Running a business is something that many people want to do in life at one time or another. Some do it to escape the 9-5, others want to be their own bosses and some have passions that they just need to follow. Unfortunately, starting a business is not easy, and many fail within their first few years.
However, in addition to all the hard work involved with starting and running a business and the potential for failure, there are a lot of costs involved. While some are clear like office equipment and furniture, others you may not think about. One of these costs people may not think about or consider is energy. Despite this, energy can be a significant cost for your business if you’re not careful.
With that in mind, this article is going to look at a few tips for cheaper energy for your business.
Consider Working With Other Providers
One of the first things to do is consider the provider or supplier that you are working with. Every provider will have different prices and deals and if you are looking to save, you should look at potentially working with other providers. You need to compare quotes from different providers and see what kind of deals are available.
However, comparing the offers and prices of each energy company to one another can be a long process. Thankfully there are companies and services like EnergyBot can help this process become a lot easier and quicker. During this search, you may find out that your provider is the cheapest, but it’s still a good idea to check and make sure you are getting a fair price.
Switch to More Energy-Efficient Lights
The lights you use within your office and at your company have more importance than you might think. Old or traditional light bulbs will use a ton more energy than modern efficient bulbs. The quality (and price) of LED lights has improved greatly in recent years. These lights will not only use less energy but also last longer.
Also, if you have a kitchen at the office, consider using energy-efficient appliances. Sure, there may be a slightly larger initial investment, but will surely save you money in the long run. Even having drafty windows or doors can lead to the temperature inside your office or warehouse not being where you need it. Be sure to make sure that all doors and windows are closed tightly.
Watch How Much You Heat or Cool
Just like in homes, heating and cooling costs at offices are a major contributing factor to how much energy costs every month. Constantly running the air conditioner or the furnace will add up to a lot of extra money spent every month. You need to monitor how often these are used, to a certain degree. That will keep your costs consistent and ensure you aren’t spending a fortune on energy.
If you can, use other ways to stay cool or warm. Using fans, dressing warmer, and leaving windows open are just some of the things you can do to control the temperature without using a lot of energy. This doesn’t mean use A/C or heat, but just be selective when you do to ensure your energy is cheap.
Know the End of Your Contract
Normally, if you have an energy contract, it will require some sort of formal declaration of termination. If not, your contract will likely automatically continue, potentially at a much higher price, often called “out-of-contract” prices. To prevent this, you need to be aware of when your contract end dates are.
This will allow you to know when to start looking for a new supplier or give you some time in advance to negotiate a better deal. This information should be easily accessible and sure, it seems obvious, but many companies will simply forget and be rolled over into a more expensive plan and may not even know it.
Get Everyone Involved
As a business owner or manager, you can do your part to help achieve cheaper energy costs, but you also need to get all employees and coworkers involved. You can’t do it alone as plenty of other people likely work alongside you. If they’re not in, all your efforts will be all for naught.
You need to inspire them to do the same and explain some simple things they can do to help your business reduce energy. Encourage everyone to practice energy efficiency at the office, and cite the benefits it can have to your bottom line. Also, if they do a good job, be sure to show them some recognition and be appreciative of their efforts.
In conclusion, we hope this blog post has been able to help you learn some great tips to spend less on energy for your business.
