Gerard Duggan

Archive for the ‘Utilitrack’ Category

With only a few exceptions the UK energy company collects its client’s payments via Direct Debit. Most utility based businesses, energy, telecoms and water all favor this method principally as it facilitates a smooth cash flow and the reduction of processing costs.

Some people are concerned about the apparent access this method of payment gives a supplier to their bank account. However there are very strict regulations governing the conduct of the way these transactions are set up and conducted. The banking community underwrites the entire process with a Direct Debit (D/D) Guarantee Scheme.

There is a distinct advantage for you choosing to have your utility account paid by D/D, that is, much greater choice of suppliers with more competitive pricing! Only a few suppliers allows its client’s to pay by cash or cheque whose cash/cheque rates are more expensive than the equivalent direct debit tariff.

So if you are on a cash/cheque rate for your energy you are missing out on a better deal. If you’d like to discuss this issue or any other relating to your commercial energy contract please do call me on my direct line 01234 267883.

The recent announcement by the major energy companies in the UK is great news for home owners. Though most of their customers won’t see the benefit of the lower tariffs until the spring.

Business uses won’t see a reduction though as virtually every commercial business with a metered supply of gas or electricity is in a contract. Your current supplier won’t be breaking the contract to provide you with a lower tariff.

Commercial organisations need to continue to be aware of the terms of their contracts with their current supplier and be mindful of the roll-over trap. I’m still finding examples of businesses that unwittingly have been rolled into a new contract at non-market rates for another twelve or even twenty four months. A client in St Albans who runs a pizza franchise saved 36% on his gas bill when renewing through commercial energy brokers Utilitrack last week. That represented over £1700 of his current spend. I’d say that represents a lot of profit from a lot of pizzas.

If you are a commercial business and need an impartial, independent and trusted broker please Utilitrack on 0845 604 1484.

What resolutions for 2012 have you added to your things to do list?

Is one of them reviewing your energy costs?

As a business customer, switching energy supplier can make a big difference to your bottom line. In the current climate it is very difficult to increase ones prices to improve profits so best to focus on the costs in your business.

There are many suppliers in the market and it can be difficult to find the time to speak to more than a few of them to get a representative sample to measure the market rate.

Getting the timing right to know when to have those conversation is vital. Most businesses don’t know when their contracts end or when to serve notice so that they can leave their current supplier once it expires.

Understanding your contract is essential to comparison process. Ofgem wants to make sure that businesses understand how to compare deals and how to go about switching. They have produced a guide on their website but so much easier to have someone do the shopping for you!

Find a broker that is independent, transparent and free of charge. They will be able to help you with all the above issues.

Utilitrack is such a broker, we are independent of all suppliers and do not favour one supplier over another; we are transparent as we show our clients the results of our tender process and we are free. We do not take any share of any savings we make for you or charge you for the service. We are recognised by the suppliers who pay an industry standard commission based on usage and not your spend.

If you’d like to be in control of your energy budget please call Gerard Duggan on 0845 604 1484.

Did you know it is a month now dedicated to the growing of moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men’s health; specifically prostate and testicular cancer. I’m donating my top lip to the cause for the month in an effort to help change the face of men’s health. My Mo will spark conversations cause funny looks, laugher and merriment in the office (especially from H) but all in the name of raising vital awareness and funds for cancers affecting men.

Why am I so passionate about men’s health?

• My business partners very close friend is very ill with cancer
• 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
• This year 37,000 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed
• 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
• 26% of men are less likely to go the doctor compared to women

I’m asking you to support my Movember campaign by making a donation by either:  donating online at: http://mobro.co/GerardDuggan or if you want to go old school you can write a cheque payable to ‘Movember’, reference my name and Registration Number 120059 and send it to: Movember Europe, PO Box 68600, London, EC1P 1EF

 Thanks for reading this note.

I look a vision in pink this morning…well I’m wearing a lot of pink today.

Paul Meades of Meades & Co is having a ‘do’ at his offices this afternoon as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Looking forward to a glass of pink fizz and I’ve been promised a pink treat for a fiver…is it a bargain or should I be scared. Ah well all in good cause.

Meades & Co are very progressive accountants most definitely not your average bean counter. Paul’s business undertakes a lot of charity fund raising and has a lot of fun in the process.

If you’d like to make a donation call Paul on 01923 800444

Electricity costs are set to rise year on year with 2011 already seeing an average increase of 7.2%  (to date) from 2010 prices, so it is paramount that businesses look at ways to combat these rising costs. 

Clearly reducing wastage is the most cost effective and beneficial way to achieve savings which will mean a direct increase in profit to any business that applies this strategy. Utilitrack estimate that up to 40% of a business’s energy bill is going to waste…the trouble is identifying which 40%.

Utilitrack is at the forefront of energy management, targeting significant reductions in client energy consumption and cost, without inhibiting performance. This is of course highly desirable in the current economic climate.  Utilitrack is the sole supplier of the Eniscope, a progressive piece of equipment that is at the cutting edge of energy saving technology.

Now you can see the real-time energy consumption of buildings, specific departments, circuits and even ones plant and machinery.

Instantly, you can spot trends, anomalies and wastage, make informed decision and see immediate results from the improvements you’ve made.

If you’d like to be in control of your energy budget please call Gerard Duggan on 0845 604 1484.

If you are a business customer, switching energy supplier can make a big difference to your bottom line. In the current climate it is very difficult to increase ones prices to improve profits so best to focus on the costs in your business.

There are many suppliers in the market and it can be difficult to find the time to speak to more than a few of them to get a representative sample to measure the market rate.

Getting the timing right to know when to have those conversation is vital. Most businesses don’t know when their contracts end or when to serve notice so that they can leave their current supplier once it expires.

Understanding your contract is essential to the comparison process. Ofgem wants to make sure that businesses understand how to compare deals and how to go about switching. They have produced a guide on their website but so much easier to have someone do the shopping for you!

Find a broker that is independent, transparent and free of charge. Your broker will be able to help you with all the above issues.

Utilitrack is such a broker, we are independent of all suppliers and do not favour one supplier over another; we are transparent as we show our clients the results of our tender process and we are free. We do not take any share of any savings we make for you or charge you for the service. We are recognised by the suppliers who pay an industry standard commission based on usage and not your spend.

If you’d like to know more please call Gerard Duggan on 0845 6041484.

…it’s even more important for client’s to review the market before they renew their contract.

“We are seeing as unique set of circumstances affecting the energy market. Oil prices have increased due to the instability in the Middle East. Historically electricity and oil prices are inextricably linked on the European market, an increase in one leads to rise in the other commodity.

Japan has lost a significant amount of its nuclear capacity as a consequence of the earth quake and tsunami that struck its coastline. Japan is turning to Liquid Petroleum Gas to generate the missing capacity it needs to recover; a fuel that Europe relies on to generate electricity.

The German nuclear sector has, as a precaution, shut down a number of its nuclear plants to review the cooling pumps used in the reactors. Both the German and Japanese plants are of the same generation. The reduced generation capacity has left a gap in the market causing further price pressure.”

What a customer said recently…

“We’d previously looked after our own electricity contract and its renewal. We had done a little homework before we invited Utilitrack to help us. We were delighted with the result.

Thank you very much for sorting [our renewal] – I am very pleased – could you be my accountant too and save me even more money!!”

R E Director – S T UK Ltd Stone Fabricators

 If you’d like me to help your business make sure it is getting best value please call me on 0845 604 1484

Peter Drucker said: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” But it’s a bit boring watching your electricity meter slowly turning. So why not install a digital electricity usage meter that displays to the nearest watt how much energy your firm is consuming? Meters aren’t expensive. You can pick up a Current Cost Envi digital display (made by British entrepreneur Martin Dix) for under £40 on eBay. Installation is non-technical and takes 30 seconds. If you input your price per kilowatt hour, it will translate the energy statistics into pound signs. The display is wireless, so you can keep it on your desk. You’ll be surprised what an impact the installation of such a device will have on consumption.

If your energy bill is under £50,000 the Carbon Trust can’t offer you much advice so speak to Energy Efficiency in Business (EEiB). Poole based EEIB have a practical assessment process for SME businesses and have energy specialists in many parts of the UK. They can help install simple devices to assist you achieve those all important quick wins and develop leveraging to your newly found green credentials.

The surveys they conduct qualify for training grants and therefore may not cost you anything but save you on average £3500 so well worth a call…speak to Dan Claridge on 0845 5678 100.