Ask most business owners if they know how much their water bill is, and what is included in that bill as standard, and you could safely bet you would be met with more than just a blank stare. It is surprising to me that many businesses don’t take much stock of their water bills or what they are missing out on by not having a clear line of communication with their water provider.
If this rings a little too close to home for you while reading this, it is time to make a change and think about switching water supplier. You may view it as one of those tedious jobs you want to avoid at all costs, but when you get an idea of how much can be saved when switching, you’ll speculate why you have not done it sooner.
Wondering what the hidden benefits of choosing a new water supplier could be? Here are my four not so secret picks.
One – Locked in tariffs
Think of switching supplier like moving internet provider. Most will offer a great deal, as long as you stay locked into a specific tariff for a designated period. Water suppliers tend to cap this at around a year, which works in your favour. If they turn around after the year is up and tell you bills will hike up, you can put the feelers out again and see if someone else will offer a better deal. In most cases, the supplier will be happy to lower tariffs to keep you as a customer.
Two – You might get upgraded
Like ditching an old TV for a sleek new 4KTV, your water meter might be better suited to an antique store. Have a quick check and see what type of water meter you’re using. If it’s an old meter, it may be inaccurate and unable to provide data to the drop. Most reputable water suppliers will provide new meter technology which submits data digitally, so you never have to find yourself grabbing a torch and leaning under cabinets to get a reading.
Three – You should get audited
Tell a business owner someone is coming to audit everything and they might look shocked. Tell them it is someone coming to audit the internal water network, and they will breathe a sigh of relief. I am a big believer in getting water audits carried out by an expert. They can assess every inch of the network, look at how staff use water and provide insights which drastically lower consumption and wastewater disposal.
When looking for a new supplier, ask if they can send someone to do an audit for free, or at the bare minimum, recommend someone locally. If they can’t, it can be a sign they’re not well connected with the local water industry.
Four – You now have an emergency plan
You run a bakery/café/salon/restaurant/dog groomers, and the water just stops completely. There is a burst main somewhere nearby, and the water network has had to shut things down. What do you do? In most cases, you might think it is easiest to close up and lose out on business. But what if your building could have water in no time at all while the network is still down?
See if your supplier offers contingency planning for these scenarios or see if a competitor will. It might cost a little bit more on your bill, but think of it like insurance: would you rather work is interrupted for a few hours, or days on end?
Learn more about switching water supplier
For more information on moving water supplier, I recommend visiting Castle Water. They have practical advice and highlight some of the key areas any business should be aware of when switching provider.
