What Makes For An All-Star Energy Company?
Energy is big business in Canada, partially due to to the country’s very cold climate that makes energy a vital part of being comfortable, but also in part because it’s such an industrious and innovative country for businesses. 11% of the nation’s gross domestic product comes from the energy sector. Canadian business owners tend to be perfectionists when they’re dealing with industries that use the natural environment. Whether you’re looking for an electric or gas energy company here, you need to hone in on those few qualities that are rare in providers, the little bit extra that takes them from efficient to extraordinary. Energy customers should always look for a diverse variety of those rare qualities before making their decision. So what makes for an all-star energy company? Read on.
Competitive Pricing
Even if there’s only one energy company in your area, they should price competitively out of respect for customers. Why? Well, even if you don’t have a choice, a great energy company is going to price their products fairly and with their customer’s well-being in mind. Energy is generally one of those things you can’t comfortably live without. As such, the company should care about its community and want to give every energy customer the opportunity to enjoy its services. Alberta is an especially innovative spot for energy businesses, as social responsibility is expected of owners who depend on a community’s environment for its livelihood. Responsible pricing is part of the expectation that Canadians have of their energy businesses.
Reliability
If it’s energy you’re paying for from an energy company in Alberta, it’s energy you should consistently get. There shouldn’t be a long history of service outages and other problems. Reliable service should be the hallmark of every energy company, but the truth is that many fall short in this area. If you find an energy company whose customers have few complaints about service outages, you’ve found a gem in the industry. Frequent outages and subpar customer service during these outages are going to be a constant source of frustration. Make sure you opt for an energy service that can back up their promises with customer testimonials and success stories. They should be able to show you a brief glimpse into their techniques and performance over the years so that you know you’re choosing a truly reliable energy service for your home or business.
Diversity of Service
Not every energy company offers different forms of energy. A company that offers both electric and gas energy services is in the big leagues indeed. It takes a great deal of professionalism and expertise to offer a wide variety of energy services, as each one takes an astronomical amount of management to give you great service. Those companies who dare to offer both natural gas and electric service are those rare few companies that provide the most consistent service. More options usually means better service in general, so look for companies who’ve mastered more than one energy source.
Social Responsibility
Did we mention that energy companies impact the environments in which they operate? If an energy company is using the environment of your community to provide service, they also need to have a social conscience and generously improve the communities they benefit from. A great energy company will usually donate to charity, be involved in community events, and strive to let their customers know how they can make a different for less fortunate companies as well (such as using less energy). It’s essential that an energy company make the community they operate in a much better place for everyone involved.
Perfect Customer Service
Utility businesses all too frequently fall short in this area, so if you’re on the hunt for a great energy company, always pay attention to the way that they treat their customers, both in the past and now. If an energy company has done a great job taking their care of their customers, those customers will likely be happy to share with you the ways in which the company came through for them (such as letting you know the service is reliable). Community talk is often loud and spreads fast. Listen for word of mouth endorsements about your prospective energy company to find out if they’re getting an A+ in customer service. If they’ve encountered any problems or had questions, did the company go out of its way to make sure that the issue was resolved or the question was answered? If so, they’re an all-star service that is taking care of their customer service responsibilities and building a solid reputation in the community.
All energy companies aren’t built alike, and no one would argue that they are. Most hover in the middle of great and never get close to being what you might consider an all-star service. Only those rare few Canadian companies that have terrific leadership, innovative ideas for the future and today, and a solid team of energy experts will ever rise to the top of the field and have energy services in more than one area or even country. If you see a brand that’s rising to the top in more than one country, it’s a big time clue that they’re doing something right, and you need to make that your next energy company. If you want winning energy services, go with the company that’s winning everywhere they go.
