Does Martin Lewis know ...?

broxis11

Plushchris wrote: »

Certainly not as far as BG are concerned! :rotfl:

Very good

An example of how price isn`t always the main driver in switching;

I approached a house yesterday with no relationship with BG. The house didn`t have mains gas and the electric was with the host supplier SSE and paid quarterly on a Standard. The householder made it clear that he wasn`t interested in DD, online management, energy saving gadgets, renewable tariffs etc. He also didn`t qualify for the means tested cavity wall insulation as he was under 70 and not on benefits so I explained BG would do it free if he was a customer. We ran through a price comparison and SSE were 26 pounds a year cheaper but he said that he was happy to join to get the wall insulated which in turn will reduce his heating costs by an estimated 110 quid a year.
He fully understood that we were dearer but wasn`t put off in the slightest. He also wasn`t happy as SSE did bi-annual meter readings and we endeavour to do it quarterly.

macman

What do you actually require of an energy provider? Accurate billing and a reasonable standard of CS-that's about it. The same gas and electricity comes down the same networks regardless of supplier.
I have my own energy-saving initiatives and read my own meters, deal with my account online wherever possible. If I have a gas leak or other emergency, it's not BG that I call anyway.
Al the factors you mention come below price for me, and I suspect for most.

macman

broxis11 wrote: »

Very good

An example of how price isn`t always the main driver in switching;

I approached a house yesterday with no relationship with BG. The house didn`t have mains gas and the electric was with the host supplier SSE and paid quarterly on a Standard. The householder made it clear that he wasn`t interested in DD, online management, energy saving gadgets, renewable tariffs etc. He also didn`t qualify for the means tested cavity wall insulation as he was under 70 and not on benefits so I explained BG would do it free if he was a customer. We ran through a price comparison and SSE were 26 pounds a year cheaper but he said that he was happy to sign over to get the wall insulated.
He fully understood that we were dearer but wasn`t put off in the slightest. He also wasn`t happy as SSE did bi-annual meter readings and we endeavour to do it quarterly.

But that is a cost-based switch. He's paying £26 premium to get CWI worth a few hundred. If he's savvy, he'll switch away again at the end of his minimum term.
I'm assuming that you signed him up to standard tariff without informing him of the cheaper online discount tariffs though?
And how did you establish that his property is suitable for CWI without a survey?

broxis11

macman wrote: »

But that is a cost-based switch. He's paying £26 premium to get CWI worth a few hundred. If he's savvy, he'll switch away again at the end of his minimum term.
I'm assuming that you signed him up to standard tariff without informing him of the cheaper online discount tariffs though?
And how did you establish that his property is suitable for CWI without a survey?

My point is that customers will join BG for reasons other than the cheapest online deals without being `conned`.

His neighbours have had it done in the same house type and build. The survey takes place next week in any case.

It is on the Standard so this customer won`t be in a LTC. The customer cut me off whilst explaining our other tariffs to say that he has no interest in doing anything online as he doesn`t trust it.

backfoot

broxis11 wrote: »

So customer service, energy saving initiatives, brand, repuation, recommendation, meter readings, payment method etc doesn`t come into then?

Hope not for BG's sake. U Switch rank you 4th on overall satisfaction and only score 56% on Customer Service. :eek:

All the companies have a brand. Meter Readings are taken by third party collectors and payment methods are common across suppliers.

Reputations....ssshhh:rotfl:

Price is the key. Generally all the other things should be spot on. Sadly for BG they are not.

Is CWI unique to BG?

broxis11

backfoot wrote: »

Hope not for BG's sake. U Switch rank you 4th on overall satisfaction and only score 56% on Customer Service. :eek:

All the companies have a brand. Meter Readings are taken by third party collectors and payment methods are common across suppliers.

Reputations....ssshhh:rotfl:

Price is the key. Generally all the other things should be spot on. Sadly for BG they are not.

Is CWI unique to BG?

You tell me.

Where else could this customer get it for free?

This is from the Energy saving trust website

If you’ve got 60mm of loft insulation or less, or un-insulated cavity walls, getting the right insulation could help.
For this part of the package you must be a homeowner or the tenant of a private-sector landlord (in which case you must get the landlord's permission), and you or someone in your household:

• receive a qualifying benefit, or
• are 75 or over, or
• are 70 or over and have no central heating

If you or your partner is 70 or over it’s also worth calling to find out if you might still qualify. If you don’t fit any of these descriptions you might still be able to get subsidised, but not free insulation.

backfoot

broxis11 wrote: »

You tell me.

Where else could this customer get it for free?

I thought you were the expert? I understand that are lots of sources of grants for energy saving initiatives. Some are Government grants ,some are obligations on energy Suppliers to meet certain targets.

Energy Suppliers

The Government's Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) has been replaced by the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) this means energy suppliers with a certain number of customers operating in Great Britain are obliged to achieve targets for improving home energy efficiency.
The suppliers therefore provide a range of offers which significantly reduce the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. What's more, you can take up offers from any of the energy companies, regardless of who supplies your gas and electricity.


Anyway,you are far from unique.:) Meaning price is the key differentiator for the majority of Customers.

Plushchris

broxis11 wrote: »

Very good

An example of how price isn`t always the main driver in switching;

I think you misunderstand, its an example of how price is always the main driver in switching.

None of those things are important as far as I'm concerned, and to think someone would switch to BG because of the brand and its reputation just makes me laugh.

I'm not saying I would never use BG, but the only thing that would make me switch to them would be the price, and thats the same with all the other suppliers.

Also, you say you (or BG) "endeavour" to read the meters quarterly but you cant possibly say thats going to happen, in all honesty its likely to be exactly the same person that comes to read the meter however often it was read anyway as meter reading is contracted out.. Typical spiel from a doorknocker I'm afraid, and that guy fell for it didnt he?

broxis11

Plushchris wrote: »

I think you misunderstand, its an example of how price is always the main driver in switching.

None of those things are important as far as I'm concerned, and to think someone would switch to BG because of the brand and its reputation just makes me laugh.

I'm not saying I would never use BG, but the only thing that would make me switch to them would be the price, and thats the same with all the other suppliers.

Also, you say you (or BG) "endeavour" to read the meters quarterly but you cant possibly say thats going to happen, in all honesty its likely to be exactly the same person that comes to read the meter however often it was read anyway as meter reading is contracted out.. Typical spiel from a doorknocker I'm afraid, and that guy fell for it didnt he?

That is of course your opinion which you are entitled to. The wonderful thing about opinions is that we all have different ones and my experience working in this industry tells me that people choose suppliers on many things other than price. That is my opinion

In the region I am in, many customers complain about bi-annual meter readings by SSE and BG endeavour to do it quarterly. I do not get complaints from BG customers about meter readings not being taken. It is also your opinion that my satisfied customer fell for a `spiel`. And again, you are welcome to your opinion but in my opinon, you are mistaken.

I do believe that a lot of the posters on this forum want to hate sales representatives regardless of the money saving advice they provide to both existing and prospective customers. I am proud to work for the nations leading energy supplier and with the advice I provide.

This is my last post on this thread. Thanks for the debate.

:money:

broxis11

backfoot wrote: »

I thought you were the expert? I understand that are lots of sources of grants for energy saving initiatives. Some are Government grants ,some are obligations on energy Suppliers to meet certain targets.

Energy Suppliers

The Government's Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) has been replaced by the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) this means energy suppliers with a certain number of customers operating in Great Britain are obliged to achieve targets for improving home energy efficiency.
The suppliers therefore provide a range of offers which significantly reduce the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. What's more, you can take up offers from any of the energy companies, regardless of who supplies your gas and electricity.


Anyway,you are far from unique.:) Meaning price is the key differentiator for the majority of Customers.

Just before I do go, I note that you avoided my question :rotfl:

Where else would this customer get his cavity wall insulation free? You did of course suggest that it wasn`t just BG that would do it...