In the world of business, some costs are unavoidable if you operate physical premises. Aspects such as the water bill, electricity bill, gas bill, internet bill, and so on are needed for any business to function.
Out of all these bills, the water bill is often seen as the bill with the least potential for savings when this just isn’t the case at all. Some businesses may use more water than others, but there are plenty of ways to save money on your business water bill regardless of your day-to-day consumption.
While saving money is a goal for many to switch water suppliers, today, we’ll cover some ways switching can save you money (as well as some other great reasons to switch).
Better Support Services
As a business, you’ll want access to various water support services related to your water supply – whether for maintenance or otherwise. Nobody likes it when piping leaks or bursts, and it can heavily damage property and your ability to conduct business in a safe environment.
Having the right support network to handle these emergencies is vital to minimising the cost of fixing any issues and any loss of business resulting from a water emergency.
If you don’t know what support services are accessible to you, that is already a bad sign, and you should consider switching.
Your water supplier or retailer should provide these support services for you, or at the very least provide you with information that can help you resolve any water management issues you may have.
Avoid Paying In Advance
A common feature that seems to be cropping up in the water services and supply industry is paying in advance for your water. These advanced payment schemes are designed to streamline your payment process and pay for your estimated usage for a month, just before you use the water.
There are a range of issues with this, but the primary issue is that you might end up paying more than you would if you weren’t on an advanced payment scheme. As this kind of payment style operates on estimated usage, this estimate can frequently be too high.
Conversely, the estimate can also be too low, and you’ll owe more money.
This isn’t ideal financially, and while this advanced payment scheme may work for some businesses, it won’t work for all. If you are on one, you may want to consider switching.
A Better Fixed Charge Rate
Fixed charges allow water suppliers and retailers to continue providing excellent services. Without them, they would be unable to cover the costs of providing water to your business. Every business owner must pay it and consider it a kind of tax.
However, not every water supplier or retailer will have the same fixed charge rate, and this is where things can get a bit confusing. Some retailers or suppliers will charge less, and some will charge more. Their rate will depend upon the infrastructure they have in place to provide your business with the water (and their services).
For example, a water retailer based in central Scotland would not be a good (or cheap) choice for a business based in Luton. You’d want to get a water retailer or supplier with a good presence in your local area.
As a business owner, you can use this fact to shop around for the best-fixed charge rate you can find for your area!
Unsatisfactory Customer Service
If you feel you aren’t being treated as you’d expect as a customer, this can be another reason to seek out another water supplier or retailer. Poor customer service can be anything from being unable to speak to a customer advisor when you need them most to being charged above average for your service level.
A good way to know if you’ve had a bad experience with a lone customer service representative or if the supplier or retailer is unsatisfactory is to check their Trustpilot rating.
The simple fact is that if you’re unhappy, why stay?
In Summary
Switching your water supplier or retailer can be a great way to save your business money every month, and it can provide you with a little extra at the end of every month that can get saved or re-invested into your business.
However, be warned that you’ll need to settle any outstanding bills before switching, or you may incur extra charges on top of what you already owe. Do your due diligence and read the terms of your agreement before switching!
