With natural gas prices surging in recent years, obtaining cost-effective business gas supply has become critical for organisations across the UK aiming to manage overheads. This Study based on Switch Squid Opinion provides an in-depth comparison between two major energy providers – British Gas Business and TotalEnergies Gas & Power – as well as the energy comparison platform U switch.
British Gas Business
British Gas is one of the largest energy suppliers in the UK, serving over 300,000 business customers with gas and electricity. It offers fixed price energy contracts up to 24 months, which provide price certainty during the contract term and protect against volatile market fluctuations. British Gas also provides flexible purchasing options like volume tolerance to accommodate fluctuating business energy demand throughout the year.
Its online business portal enables convenient management of billing, tracking live usage graphs, setting budgets and downloading custom reports. However, some customers have raised concerns about poor customer service, lack of transparency, and unexpected hidden charges. Reviews show frustration over difficulties getting in touch with support agents when issues arise and bills being much higher than originally indicated.
TotalEnergies Gas & Power
TotalEnergies Gas & Power specialises in business energy supply with over 50,000 business clients across the UK. Like British Gas, it offers fixed rate gas and electricity contracts over various terms like 12, 24 and 36 months. It also provides flexible and variable rate options to meet different business needs based on their unique usage patterns.
TotalEnergies aims to provide personalised quotes and tailored advice to identify the optimal energy solution for each customer based on their estimated annual usage, sustainability goals and budget constraints. Its online portal allows convenient account and bill management, along with detailed energy use data monitoring and carbon footprint tracking. Reviews highlight positive customer service experiences and quick response times from support teams. However, its variable rates may not always be the lowest compared to some smaller competitors.
SwitchSquid
SwitchSquid is a free online comparison platform that lets businesses evaluate gas, electricity and green energy deals from over 70 different suppliers. Users simply input their postcode and estimated annual consumption to receive customised quotes for easy side-by-side comparison.
SwitchSquid compares all key aspects including unit rates, contract lengths, early exit fees, renewable energy content and customer satisfaction ratings, to identify the best value options tailored to each business. Its energy advisors also provide guidance on switching suppliers or contracts through the process. However, SwitchSquid may not cover every small or medium supplier available, so supplementary market research may be advantageous.
Benefits of Comparing Suppliers
There are a number of valuable benefits for businesses comparing energy suppliers or rates on a regular basis. Staying informed on current market rates allows companies to switch plans and lock in lower prices when deals become available, leading to cost savings. Comparing plans also encourages competition between providers, keeping service quality and features high. Broker platforms make it fast and simple to evaluate many alternatives simultaneously.
Challenges of Comparing Suppliers
However, there are some challenges businesses should be aware of when comparing energy suppliers. Offer rates promoted publicly may differ once usage estimates are input. Exit fees can make switching cost prohibitive in long contracts. Not all suppliers publish their rates transparently. Using brokers may miss newer or smaller providers. Determining the contract features that are most advantageous for your business takes time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while British Gas Business and TotalEnergies are two leading choices, leveraging comparison services like SwitchSquid is vital for finding the most competitive business gas deal. Given rising energy costs, regularly comparing contracts and suppliers enables organisations to minimise overheads and maximise savings. The process may take effort but can yield substantial financial benefits.
