An Insight Into Small Energy Companies
I found this article on a company called Contract Natural Gas in the Yorkshire Post. This section describes what they do.
CNG supplies commercial natural gas to businesses, from family firms to blue chip corporations, across sectors including retail, leisure and hospitality.
But it also provides technical services to independent gas providers such as Ovo Energy.
It seems that there is a lot of innovation going on in the provision of energy.
The energy companies live in interesting times!
It’s Paid To Switch To OVO Energy
I just found this article in the Guardian about OVO Energy. Here’s the first two paragraphs.
An energy company has announced a 2.5% price cut for consumers, saying that the mild winter weather has meant that gas and electricity are cheaper.
Ovo Energy claimed that the reduction meant its bills were now about £180 a year cheaper than the average of the big six companies which supply the bulk of the UK’s households.
So it looks like I was right to swap!
Another Advantage Of My New Plumbing
I’ve just read the meter readings for the switchover to Ovo.
Before the new plumbing was installed, the electricity meter was half hidden behind the washing machine and to be read properly needed a step ladder.
Now I just walk into the cupboard, switch the light on and read the meter at eye level.
How did Jerry manage to get so many things wrong?
The readings I’ve submitted are 33235 and 0778257 for electricity and gas respectively.
Incidentally, this supplier changeover seems to be taking forever. I assume this has been designed into the system, to discourage people from changing. After all, if you could change instantly, that would drive prices down. I said why here.
nPower Says Sorry
I’m leaving nPower after three years to go to OVO Energy. This is mainly because I want to try out one of these new energy suppliers and see how easy it is to swap from one supplier to another.
I will save myself just over a hundred pounds a year, although the price changes announced by the Government may mean that this figure changes.
Today though, I received an apology from nPower for bad service. Here’s the start of it.
We look after 5.4 million customer accounts in the UK. Our aim is to make sure everyone has the best possible experience as an npower customer.
However, we’ve let many of you down recently in the overall levels of customer service we’ve been providing. We apologise unreservedly. We promise that if you have been impacted by the billing system problems we’ve had, you will not lose out financially as a direct result.
It goes on to give a good explanation of their problems.
I should say though, that I’ve not had one negative issue with the company.
So even if prices aren’t as low as we’d like, the customer service of one of the Big Six power companies is doing things properly.
nPower’s Job Losses
There is a story today about job losses at nPower.
I have just left the company after good service for three years.
I read about Ovo and moved there mainly because they would save me over a hundred pounds a year, as I wouldn’t have to pay the Green Levy.
Since their customer service has been very good, something I couldn’t complain about for nPower.
The biggest difference though, is that the literature and web site of Ovo is a lot better than nPower. As I said in this post, I have a single A4 sheet of paper, which summarises everything. It’s only a small point, but it just shows how large companies don’t think.
Perhaps this is why nPower is getting rid of so many expensive customer support staff.
After all in a few years time, virtually all of us will be managing our energy suppliers through the Internet. So support is all about design of the web site.
It would be interesting to see a league table of the ratings of web sites of energy companies!
A Small Advantage Of Switching To OVO Energy
I’ve just received my contract with OVO Energy, to which I recently switched.
When I switched, my previous supplier was a bit secretive about my Electricity Supply Number or MPAN and it took a couple of phone calls to find it. I don’t think the difficulty was deliberate, but it could have been designed into the system, as a hoop for leavers to jump through!
I’ve now got a one-page A4 sheet of paper, with all my details. So if I find OVO don’t live up to their publicity, I at least have all the details about my supply handy, so switching might be even easier.
So my first advantage is that it will be easier to leave.
I’ve Just Switched To Ovo Energy
I will save myself a hundred and sixteen pounds a year, by swapping to Ovo Energy. Perhaps not much, but if I refer a friend and they sign up, we both get a twenty.
So if you want me to recommend you, I’m happy to do that. We could have a nice meal either by ourselves or together on the bonus!
Incidentally, I’ve found that I’ve got a lot in credit with my previous supplier. So hopefully, I’ll have that in my account in a few weeks. After all, it’s my money and it looks better in my bank account or wallet.
The Anonymous Widower 