Do you know what most mid-market companies are most concerned about when shopping around for their electricity supply?

To answer that question, the Energy Research Council sent a questionnaire in April, 2013, to over 1,250 middle-market companies, all operating in states with deregulated electricity markets.

And the survey said…

According to the survey, 85% of those who responded indicated that a fixed rate per kilowatt hour was the most important factor. 56% indicated that contract terms and conditions were very important when choosing a supplier, while 42% stated that customer service was very important.

The bottom line – it makes great business sense to procure your electricity through a 3^rd-party energy agent, broker or consultant (ABC). The good news is that supplemental research findings from ERC and others are already showing steady growth in the use of third-party procurement agents, brokers and consultants amongst mid-market companies.

Why? It’s because (1) ABCs typically perform an apples-to-apples comparison between multiple suppliers in an effort to find the most competitive fixed-rate. (2) ABCs will negotiate for the contract terms and conditions that best suit the needs of their client, and NOT the supplier. And for the companies concerned with customer service, (3) ABCs will work hard to keep their clients happy for years and years through great customer service.

How to choose an energy consultant

Sadly, not everyone who calls themselves an energy agent, broker or consultant will truly be qualified. Make sure your ABC is actually qualified using this checklist.