re: Greedy Gas/Elec Companies: I Have An Evil Plan

Plushchris

BallandChain wrote: »

I think a petition to Downing Street will be far more effective.

I think banging my head repeatedly against a wall would be more effective than a petition to downing street.

BallandChain

That's such a defeatist attitude!

Cardew

Let me see if I understand this correctly.

The purpose of this scheme is, to quote the OP,

killing British Gas off completely,

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and bring on a far more competitive and customer-friendly industry?

So we have administered the Coup de grâce are now down to a Big 5.

Well I am not sure how 5 players will be more competitive than 6 - but no matter!

If we are still not happy, we can repeat the process and be down to the Big 4 - now we have really got some competition!

If we are still not happy ............

Run that by me again please!

tripled

The consumer groups have been unable to get large numbers of people to compare prices and switch to the cheapest tariff for them. If those people can't be convinced to switch to save money, I can't see them switching on someone else's whim, nor those who have switched to whatever you decide as your target switching away again to a potentially more expensive provider.

Everyone ensuring they are getting the best value (not necessarily the best price) would improve competition.

Incisor

loobylou2 wrote: »

Thanks a lot for that, Its a nice thought not:mad:!!!! You do realise that if this happened 19,000 people would lose their jobs don't you????? I'm one of them and although I agree that BG can be a nightmare at time both for employees and customer, I don't think I deserve to end up on the unemployment line. If you have a problem with BG why don't you give us a call and see if we can do anything to sort it out??? We get paid to help people if they are having problems with their accounts although from the amount of abuse we frequently get from the public/general media at large you'd never know it. Rather than suggesting getting rid of BG why don't you try talking to some of our millions of happy customers whom we've helped!!!! Durrrr...... sorry but the op has made me really cross.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Only 'cos you took the prospect seriously.

Incisor

Cardew wrote: »

Let me see if I understand this correctly. ....

So we have administered the Coup de grâce are now down to a Big 5.

Well I am not sure how 5 players will be more competitive than 6 - but no matter! ... Run that by me again please!

6 rumbustious players who hold some contempt for the customer
-> 1 dead player and 5 players quivering in fear.

If it happens it will be quite effective, I am sure. It's just that you stand more chance of herding cats than you do of getting this to happen.

SwanJon

The most effective way to challenge the staus quo and make a lasting difference is to set up a co-op.
Find enough people to set up a new compnay owned by the customers and/or employees. Rent higher management if required.
However, you will need to make contracts with meter readers, network owners, meter oweners, shops, payment card manufactures, print centres etc.
The closest there is is Ebico, and they have signed on with a big 6 company to sub-contract all this for them.
Maybe this is just step one and once they have enough clout they will be able to negotiate their oown deals in these areas.

Glad to see that Deej doesn't particularly care which employees are made redundant, and that you'd have a choice of 4 other big supplier not 5.

They must donate their time to charity and only take a small enough salary to buy the occasional piece of clothing from a charity shop, live the freegan lifestyle so they don't need money for food, and live in a natural shelter so they don't need to pay rent or a mortgage.
Or are they a hypocrit?

Incisor, why would the remaining 5 be quivering in fear? They would just have gained a 1/5 share of at least 3 million customers, maybe 16 million. Laughing to the bank might be closer to the mark.

reactor_3

BallandChain wrote: »

Reactor? :eek:

It's not me

loobylou2

Incisor wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Only 'cos you took the prospect seriously.

Yeah well, working in the energy industry is incredibly stressful for people like me at the moment!!!!. You wouldn't believe the amount of abuse we get from customers and posts like the one OP posted with personal abuse towards employees of energy companies definitely don't help!!!. I think he ought to try doing my job for a couple of weeks and then see how he feels because I honestly don't believe that he knows anything about the energy industry. For example. Elderly people get winter fuel payments from the Government to pay their winter fuel bills but you'd be surprised how many elderly people get the money and then spend it on things like presents for their grandchildren and then phone up to complain that they can't afford their gas bills!!!!. Its a very sad situation which could be avoided and one which both Government, Energy companies and the customer should take some responsibility for!!!! No one is suggesting that energy prices are cheap but we ALL have a responsibility here to behave sensibly with gas and electricity and the ways in which we use it. If this were to happen people would have less problems in paying their bills and be able to keep the heat on as well!!! ( sorry rant over but as you can tell its something I feel v v strongly about!!!)

tripled

loobylou2 wrote: »

Yeah well, working in the energy industry is incredibly stressful for people like me at the moment!!!!. You wouldn't believe the amount of abuse we get from customers and posts like the one OP posted with personal abuse towards employees of energy companies definitely don't help!!!. I think he ought to try doing my job for a couple of weeks and then see how he feels because I honestly don't believe that he knows anything about the energy industry.

I'm not agreeing with the op, or saying that personal abuse is justified, but if you haven't developed a thick skin yet, I'd suggest seeing what other jobs are available! I doubt the job is any more stressful now or any more abuse levelled at staff than around 2 years ago when all the problems caused by the forcing in of SAP/Siebel were at their peak.

Also the OP may well know very little about the energy industry, but as a consumer, all most people care about is getting accurate bills at a reasonable (in their eyes) price. Knowledge of the energy industry is not mandatory to get power!