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Energy rates are currently at an all time high. If your business consumes a lot of energy, it could be vital to find the best energy deal. But just where do you look to find the best rates?

Using an energy broker can be one solution. These are professionals that can help shop around for the best deal for you. Many businesses find it convenient to use a broker – but is a broker always the best solution? This post takes a look as to whether you should use a broker or not.

Weigh up the benefits 

Finding the best energy plan can be a time-consuming process. While there are many comparison sites out there that can compare prices, you can often negotiate cheaper plans by ringing up energy providers and talking to a sales representative. Not everyone has the time to do this with multiple energy providers, which is why an energy broker can be useful.

There are many different energy providers to choose from in the UK, and each one offers a range of different plans. On top of regular mains gas and electricity, some companies can also offer renewable plans and even installation of solar panels for generating your own power – which could be useful if you want your business to meet low emissions targets. Energy brokers will know exactly where to look to help you find these deals.

If you’re willing to spend time shopping around and are willing to do your own private research into energy plans, you may not need a broker. However, if your company doesn’t have the time or the patience, it could make sense to rely on a broker.

Be wary of commission charges

Many brokers will charge you a commission fee for their service. It’s important that this fee is not too large – there’s no point in a broker finding you a super cheap deal if they’re going to add a hefty fee to it. 

The base rate is typically 0.05p per kilowatt-hour, however some brokers have been found to charge as much as 5p or even 10p per kilowatt-hour. In the latter cases, 50% or more of your total energy bill could be going to the broker, making it a complete rip-off.

Commission fees should always be disclosed in a contract before you agree to use a broker’s service. Some companies have been found guilty of charging hidden commission – which over several years can add up to hundreds or thousands of pounds. It’s possible to file energy claims to get back this money if you suspect a broker has not disclosed commission fees. Legal services can help you with these claims.

Use a trusted broker

It’s worth doing your homework in order to find a trusted commercial energy broker. By reading online reviews and looking out for negative press, you can avoid brokers that have a poor reputation and find the right services.

This guide compares 6 of the UK’s most trusted energy brokers. It could be a safe option to use one of these companies rather than looking further afield. 

We all know that safety and security are paramount in any workspace. Without proper measures in place, accidents can occur, and valuable resources – both material and human – can be lost. That’s why it’s important for business owners, managers and employees to take action to ensure the safety and security of their workplace. Here are a few tips on how to do this effectively.

Conduct Regular Safety Training:

Regular safety training with your staff is the first step towards creating a safe work environment. This should cover topics such as proper equipment handling, hazardous materials safety procedures, fire safety protocol. Additionally, keep track of any changes or updates to regulations or laws related to worksite safety. By staying informed and up to date on the latest information, you’ll be able to ensure that any new policies or regulations are being followed.

Create an Emergency Plan:

In the event of an emergency – such as a fire, natural disaster, or other unexpected incidents – businesses need to have a plan in place. An emergency plan should outline the procedures for dealing with specific situations, such as who to contact and what steps should be taken in order to minimize risk. It’s also important to ensure that all staff members are aware of the emergency plan and understand their role in responding to a crisis.

Inspect Equipment and Facilities Regularly:

Businesses should ensure that all equipment and facilities are kept up-to-date and in good working condition. This means regular inspections by trained professionals, as well as routine maintenance checks on machinery and other equipment used in the workplace. It’s also essential to stay informed about any new regulations or laws related to safety standards – this way, you can ensure you’re meeting all requirements.

Invest in Superior Security Technology:

Investing in security technology can help to protect both staff and customers. This could include access control systems, CCTV cameras, fire alarms or other monitoring systems designed to detect intruders or potential risks. It’s important to ensure that all security measures are regularly maintained and updated – this way, you can be sure that your property remains safe. If you’re looking for a way to make your business more secure, a video intercom system is the answer. So why not invest in one for your business today? 

Implement Security Policies:

Finally, businesses should consider implementing security policies that govern how staff members interact with customers and the public. This could include restricting access to certain areas, requiring employee background checks, or implementing strict policies regarding data protection. By taking the time to create and enforce security policies, you can ensure that your business is compliant with laws and regulations related to safety and security.

By following these tips, you can help ensure your workplace’s safety and security. In addition, it’s important to remember that all employees should be aware of the safety protocols and procedures in place – this way everyone can work together to create a safe and secure working environment. Ultimately, these measures can help to reduce the chances of an accident or incident occurring in the workplace, which is beneficial for everyone.

In any business, it’s good to have a strong sense of how to properly manage projects. You can think of everything as a project, and there are of course also those projects that earn you your keep. For those in particular, it’s going to be important to make sure that you are managing it as well as you can. As it happens, there are a few qualities in particular to look out for here. So here is what good project management normally tends to look like. As long as you get these right, it’s going to make a considerable difference.

Detailed

First of all, you have to make sure that you are fully and properly detail-oriented. There are always going to be a lot of details to consider, after all, and it’s vital that you are remembering that as best as you can. If nothing else, it will mean that you’re going to have a much better sense of what’s going on at the micro level, which is a really important part of any project, big or small. So if you don’t have this kind of focus yet, try to practice putting it in place. It will really help you to do so.

Using The Right Tools

Any project will be much more of a success if you are using the right tools. It is not always easy to know what the right tools are or what they look like, or even how to use them properly. So this is something that turns out to be a really important part of the process of managing any project. Whether it’s Microsoft Project Management tools or something more physical, you need to ensure that you are using the appropriate tools at the right times. That makes a huge difference to the whole process.

Big Picture Awareness

As well as the details, and using the right tools, you also need to have an awareness of the bigger picture concurrently with that. It can be hard to keep both of those in mind at once – however, if you do, you’ll find that it really helps things along a lot. Keeping a view of the overall project means you can see where it’s all going and ensure that you keep on moving in the right direction, even while focusing on the smaller elements too. This turns out to be one of the most important things of all.

Delegation

Finally, let’s not forget that all good management has a certain level of delegation going on, and that includes project management in all its forms. You need to know what and when to delegate, and whom to. If you can do that right, you’ll be making good use of your staff, and you’ll make your job easier as well, so that you can keep an eye on what’s going on. This is one of the most vital things you need to think about in all this, so make sure that you don’t overlook it if possible.