If you’re a business owner in Melbourne, you have a few opportunities and obstacles that other entrepreneurs in the country don’t. Many of these differences are associated with the different laws you must operate in accordance with, as compared to other states in Australia. Depending on your industry, this may make things easier or more difficult, but one area where you’ll consistently be able to come out ahead is the price you pay for your energy.

How to Choose the Best Energy Plan for Your Business

Business utilities can be expensive, especially if you’re running a tech company or have machinery that consumers a lot of power on a daily basis. That being said, operating your company in Melbourne offers you an advantage as a business, since your electricity prices aren’t regulated by the state. This gives you a greater amount of choice in how you choose an energy provider, whether it’s a light company or natural gas, ultimately giving you the power you need to take control of your company’s finances. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you want to choose the best energy plan for your business.

Consider the cost.

Although price shouldn’t be the only factor in your quest to find the right energy provider for your business, it is an important consideration to make. If you can’t afford your electric utility, you may be in trouble when your business relies on it in order to function. Making sure that you have room in your budget for the price of your utilities is a no-brainer, and saving a few dollars a month by switching providers can really add up on an annual basis. That being said, there are certainly times that it makes sense to pay a few more dollars a month if the service is markedly better. Take a good, hard look at your budget as you consider the pros and cons of each energy provider, and you’ll be sure to make the right choice.

Are they green?

If you’re a company that considers its environmental values in everything it does, you’ll want to make sure that you find an energy provider that can help you become carbon neutral. Research your provider and not just how they can help your business become more environmentally friendly. After all, if your utility company isn’t certified with the appropriate ISO standards, then why would you choose them in the first place?

What’s their customer service like?

Finding out from other business owners and consumers what a company’s customer service is like can really swing your decision one way or another. Of course, you want to find an energy provider with positive customer word of mouth, since long wait times for service or troubleshooting can really affect your bottom line. You may also want to do some digging to see how expensive late fees might be—and how successful customers have been in getting these fees waived for loyalty and a history of on-time payments.

Compare and research all of your options.

Rather than heading to Google and searching for “electricity providers Melbourne,” it makes much more sense to head to a website that focuses on offering consumers and business owners detailed comparisons about electrical companies and their plans. When you compare energy providers with iSelect, for example, you have the opportunity to find one of the best deals on the market. This helps you maximize your business budget by finding an energy plan that meets your needs without costing you more than you can afford. The end result is a win-win for your customers, who count on your business’s products or services, as well as you as a business owner.