Business Utility Savings

Why is it important to review your utility bills?

Apathy is the biggest issue surrounding utility bills for small businesses, we're all happy to review our arrangements on a personal level but on a business level most people simply can't be bothered, we're all too busy looking for new customers or servicing existing ones. 

Most small businesses sign a twelve month contract and simply let it rollover year after year. However this is the perfect time to review your existing arrangements even if it's just to see if there are any better deals with your existing provider. Savings could be considerable so it's definitely worth allocating a bit of time, plus most utility providers work after 6pm so you could do your research after working hours.

To help with this we have scoured the Internet and found the following hints and tips on cost savings.

Top tips to saving money on your utility bills

• Review your contracts yearly.
• Once you've changed, review your bills to make sure the new supplier has put you on the applicable tariff.
• Don't leave air conditioning and heating on at the same level over weekends, but also don't turn it off completely, just reduce the levels.
• Look for providers who don't tie you into long contracts.
• Turn off PC's and monitors at night rather than putting them on standby (reports vary on the cost of leaving PC's on over night with some suggesting it may cost as much as £40 per year per PC).
• Check with your local council to see if you could benefit from any grants to help insulate your building.
• Install energy lights and sensor lighting in rooms, after all no point in lighting an area that doesn't have anybody in it.
• Maintain your equipment, old poorly maintained equipment uses more electricity
• Install hand dryers rather than paper towels. Studies are mixed but on balance it seems they are both as good as each other bacteria wise but hand dryers may cost less over all, plus less trees are cut down (for any that haven't yet tried the new Dyson hand dryer, it really is amazing).
• You could switch to waterless urinals, which are now used by Little chef, some Intercontinental Hotels and the 5 star London Waldorf Hotel.
• If you can, reduce the temperature by 1%, a 1% change in temperature could reduce your bill by as much as 8%.
• Keep radiators clear and do not put furniture directly in front of them as it reduces efficiency and output.
• Check that thermostats are sited out of draughts and away from either cold or hot spots.
• "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it". The Energy Advice Line strongly advises you to regularly check on your consumption of energy and make sure that your bills relate to what you actually use, rather than what the supply company thinks you are using based on an estimate.

Savings can also be made on telephone calls, mobile call charges and Internet lines and the best advice is again review these contracts regularly to ensure you are getting best value.

The Internet is full of comparison sites these include: Uswitch, Confused and Utilities Warehouse who have a business section (for the entrepreneurs out there, they also offer a revenue generation scheme for further details call 0208 955 5689 or contact Julie McLay on 07958 369282).