Comparing Business Energy Brokers and Comparison Sites

When looking for a new energy supplier for your business, non-profit or other types of non-residential organisation. Knowing how and where to look for the best prices from all of the available energy suppliers can be daunting for some.

To find out which option works best for you and your business, we’ve put together this guide to help you better understand the differences between business energy brokers and comparison websites to help you make a more informed choice on who may be able to give you the best service.

Unsure on whether to use a broker or comparison site?

Whether you’re still choosing to find a new deal or energy supplier by going directly to the business energy suppliers yourself, which can often be a time consuming process. Or even one of the estimated 40% of UK businesses failing to change energy suppliers when their old deals have expired.

In the past, but the hassle and general wild goose-chase of it all just aren’t worth the time and trouble. Perhaps it’s time to consider an energy comparison service, energy broker or energy consultant to help you to get the right business energy tariff for the amount of energy you use. We can also take on the most arduous aspects of changing suppliers, so you don’t need to worry about a thing.

What are business energy comparison sites?

A business comparison website allows you to compare a range of business energy tariffs so you can find the one that best suits your business. Prices of energy bills fluctuate all the time and sometimes staying on one tariff for too long can mean you’re paying more once it comes to an end. Using a comparison site ensures that you can find the best offer for your business.

Comparison sites are useful if you’re comfortable in changing your energy provider yourself. With most comparison websites you’ll be asked to input personal information and after a few minutes you’ll be given a list of comparable prices for business energy contracts.

What are business energy brokers?

If you’ve never switched your business energy provider then doing so can be quite stressful which is where the use of a business energy broker can come in handy.

Similar to comparison sites, an energy broker will provide you with a list of energy providers and the prices that they’re able to offer. The difference between the two is that an energy broker will take charge of the full switching process, so you can carry on running your business without the hassle of changing suppliers. An energy broker will work with you to find you the best option for your business which includes understanding your energy usage.

A comparison of the differences

An energy broker will manage the entire process of changing your energy contract, from pricing to paperwork. A comparison site will allow you to compare tariffs from a range of business energy suppliers and select the deal that’s right for you.

So, you’re wondering whether you should use an energy broker or a comparison site? There are differences between the two and there are pros and cons of each, let’s take a look at the differences below…

Feature	Business Energy Broker	Business Energy Comparison Website
Negotiation	Negotiates directly with energy suppliers on behalf of clients.	Does not negotiate directly with energy suppliers, but allows businesses to compare energy tariffs themselves.
Personal service	Provides a high level of personal service and can offer tailored advice to businesses.	Provides less personal service, but allows businesses to compare energy tariffs at their own convenience.
Time and effort	Saves time and effort for businesses by handling negotiations and finding the best deals.	Requires time and effort from businesses to research and compare energy tariffs themselves.
Ability to switch	Can handle the entire switching process on behalf of businesses.	May require businesses to handle the switching process themselves.
Expertise	Has expertise in the energy market and can provide guidance on areas such as tax, regulatory issues and energy efficiency.	May not have the same level of expertise as business energy brokers.

How can I find the best energy broker for my business?

Understand your business needs – Assess your business’s energy requirements, including consumption patterns, peak demand, and any specific energy-related goals or preferences. Understanding your needs will help you communicate them clearly to potential brokers.
Do your research – Conduct online research to identify well-established and experienced brokers. Look at their customer reviews on trustpilot and read about the different services that each broker offers.
Ask about customer service – Good customer service is essential when it comes to energy brokers. Make sure to ask about the broker’s customer service policies and procedures before making a decision.
Negotiate and Communicate – If you have specific requirements or if you want to negotiate terms, don’t hesitate to communicate your needs to the brokers. A good broker will listen and work with you to find the best energy solutions for your business or organisation.
Get everything in writing – Once you’ve chosen an energy broker, be sure to get everything in writing. This includes the terms of your contract, the price of your energy, and any other relevant details.

How do I know if an energy broker is a good one?

Comparable Prices – A good energy broker will provide you with a variety of prices so that you can compare the difference between each.
Forget the hassle – Don’t worry about the hassle of switching as an energy broker will handle all of the stress for you.
Leave it to the experts – Energy brokers will offer you a fair and impartial comparison. And seeing as they’re the experts, you’ll certainly be in safe hands.
Account management – The main issue with comparing business energy is the fluctuation in pricing. Energy brokers can continuously monitor deals so you don’t miss out on savings.

Business Energy Broker FAQs

What is an energy broker?

A business energy broker acts as a middleman between customers and energy suppliers. Brokers don’t distribute or supply energy to you.

What does an energy broker do?

An energy broker will tackle the issues you may have when looking for a change in your energy supplier. They’ll use their expertise and business energy contacts to provide you with all of the information you need to change energy suppliers without the hassle.

Why should you use a business energy broker?

Energy brokers are a great way of saving money on your business energy bills. Finding the right supplier for your business can be time consuming, so having an energy broker that’ll do it all for you will make switching energy suppliers a doddle.

Benefits of using an energy broker

Support and advice – An energy broker will offer you support and much-needed advice throughout the full process. So, if any issues were to occur you can have full peace of mind.
Find you cheaper deals – Energy brokers are there to help you, the customer, find the right energy tariffs for your business.
Save you time searching – Forget about the hassle of having to call up individual energy suppliers to try and get the best deal for your business, and let an energy broker do the work for you.

How will you find your new business energy deal?

Comparison sites have become very popular amongst consumers looking for everything from a new car insurance quote to a new mobile phone contract. The main reason for this is because with only a few details they can quickly come back with the best prices available to that specific comparison site.

Of course if you’re confident in your ability to be able to choose a good deal, from the many returned by the comparison sites. You may decide you would like to have more control over the decisions you’re making for your business.

However, if you’re less sure or maybe just prefer having the guidance of a knowledgeable business energy broker who can talk you through your options and help you to pick through the available deals to ensure you’re choosing the right supplier for your current and future energy requirements. A business energy broker, such as our highly experienced team here at Exchange Utility can help you.

A broker can also help you to future proof your new energy deal, especially if you have plans to upsize or even downsize at your current business location or plan to use new machinery that could increase your energy needs during your the time of your fixed energy deal. Often leading to an increased or decreased demand in their energy usage, but leaving you on a deal less suited to your new usage.

How do energy comparisons work with Exchange Utility?

Energy comparison sites and other switching services certainly have their place in the UK. Switching energy supplier involves overcoming several hurdles, the first of which is finding the right rate for your business. To put it simply, a comparison website like Exchange Utility does this for you.

We understand your needs – With the rates of the panel of business energy suppliers we work with to find the contract that suits your needs. For this, all we need are a few key details about your current energy usage – this information will usually be on a recent bill from your current supplier.
We search for deals to suit – We’ll find the right deal for you and send you all the relevant paperwork to make the changeover as seamless as possible.
Helping you find the right deal – Once you’re happy with the deal that we’ve found you, it’s time to switch. For this, we need a Letter of Authority from you, which allows us to speak to your provider on your behalf. You can download a letter of authority here.

Speak to our knowledgeable and highly experienced business energy brokers for a tailored service to help you find the right business energy deal for your business by calling us on 0800 9777 000 or filling in some details on our business energy brokers page.