What you need to know about Buying and Selling Energy Online
Energy brokers are the ones who help families and individuals get the best deals on energy in their area. They sift through the different companies and look for ones that have the best deals and offers based on their specific needs and requirements.
The big question people are asking is if energy is being purchased online.
The answer is simple. Yes, it is.
The world is evolving from face-to-face meetings and deals with an online presence that makes up the company.
People are using Skype, Zoom, and Google Hangouts, just so they can meet with people and not have to leave the comfort of their home or office. According to NPR and Marist College, 76% of United States consumers shop online. That is a large chunk of people. It is also forecasted to reach 300 million online shoppers as soon as 2023. That is a ton of people who are preferring to sit in their homes and buy things online versus going out and looking at different products and speaking to people in person.
People can buy practically anything online, why not energy?
Buying energy online is a simple task. People want to spend less time being harassed by a salesperson and more time enjoying the products they buy. If they can search and buy their energy source from the comfort of their own home, why wouldn’t they? It’s easier and they can have more time to collect their thoughts and list out their specific questions. Yes, online is a quick and snappy venture, but it is also a stress-free way to look at different products and compare and research them.
Energy deregulation is a marvel in this economy. It creates more holes for different and competitive businesses to fill. Energy deregulation took the monopoly that was “big companies” and made it to where smaller companies can jump in and provide a custom use out of the energy rather than cookie-cutter prices and services.
According to directenergy.com, “in deregulated energy markets, most retail energy suppliers offer a comprehensive array of options compared to the local utility, including fixed pricing, index pricing, and energy efficiency and management strategies.
With energy accounting for about 30 percent or more of the annual operating budget of a typical office building, energy purchasing deserves your attention. Energy deregulation presents businesses of all sizes with the opportunity to choose from a variety of suppliers, products, and services to manage your energy budget.”
The WashingtonPost.com posted a really great article about energy deregulation and how it came to be, to sum it up,
“1. Dissatisfaction with the prevailing system of electric power regulation increased significantly in the decades since the late 1960s when the inefficiencies of the system started to become clear. Regulated rate-setting was blamed for removing the industry’s incentive to lower prices by becoming more efficient. In response, economists and other public policy analysts stressed the advantages of competition over regulated monopolies and promoted the idea that free markets can reduce inefficiencies and drive down costs and prices as a result.
- Deregulation in other industries has drawn new attention to the electric power monopoly. Many key industries – such as airlines, railroads, telecommunications, trucking, and natural gas were deregulated in the 1980s.
- Power prices vary substantially from state to state.
- Nonutilities are entering the business and can generate power for less. Technological improvements have prompted nonutilities – also known as independent power producers to enter the competitive power market.
- Although it was not the intention of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), the law did lay the groundwork for competition by opening wholesale markets to nonutility producers of electricity. PURPA was part of the National Energy Act, which was passed after the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973-74 in part to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.”
Energy is a valuable commodity. We need it for everything we do. Even when we are sleeping, or when there is no one in the office, energy is being used. Deregulated energy helps keep that price lower while helping fuel the local economies.
Customers love when their broker/salesperson/professional is transparent. Do not be standoffish when it comes to answering personal questions such as: “how do you get paid?” Be honest. They genuinely want to know how you get paid and what kind of percentage of their money goes to you and the business you represent and what goes to providing the actual energy they are buying.
Your potential customers also want to know what kind of contracts you have available. Do you have flexible energy contracts? What about collective purchasing contracts? And the quickly ascending, green contracts: people are becoming energy conscious and efficient, and they want to know what they can do to be more sustainable and to help the planet. Potential customers also want to know how many suppliers you have access to. The more suppliers you have, the more appealing you look to the client. Your potential customers also want to know what services you will give after they sign the contract. Customer service is an important factor: your broker shouldn’t vanish after procuring your energy, they should be focused on developing an ongoing relationship. They should also continue to work on understanding your business, and stay up-to-date on changes within your company and industry.”
Be sure to let your customers know what kind of services you offer, free and paid. If they do not ask right away be sure to give them access to a website or something similar that lists out your different contact information and the services, you provide.
Having an energy broker business is so much easier when you work with Enerclix. They provide retail software specified to energy and it features a new Live Marketplace. With this software, you can instantly see prices from all of your suppliers and you can schedule your own live reverse auctions for your clients. It’s the perfect tool for your end-to-end sale needs. It has all of the information you need to give your clients peace of mind that they chose the right broker to deal with.