Get The Best Rates   by Traci Dietz

in Business    (submitted 2012-01-27)

Business owners are provided with unique, cost-saving options when it comes to their electricity utilities. This article is intended to offer businesses tips in order to most effectively manage their electric utility options. The tips below can be especially helpful if you plan to get quotes from multiple commercial electricity utilities. Quotes from three to six companies can be an ideal number to work with if you have that many options available in your area.

1. Obtain a list of service providers that have been approved by the public utility commission in your state. Getting quotes from only electricity utilities on this list will reduce your chance of problems down the road. The public utility commission only registers and approves providers who meet particular criteria, such as good credit, fair billing practices, and safety procedures that meet the legal requirements of your state.

2. Find an electric utility who offers a choice of billing methods. Your electric should, at least, provide two options: a fixed rate and an indexed rate. Fixed rate plans provide you a steady cost that will remain the same each month, while your expense on an indexed rate plan will change according to the market price of electricity. Indexed rate plans can lead to extremely high or extremely low utility bills; you must decide if you are willing to take the risk of potentially costly bills at times. Other billing options, such as price incentives for utilizing green/energy-efficient technology, are also becoming more common amongst electricity utilities.

3. Be sure to carefully review your electric contract with your firm's lawyer before signing it. This will allow you to make sure the contract is fair and legal. Don't be afraid to negotiate for special terms and conditions when creating your electric utility contract. Depending upon your industry, there may be specific caveats that need to be included in your contract paperwork.

4. Take the billing process of each utility into consideration before making your decision. You want a company that will consistently give you accurate charges and prompt billing. Viewing a sample bill from each potential utility choice can be a helpful practice. This will give you a chance to see the layout of the bill, it's content (which can differ from utility to utility), and how your charges will be displayed each month if you choose that particular utility. Finally, you should discover how each utility handles late payment penalties and billing discrepancies. It is important to know each company's policies, just in case either of these situations should ever arise.

5. Try to choose a provider with many years of experience. A long lifespan typically indicates that a company provides quality service and has contented customers. It can also be a sign of experienced, highly-qualified employees and management who are dedicated to the satisfaction of their customers.

Though these tips can assist you in searching for a new commercial half hourly electricity utility for your company, it can still be a difficult task to accomplish alone. Do not be afraid to hire an energy consultant to help you select the ideal utility company for your organization's individual requirements. You may also opt for half hourly metering.

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industrial electric