Running a business is no easy feat, and among the expenditures that businesses have, water is one that often doesn’t get thought about or considered. This is such a shame, as being more sustainable with water and getting your supply from a good business water retailer (such as Castle Water) is a great way to save for the future of your business.
When it comes to business water, there are so many companies vying for your own business that it can be hard to know why and when to switch.
In this article, we will go over exactly that to educate you about everything you’d need to know about switching business water suppliers.
Let’s delve!
It Can Save You Capital
We will start with the main reason business owners decide to switch; the money. Switching to a new business water supplier can secure a better deal for your business water and reduce the monthly rates you pay to have a water supply for your business.
Frequently you can get charged a steep price for business water, and it isn’t exactly clear where your money is going or why you’re paying so much. A good business water retailer will break down your costs and clarify how much you are spending (and why).
How Can Switching Water Suppliers Save Money?
Fixed charges are a common way business water retailers can inflate their prices to increase profit margins. Unscrupulous retailers will obscure this on the bill or won’t have good justifications for the fixed charge they are charging you. A first step could be directly challenging this via their customer service operatives.
If you can’t seem to get a straight answer, or the cost is too high, then it is probably time to shop around. Fixed charges can vary from retailer to retailer, so it is important to research and determine how much you’ll pay with one retailer over another.
This boils down (no pun intended) to the fact that it can cost more to pump water to a particular location. The further you are away from a clean water source, the more expensive it can be.
Most retailers will have a handy calculator or quote tool that can tell you how much you can save – we recommend using these tools to find the best deal for your area.
Consolidated Billing Options
For businesses operating out of more than one property or establishment, this can save a lot of headache and admin work for your accountants. In turn, this can reduce the amount of time an accountant will take to account for your water bills – which saves the money you pay them.
Having all your bills for multiple locations consolidated on one bill makes everything easier, but it isn’t a feature that all business water retailers offer. Do your due diligence and see if this is a service a retailer offers and if this will add enough value to your business to justify a switch.
Better Customer Service Experience
This is a very subjective topic, but a better customer service experience is yet another reason you can opt to switch. Nobody wants to be stuck on hold forever, only to get an unsatisfactory result after a lengthy phone call. If you have water supply issues, it shouldn’t be a hassle to reach the right people and get it fixed.
Some water retailers are dire regarding customer service, and some are fantastic. Websites like Trustpilot are a great way to weed out the companies that may not be a good fit for your business’s water needs.
Using sites like Trustpilot, you can get an accurate picture of how a company handles not only customer enquiries but also public image (both of which are great indicators of a good versus a bad retailer).
More Self-Service Options
Having self-service options may sound like you’ll need to do more work, but it can open up a whole host of flexibility and transparency to handling your business water.
For example, you can upload documents, update your address, and download statements for your records without input from a customer service agent. Uploading and providing metre readings also becomes fairly straightforward with such a system.
A huge benefit of this is being able to do all of this in your own time and pace.
In Conclusion
If you are paying too much or dissatisfied with your current business water retailer, then it is certainly worth considering a switch. Assessing the factors above and other factors such as minimum contract length, billing dates, and access to business water management services are also very important to consider.
