Is water the forgotten utility? Not at Switchwatersupplier.com
Is water the forgotten utility? Absolutely not for companies such as Switchwatersupplier.com who is in at the forefront of the de-regulated water market
Who are extremely busy helping businesses to switch water supplier to reduce their water bills and also advising them on how to reduce their water consumption and carbon footprint.
So why is there a public perception that water is the forgotten utility ?
For decades since the deregulation of the gas and power markets the focus for most business customers has been on energy, and in most instances the cost of energy far exceeds those of water and of course waste water.
The energy market is extremely volatile, this is being played out right now with energy suppliers going bust almost on a daily basis, causing huge challenges for customers and the global economy.
The water market on the other hand is really in its infancy, as the water market only deregulated 5 years ago in England allowing non-residential customers to switch water supplier if they are dissatisfied with their existing water supplier for any reason or seeking to reduce their water bills by getting a better deal.
The water market rarely gets a look in due to its low cost in comparison with energy, however more recently the profile has been raised by Martin Lewis on this TV programme and website “Its time to tackle the forgotten utility . Both national TV coverage and on the web, which is great news for customers and our environment.
So how can non-residential customers benefit from the water market now it’s been deregulated ?
Unlike energy markets water charges do not rise up and down every few days, weeks or months. The water industry sets it prices for 5 years at a time with wholesale prices only rising annually by a few low percentage points.
Non-residential customers can now switch water supplier if they are unhappy and wish to change or wish to reduce their water and waste water bills. These two reason are the main drivers, other reasons are if the customer has multiple site locations – say 100 sites or more and instead of receiving 100’s of bills per month / quarter when they switch multi site customers receive one bill for all sites per month which substantially reduces internal payment administration.
So it really is a win win situation for none residential customers.
There are further benefits for customers for example, taking up offers by the water retailers for water efficiency and consultation services, with climate change firmly on the agenda for most businesses, reducing water consumption and waste discharge volumes is becoming more and more relevant in the sustainability world.
So how easy is it for customers to gain a better deal on their businesses water supplies and switch water supplier?
On the face of it you would think it is pretty easy and straight forward – alas no.
For starters there are over 20 water retail companies in England alone
The first option is for customers to visit The Water Regulators (OFWAT) website, trawling through various pages is quite tiresome, but eventually a list of water retailers can be found.
Or a search of the internet using Switch Water Supplier is the number one search term which will bring up an array of links on the subject of switching.
The fact is, on the face of it there are no easy options for customers and this is having a negative effect on businesses switching water supplier which is known as a barrier to the market.
There are 20 water retailers and customers are expected to call a selection and discuss their requirements, then forward the water billing data to say one or two, some will give prices over the phone or email details.
Not so bad for these customers in the micro business sector, however large sites or multiple site businesses are complex and customers run the danger of either not participating in the market or attempting to negotiate direct which will be fraught with complications or they may appoint a broker.
None of these options will ensure the best value deal or ensure that the customers charges are correct going forwards, after all you don’t want to be overcharged right !
So what is the best option for customers in terms of ease of switching, getting the best value deal and tendering to the whole market of over 20 suppliers at one time?
There is only one business water price comparison site called SwitchWaterSupplier.com.
This business was launched in summer of last year to address the concerns of 1,000’s of customers and was developed by water industry experts to specifically resolve the issues for customers and the water retail market.
A detailed and in depth report by Economic Insight – titled None Household Water Retail Market Study gives and outstanding insight into the water retail market –
Executive summary
“Since the non-household (NHH) water retail market opened in April 2017, some customers have benefited from lower prices, improved quality, and / or a greater variety in service offerings. However, there are concerns that the market is not working as well as it could for all customers. This report identifies why sub-optimal outcomes may be arising and makes recommendations as to how the market could be improved. Our primary concern is that the regulated default tariffs for the lowest usage customers are below the efficient level. This can result in customer harm because: retailers may have insufficient incentives to engage with customers; retailers may not be able to provide the efficient level of service in the long run; and there may be a risk of systemic retailer failure. We are also concerned that the crystallisation of bad debt risk, due to COVID-19, is increasing the likelihood of systemic retailer failure in the short-term. In relation to the demand-side, we have further concerns that some customers do not have access to the information needed to engage effectively in the market. We believe that it is important to address these concerns as a matter of priority, to ensure the survival and development of the NHH water retail market”
What are the benefits to customers by using SwitchWaterSupplier.com.
The company SwitchWaterSupplier.com will take the customers water billing data and upload onto a live tendering platform, the customers data is issued to the water retailers with a request to participate in a live tender and submit prices bidding for the water retail contract over a 60 minutes time duration.
Any time during that 60 minutes bidding process the retailers can alter their prices, ensuring the customer have the best value deal.
When the bids close a report is sent to the customer that details the best deals on offer, the customer chooses which water retailer they would like to switch to.
Experts are on hand during the process should the customer require support, when the choice is made the winning bid is accepted and the customer service team at SwitchWaterSupplier.com arrange the switch.
In addition, the water audit team send a water audit report to the customer if they see any potential savings on the water bills and any refunds due to historical overcharges by the customers previous supplier.
This is a totally unique platform and is the “go to” place for switching business water supplier.
Customers are fully protected as SwitchWaterSuppplier.com has adopted The Water Regulator (OFWAT) Codes of Conduct