It’s true: utility companies are under no obligation to offer you the most competitive rate available. That means you’re responsible for researching and choosing your company’s electric and gas rates. Choosing the wrong rate can result in thousands of lost dollars, which is why it pays to have an advocate like SM Engineering on your side.
Companies and State Commissions Agree . . .
You’re on the hook for properly classifying your company and researching and selecting the most competitive rate for your business. As surprising as it may be, utility companies do not need to act in your company’s best financial interests.
Most utility company terms and conditions make it clear that they are not responsible for giving your company the best rate. State laws back up this claim and also make it clear that gas and electric companies do not need to offer you a refund if you discover that you could have been paying a lower rate.
How SM Engineering Can Help You Lock In a Better Rate
Just because it’s your responsibility as a customer to find the best rate for your business doesn’t mean utility companies make it easy to do so. A lot of research goes into finding the best rate and then convincing the utility company to give it to you. That’s why it helps to have SM Engineering on your side to do the work for you.
First, our experienced staff reviews your bills with our proprietary software and electronic library of rates and tariffs. We scour your bills for errors, overcharges, and better rates. We then share our findings with you as we find opportunities for savings and/or refunds.
Next, we may dive deeper to find opportunities by researching what other companies in your area are paying for electric and gas. We use these numbers to compare pricing for a variety of rates, from basic and demand to on-peak and off-peak. Again, we share our findings with you.
With your permission, we send a letter to your utility company with the results of our comparison to suggest a solution, whether it’s to award your company with a reduced rate or create an entirely new rate scheme if an appropriate one does not exist. Then, we wait for a response.
Once we hear back from your utility company, we’ll go over your options with you. We might find that they’ve accepted our suggestion or come back with a counteroffer. We’ll give you our recommendation and then write back to the utility company with your instructions regarding the rate changes.
Not sure if you’ve got the best rate for your company? Let us find out for you with a free, no-obligation utility bill audit. If we uncover potential for a rate reduction, we’ll negotiate with your utility company for you. Schedule your no-obligation bill audit today.
