the more beneficial it would be to appoint a staff member to execute this task.  Ask staff to report any problems and ensure these are promptly repaired.

Regularly check the building for damp

Damp causes significant damage to the building structure and reduces its insulating properties.  Check for signs of damp and condensation at least once a year—preferably prior to winter months—and repair split downpipes, faulty gutters and leaky roof tiles.

Redirect heat and light from the sun

Overheating due to high levels of glazing is a growing problem in offices. Fitting horizontal blinds or external shading to windows to direct light away from workstations and onto ceilings and walls will allow more daylight into the space, whilst minimising heat and glare from sunlight.

Insulate to accumulate

Up to a quarter of a building’s heat will escape via an un-insulated roof, which adds hundreds, or even thousands of pounds per year to heating bills.  Insulating any roof spaces and unfilled external cavity walls is an effective and inexpensive way of reducing heat losses.

Simple energy solutions with a big payoff

Combined, these relatively simple solutions help you save money, increase your staff productivity, and reduce your carbon footprint—all of which enhances your Triple D bottom line.

As one of the UK’s largest business-to-business utilities brokers, contact us here to get more expert advice on how you can save thousands on your utility bills with our smart energy solutions.

Read more:
Insulating office from heat loss could be best energy-saving move you make this winter

Managing your office equipment effectively can slash your energy consumption by up to 70%—without compromising staff productivity.

Office equipment energy-saving opportunities: Did you know?

• Office equipment left on standby during bank holidays and weekends can cost small and medium sized office-based businesses nearly £6 000 over the course of a year
• The energy bill of a typical office-based company can cost over 65% more than that of an equivalent energy efficient office

From PCs to vending machines, office equipment is the fastest growing energy user in the business world, and accounts for about 15% of total energy consumption in UK offices.

As most equipment is often left on when not being used, it’s an area where huge savings can be made: managing equipment effectively can cut energy consumption by up to 70%.

By focusing on easily actionable and, in many instances, low-cost measures, you’ll be amazed at the savings you can make with the quickest payback without compromising staff productivity.

Start by focusing on the following five areas:

Encourage behavioural change with a well-communicated office equipment policy

Develop a set of guidelines to standardise operations—such asimplementing switch-off policies, activating PC stand-by modes and setting up printers to print both sides of the paper (duplex printing).

Raise awareness

Most workers in this sector see equipment as a means to complete their jobs and don’t put too much thought into the expense of running it. However, it’s an area that staff can impact directly, so awareness and training is key to encouraging thoughtful behaviours within an office environment.

Areas to highlight include the running costs of lighting, computers and air conditioning units.

When attempting to shift behaviours within an office environment, it’s important to highlight the benefits to employees, such as the improved working conditions they can achieve, as much as the wider company benefits.

Upgrade existing PCs and other equipment

As technology advances daily, new equipment with better energy efficiency ratings can lead to big savings.  However, before purchasing new machines, first explore the option to part-upgrade—some PCs can simply be upgraded with newer, more energy-efficient monitors or other components. Alternatively, laptops tend to be more efficient than desktops and consume less space.

Energy efficient purchasing

Choose equipment that caters for current business needs and predicted requirements only.  Beyond the initial purchase cost, always take running costs into account and do not over-specify—high spec PCs with large screens and fast processors use more energy.

Ensure all new equipment has energy-saving features that meet at least ‘ENERGY STAR’ performance specifications, which adhere to stringent efficiency criteria.

Maintain equipment for optimum performance

Well-maintained equipment is more efficient and lasts longer.  To maintain optimum efficiency, set up a maintenance schedule, keep equipment free from obstructions and prevent over-heating by cleaning filters and fans regularly.  Routinely check printers and copiers, keep parts clean and free of dust and blockages, and follow manufacturers’ advice on servicing schedules.

Other steps include:

Turn off and power down

Switch off all equipment when not in use and enable power down modes.  As well as minimising energy consumption, this also reduces the heat generated by equipment, which, in turn, lowers cooling costs. This will also extend equipment lifespan and reduce maintenance costs and the risk of breakdowns.

Use the most appropriate equipment for the task

For internal printing, use a black and white printer. Set default printing to double-sided (duplex) and print in batches where possible to allow the machine to spend more time in standby than idling mode. Take care though; machines with a very deep-sleep mode can take longer to reach the right temperature which can result in staff disabling the standby feature, thereby losing out on savings.

Minimise cooling loads

Place heat-emitting equipment such as printers and photocopiers in a separate, naturally-ventilated area with good airflow—this helps minimise air-conditioning costs and excessive noise.

Install plug-in seven-day timers

Available from most DIY stores, these help to reduce the likelihood of machines being left on out of hours.  Plug-in energy monitors offer a cheap alternative and can be used on a multitude of devices to track their energy usage and determine how much can be saved from, for example, turning down monitor brightness. Timers can also be fitted to communal equipment such as printers, photocopiers and even vending machines, though it’s advisable to check with your supplier first how this may affect your service agreement.

Simple energy solutions with a big payoff

Combined, these relatively simple solutions help you save money, increase your staff productivity, and reduce your carbon footprint—all of which enhances your Triple D bottom line.

As one of the UK’s largest business-to-business utilities brokers, contact us here to get more expert advice on how you can save thousands on your utility bills with our smart energy solutions.

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Is your office equipment a financial drain on your overheads?

A no-cost approach to energy-saving can reduce energy bills for office-based companies by as much as 20%—without compromising staff comfort.

With energy one of the largest controllable overheads in office buildings, reducing office energy consumption makes perfect business sense; it saves money, improves working conditions (which can increase staff productivity) and reduces carbon emissions, which enhances corporate reputation.

Yet minimising gas and electricity costs in a busy office environment during the winter months can seem like a challenge.  With electrical equipment to run—not to mention heating pushing gas and electricity bills higher—itmight seem as if your bills are beyond your control.

Optimising office energy efficiency

The cheapest energy is the energy you don’t use, but many office-based small and medium sized companies under-estimate the extent to which simple actions can save energy, cut costs and increase productivity.  By focusing on low and zero-cost measures, you’ll be amazed at the savings you can make with the quickest payback without compromising staff comfort.

Minimise the cost of heating, regardless of which system is in place

Heating accounts for 20-40% of energy costs in a typical office environment, which means that there are big opportunities to make savings, with some businesses shaving up to a third off their heating costs through the implementation of some simple energy-saving measures.

Reducing heating temperatures by just 1°C can cut fuel consumption by 8%—in a large office this can save enough energy to print over 40 million sheets of A4 paper.

Consider comfort and temperatures

The recommended temperature for offices and sedentary work is 21–23°C. However, when setting temperatures, it may be sufficient to set thermostats to 19-20°C, since internal heat gains from equipment and lighting will bring the temperature up to a level that most workers find comfortable.

Match working hours

Check that system operating hours match the times when heating is required and use inexpensive time controls to automatically switch off the heating at the end of a work day.

Controlling systems

Some signs of poor control include:

• Heating remains on when the building is unoccupied, because timers are not set correctly
• Heating is on too high or not high enough, because the thermostat is located where sunlight, radiators or office equipment affect its reading

Rather than relying solely on controls, ensure settings are reviewed every month.  Often, simple adjustments to the location and control settings can reduce costs without affecting staff comfort.

Upgrade controls

Heating system control can be problematic with old, inefficient time controls. Upgrades can pay for themselves very quickly through energy and cost savings.

Certain heating systems now automatically adjust themselves to the weather.  These include a compensator, which automatically regulates the heating temperature based on the weather, and an optimum start controller, which brings the heating on at the optimal time prior to building occupancy.

Keep systems clear and unobstructed

Clear radiators, fans and ducts of furniture and other obstructions, keep fans and ducts clean, and replace any filters at manufacturers’ recommended intervals.

Maintain boilers and pipe work

A regularly serviced boiler can save as much as 10% on annual heating costs. Gas-fired boilers should be serviced once a year; oil boilers twice a year.  Furthermore, boilers, hot water tanks, pipes and valves should be insulated to prevent heat escaping.

Simple energy solutions with a big payoff

Combined, these no-cost solutions help you save money, increase your staff productivity, and reduce your carbon footprint—all of which enhances your Triple D bottom line.

As one of the UK’s largest business-to-business utilities brokers ,contact us here to get more expert advice on how you can save thousands on your utility bills with our smart energy solutions.

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With winter fast approaching, are you dreading your winter energy bills?

According to the Competitions & Markets Authority’s (CMA) energy market investigation report, 45 per cent of electricity and 49 per cent of gas SME customers were on default (i.e. not negotiated) rates, including out of contract, deemed and auto-rollover rates.

These default rates are usually the most expensive deals offered by energy suppliers.

Essentially, what this means is that too many SMEs are paying too much for their gas and electricity. In an increasingly competitive energy market (there are over 60 energy suppliers in the UK alone), this need not be the case. As a result of Ofgem educating consumers about switching and saving, increased energy prices and other contributing factors, over 666 000 UK customers switched their supplier in February this year, an increase of 60% from February 2017.

What stops SMEs from switching and saving?

• The time and resources required to shop around and compare quotes.
• The complexity involved in comparing different energy unit prices and variable tariffs. 
• Loyalty to an existing supplier.
• Lack of knowledge about how much the business stands to save by switching suppliers.  

The simple way to switch 

Time and resources are precious to SMEs. Whilst potential savings may sound attractive, the process of acquiring and comparing electricity quotes can be confusing and time-consuming.

Aside from cost-savings through switching suppliers, energy brokers can also provide full energy efficiency audits which identify areas of energy usage and reduction to drive down costs and reduce carbon emissions. 

What you’ll need to start the process:

• A copy of your current energy bill 
• Details about the type and size of your business size
• Your postcode
• Your gas and electricity supply numbers

Speak to a qualified energy consultant about switching your business electricity and gas today: https://smarterbusiness.co.uk/bmm/

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How small businesses can nail the switching process

Smarter Business’s energy savings guide explains how small and medium-sized businesses can reduce their energy use and save money

Figures for 2016 suggest that the average business in the UK is currently paying £2.258 per annum for its energy, at an average kWh unit price of 9.5p and a daily standing charge of 20p. There’s plenty of scope for SMEs to save money on these costs with cheaper tariffs and smart metering options, yet the take-up of energy efficiency measures, especially among SMEs, has fallen far short of expectations.

This has prompted concern among energy analysts and climate change experts, especially after the UK government’s 2012 Energy Efficiency Strategy identified demand reduction as the key action in transitioning to a low-carbon economy.

What then are the main barriers to energy efficiency?

The Federation of Small Businesses has found that lack of interest in energy costs, working from rented or leased operational premises or a lack of funding for efficiency measures are the three main barriers to achieving better energy efficiency for businesses.

These findings were echoed by a small-scale research study commissioned by the then Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to better understand the barriers and drivers to energy efficiency faced by business, particularly SMEs.

In this regard, the study, published on January 16, 2015, made some interesting findings.

While capital costs were cited as a major barrier, actual take up rates of energy efficiency measures remained low even when costs were zero or very low. Indeed, research showed that 30% of all energy efficiency improvements required zero capital expenditure, which suggests a potential misconception amongst SMEs that they require significant outlay.

According to the study, the average value of this missed opportunity for SMEs was calculated at between £5,800 and £12,200 per annum, or between 18-25% of their annual energy costs.

Setting out practical steps to reduce your energy use

Against this background, Smarter Business’s Small Business Energy Savings Guide sets out practical, actionable steps that small and medium-sized businesses can take to embed an energy-efficiency culture in their firms, foremost of which is creating an efficiency culture.

As the guide points out, the best reductions come from implementing an array of measures consistently across the business.  Typically, the most powerful results come when there’s an internal focus on energy reduction measures as part of a broader efficiency drive—engaging staff, encouraging internal commitment and demonstrating the results to motivate further progress.

The guide sets out various measures that can act as catalysts to the adoption of energy-efficient business practice and explores various government energy savings incentives that can yield an attractive payback period or subsidies for certain ‘green’ investments.

For example, businesses that invest in their own green energy systems can generate an additional subsidy-based income, whilst saving money on their energy costs.

It also discusses group energy purchase schemes, where SMEs across all sectors can save up to £1 000 per annum on their energy bills by clubbing together to buy as part of an energy collective.

Finally, the guide outlines specific energy-saving measures for various economic sectors, including the food and leisure industry, the energy-hungry retail sector, where lighting and heating is required around the clock; and for offices and factories.

Contact us here to get a no-obligation quote on your business energy requirements.

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Are your energy bills burning a hole in your pocket?

The UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published statistics on the UK’s energy production and consumption.

The department released four keypublications under the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2018:

• Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2018
• UK Energy in Brief
• Energy Flow Chart
• Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom

This infographic details the UK’s energy production, transformation and consumption in 2017.

Energy Consumption

The UK’s primary energy consumption continued on its downward trends from the last ten years, falling by 1.2% in 2017, down 0.3% on a temperature-adjusted basis.

Why?

This decline was due in part to the UK’s switch in energy generation from coal to renewable energy sources.

Energy consumption by sector

• Industrial sector – 1.6% increase
• Chemicals sub-sector – 7% increase
• Construction – 5.9% increase
• Food, drink, and tobacco – 3.5%
• Vehicles sub-sector – 2.9% increase
• Transport sector – 0.9% increase
• Agricultural sector – 3.4% increase
• Private commercial sector – 1% decrease
• Public sector – 1.7% decrease

Domestic energy consumption

Domestic energy consumption decreased by 3.7%, reflecting warmer average temperatures particularly during the heating season. Temperature-corrected, however, domestic energy consumption saw a 0.3% increase.

Since 2000, energy consumption has fallen by 14%. Thishas occurred even though the number of households has increased by 15% and the population has increased by 12%. Thismeans that, per household, energy consumption has fallen by 26%.

Energy Sources

Coal going cold

Coal output fell to a record low level, down by 27% in 2017 to a low of 3 million tonnes – a third of its 2015 levels. In 2015 coal’s share of the UK’s energy generation was 22%, declining to 9% in 2016, and then to 7% in 2017.

Why the decrease?

• One of the UK’s biggestsurface mines is under maintenance and has not produced coal since April 2017.
• Also, the higher carbon price for coalmeant that gas production was favoured over coal production as coal generation became more expensive than gas.

The rise of renewable energy

2017 marked a record high of renewable energy generation!

Risein renewable energy generation:

• Energy from solar sources rose by 11%
• Energyfrom hydro sources rose by 10%
• Onshore wind capacity increased by 18%

A number of records were set in 2017:

• Coal output was at a record low
• Electricity from the UK’s renewable energy sources reacheda record 29.3% of total electricity generation.
• The share of low-carbon electricity generation increased from 45.6% to 50.1%.

Patterns of energy consumption and sourcing are changing, creating more opportunities for businesses to save on energy.

Smarter Business, one of the UK’s leading independent consultancies is helping businessesaround the UK to secure the most comprehensive savings solutions from utilities contract management and procurement to business loans and facilities maintenance.

Contact them for a no-obligationquote today: https://smarterbusiness.co.uk/bmm/

Source:

GOV.UK: UK energy in brief 2017

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The ultimate summary of the UK’s energy statistics in 2017

Most business energy users spend weeks shopping around for the best rates from one of the ‘big six’ energy suppliers, yet this goal so often remains elusive—are you one of them?

Or are you one of many end-users struggling to manage multiple energy contracts with varying start and end dates—an unnecessarily time-consuming burden.

As specialists in procuring and negotiating the market’s most favourable commercial utility contracts, Smarter Business has helped thousands of businesses save significant costs on their utility bills over the years, applying our holistic, multi-faceted approach.

As one of the UK’s largest business-to-business utilities brokers, Smarter Business offers businesses savings on all essential services, including electricity, gas, water, waste, telecoms and facilities maintenance.

By partnering with us, we ensure that you benefit from the most cost-effective contracts, pricing plans and management systems for your requirements, no matter the size and turnover of your enterprise.

Our deep industry knowledge and close relationships with reputable suppliers means we can quickly compare tariffs on your behalf, securing the best value-for-money deals and contract terms for your bespoke needs, while supporting you with unmatched market insights.

Eliminating complexity for a consolidated approach to energy

The staggering savings we’ve recently achieved forSuperCity, a chain of luxury serviced hotels with a growing footprint across multiple locations, is a case in point.

With our deep expertise in covering large, multi-site, energy-intensive clients, Smarter Business devised an effective energy strategy that aligned with SuperCity’s existing infrastructure and expansion plans, after reviewing its operations holistically.

“As an intermediary, Smarter Business got the ball rolling very quickly, dealing with things that were beyond our range of experience,” explainsthe financial director at SuperCity.

Turning challenges into a staggering £250 000 saving for SuperCity

“Energy is a big expense in our business and we had multiple contracts with various suppliers.  We needed to get better electricity and gas rates and make savings while retendering the contracts.”

“Through Smarter Business, we discovered we could make an immediate £250 000 per-year saving by switching with them—without them charging a fee.”

With the help of Smarter Business, SuperCity now operates on a streamlined energy system suited to its operations, in line with its money-saving strategy.

Smarter Business’s Dataview helps customers drive down their bills

As energy markets have evolved, we’ve tailored our energy audit service towards the larger energy user by helping customers develop the most cost-effective utility management strategy, using our energy management dashboard to optimise their energy usage and reduce their energy spend.

Every business owner knows that an effective monitoring system is the cornerstone to success.  Through our one-stop cost and consumption reporting platform, Dataview gives you a 360° view of all your utility assets online to help you reduce your energy consumption and drive down your bills.

Dataview gives you deep usage and spend insights to help you identify energy cost savings for your business, from your energy consumption patterns to usage times, Dataview generates over 500 specialised reports to ensure that all aspects of your utility performance can be monitored, affording an unprecedented level of invoicing and performance predictability across your energy portfolios.

Through this comprehensive reporting platform, you’ll have direct access to your data, stored by a fully-accredited data collection company, providing you with independence from energy suppliers.

With your Smarter Business account manager on hand to review your data with you, you’ll be able to conduct a thorough assessment of the factors that influence your energy bill, to generate the savings you deserve off the back of expert advice.

By evaluating your historic energy demand, peak usage times, and days of high and low activity, you’ll be able to actively manage your supply capacity, optimise potential savings, and avoid penalties.

With Dataview, you’ll have a holistic view of your entire portfolio for multiple utilities, enabling multi-site benchmarking, and it’ll alert you if you near your capacity within the month, or to sudden changes in your energy patterns, potentially saving you thousands before this is picked up on your billing.

Contact us at here for a more in-depth demonstration of our Dataview platform.

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Smarter Business puts the power back into customers’ hands with optimal time, effort and energy cost savings solutions