British Gas Energy Smart

bear.1973

I have just moved into a new build property, and BG are the current suppliers there. I tried to get through to them yesterday a few times but there was a problem with their telephone lines and an automated message asked customers to call back today. I rang this morning to register my start reads for both Gas & elec, to set a DD and to ask about the best tariff to go on. The agent was extremely confusing with his explanation of tariffs available, he said i was on the new energy saver tariff and this would be the best for me as it offered £40 cashback after 12 months and it made customers more consious of their usage. I explained that i am already consious of my usage and that i wanted the tariff that offered the best rates saving me the most money. I asked about websaver 4 as this came out the best on comparison site with BG. In the end i gave up as he didnt seem to know what tariff was what. I phoned again to try to get a more informed answer from a different agent. This one was even worse, he got mixed up with the online saver and Websaver 4, he couldnt confirm if i would be paying set DD per mth or paying just my usage. Eventually he admitted to not having any training on new tariff on line saver which is apparently the same tariff as energysmart??? He said he would put me on hold whilst he asked an agent who had had the training!! I was on hold for approx 5 mins, then he cut me off!!! unbelieveable!
I was willing to give BG a go for a few months to see what they were like, however after being subjected to the complete shoddy customer service i will be switching asap! RUBBISH!:mad:

Mynewt

Online tarriffs are the least profitable for suppliers, and in general the agents are trained to direct custoemr's to their websites and offer non-online tarriffs unless specific questiosn are asked, which to be fair you have.

You have sadly experienced the biggest bane of the contact centre environment. I'm sure that there are agents there that really know their stuff, but equally you have the student population who really don't want to be there but need to earn a few quid so couldn't give two pips what they do.

bear.1973

smidgey wrote: »

Well monthly billing is one of the biggest requests from customers!

Shame BG cant answer what is probably "THE biggest request" from customers,.... Which tariff will save me the most money?!!! Very frustrating, very poor customer service from BG.

Cardew

Mynewt wrote: »

Online tarriffs are the least profitable for suppliers,

Again where to you pluck this information from?

In the evidence they gave to the Parliamentary Committee investigation into Energy Prices the bosses of the BIG 6 stated just the opposite.

However what do they know!!!

Mynewt

I pluck this infoamtion from something I like to call common sense. Let's consider the math. A large majority of online tarriffs (not all) are based on the suppliers standard prices.

If they can sell the fuel at that standard price without a discount, they'll make a larger profit than if they give the consumer a discount of 20%. In this example the online tarriff provides the supplier with 20% less profit. Hence why it is less profitable for the supplier.

chez22

I have just signed up for energysmart and I was given the option of continuing with my current direct debit or changing to a variable one.

mech_2

Cardew wrote: »

Again where to you pluck this information from?

In the evidence they gave to the Parliamentary Committee investigation into Energy Prices the bosses of the BIG 6 stated just the opposite.

However what do they know!!!

Perhaps they were talking about the existing customer base rather than the context of flogging new accounts to prospective customers. Maybe people on online tariffs are less likely to disappear off the face of the Earth without paying their bill. After all, if you're planning to rip off the electricity company you don't bother figuring out which is the cheapest tariff do you?

Cardew

Mynewt wrote: »

I pluck this infoamtion from something I like to call common sense. Let's consider the math. A large majority of online tarriffs (not all) are based on the suppliers standard prices.

If they can sell the fuel at that standard price without a discount, they'll make a larger profit than if they give the consumer a discount of 20%. In this example the online tarriff provides the supplier with 20% less profit. Hence why it is less profitable for the supplier.

Mynewt.
Just what do you do 'operating in the energy market'? - a pretty loose term!

Your version of 'common sense' is not shared by the hard headed businessmen who run the industry.

Your economic argument(the math) would not convince a child in primary school.

However lets us extend your theory on "the math". If the company raise prices by 100% then they will make a lot more profit????

raise prices by 200% and even more profit I suppose????? The law of diminishing returns doesn't apply it would appear.

On the other hand cutting prices for any goods always reduces profits it would appear????

Ain't commerce simple!!

Do you not credit the people who run multi-billion pound industries with a little bit of common sense?

They want people to go on internet tariffs as do most other companies. They offer a financial incentive - a discount -to get them on internet tariffs.

According to you they do this so they can have a lower profit margin?

SwanJon

Mynewt wrote: »

I'd agree I do have that tendancy (due to my owrking environment I have to absorb the infoamtion quiclyn and repsond and then deal with whatever my boss is throwing at me next.) But this is not one of those time. People have sadly fallen from good marketing and advertising.

You also seem to forget to read the thread you are responding to. If this is how you deal with your work, I'd not be as trusting/forgiving as your boss.

smidgey wrote: »

EnergySmart was launched on Monday! The system changes went in over the weekend to allow monthly billing and variable Direct Debits.

People on MSE should really do their home work before giving out incorrect information!

Mynewt wrote: »

British Gas do not currently offer variable monthly direct debit.

Throws a bit of doubt over your other postings too....

penrhyn

Always a sucker for something free I've converted my Click 6 account to Click 6 with Energy Smart.
Since I already gave BG meter readings monthly with the new software I now have a nice monthly bar chart and a bill predictor feature.
I've also moved to VDD, as typically my electricity consumption is the same most months. It gives you the option to change the payment date as well.
What I'll only find out over time is how the system will handle the £90 odd balance I have ATM.
Waiting to see if their energy monitor is any more sensitive that my trusty old Electrisave, Electrisave, Electrisave ( or was that Beetlejuice?:rolleyes:)