Category: Energy

The start of a new year is generally considered a time for change and self-reflection, setting new goals and strategies inside the business that will prove advantageous over the next twelve months. A significant aspect of this process includes partnering with the right suppliers. Whether it’s your energy broker, utility supplier, or just your office space, you’ll want someone who can deliver the best value for money, quality, reliability and service.

In which case, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that most businesses tend to think about renewing or switching energy brokers at the beginning of the year. Not only does this timeframe typically coincide with the end of existing contract terms, but it also gives businesses one less thing to worry about while focusing on their goals outlined for the year ahead.

However, 2021 is already shaping up to be no ordinary year.

After kicking off proceedings with an unceremonious lockdown, it looks as though businesses across the UK will be forced to endure challenges even greater than last year’s. In fact, companies worldwide will be re-thinking how they operate — not just in lockdown but moving forward for the months and years to come — as they continue to adapt to this global pandemic.

With this in mind, it does raise the question of whether or not businesses should be changing the way they think about energy. And the answer to that question is an unequivocal “Yes!”.

Business energy usage has changed
It’s becoming clear that the stop-and-start nature surrounding current events, coupled with more people having to work from home, has resulted in a dramatic shift in the ways businesses are using energy.

To give you some frame of reference, small to medium-sized businesses typically use anywhere between 5,000 and 50,000 kWh of electricity per year — and anywhere between 5,000 and 65,000 kWh of gas (although figures may be a lot higher for larger organisations).

However, these numbers don’t account for the disruptions and fluctuations businesses have experienced in recent months during the pandemic.

Your typical energy usage will likely change, especially if commercial properties sit idle and teams work out of the office more. On the other hand, maybe your energy usage will actually increase, which would undoubtedly be the case if the pandemic has put unprecedented customer demand on your industry.

In any case, you’re probably going to want to re-evaluate your current energy strategy and seek a solution that best suits these ongoing disruptions and fluctuations. On top of that, it’s expected that 1 in 6 customers will have fallen on to out of contract rates during the lockdown, which can be up to 80% more expensive. This is just another reason why switching suppliers now can be very beneficial.

Switching suppliers is a great way to get cheaper rates, sure. But choosing the right service provider, somebody who can give experienced and impartial advice will also ensure you get the most suitable tariffs for your particular business needs. With so many options available on the market, it’s crucial to find a trusted energy partner to cut through the confusion and bring you the services you need to help cut costs while securing your electricity and gas for years to come.

Why choose Fidelity Group for your energy broker
Here at Fidelity Group, we know that every business is different. We also understand the challenges companies face as current events require them to re-think the way they operate. Not only do we ensure you get the best energy deal for your business when you switch, but we also monitor the market continuously, so you’re always getting the best value. We can even help reduce your energy consumption, where possible, and help your business’ sustainability efforts by minimising its carbon footprint.

Furthermore, we manage the entire process for you — from setup to billing and everything in between — so you don’t have to worry about a single thing. Speak with our advisers today to get a no-obligation assessment on your current energy usage, and see how we can help you get the best deal for your business now and in the longer term.

Want to get started right away?
Getting a free energy quote couldn’t be easier. Simply upload your current energy bill on our website and we’ll take of everything.

Microsoft Office has become a leading platform to drive productivity at home and in the workplace. Whether it’s managing email in Outlook, or building analysis spreadsheets in Excel, Office has made carrying out many computer-based tasks easier for all of us.

Additionaly Microsoft Teams is a collaborative workspace within Office 365 that acts as a central hub for workplace conversations, collaborative teamwork, video chats and document sharing, all designed to aid worker productivity in a unified suite of tools.

Chat
Share your opinion and your personality. Send gifs, stickers, and emojis in a group chat or in one-to-one messages.

Meet
Instantly go from group chat to video conference with the touch of a button. Teams of 2 or 10,000 can meet in one place, no matter how many places they’re in.

Collaborate
Easily find, share, and edit files in real-time using familiar apps like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel in Teams.

1. Universal Software
Microsoft Office is now compatible with mobile after they recently developed Office Mobile, which offers free-to-use versions of Office applications for mobile devices. Microsoft also runs Office Online, a web-based version of core Office apps, which are included as part of a Microsoft account.
For years, Office has been compatible with Apple’s macOS, a move which at the time was questionable due to the rivalry between Apple and Microsoft, but one that has proven to be a good one for both tech giants.

2. Used by over 60 million commercial customers
In 2016, Microsoft announced there were now 1.2 billion users worldwide, using some kind of Office product or service, and 60 million monthly active Microsoft Office 365 commercial customers. That many people can’t be wrong.

• Recent statistics have shown that the percentage of enterprises with at least 100 users increased from 87% to 91%, and usage within enterprises grew over 320%. These statistics show that Microsoft has successfully reinvented Office as a cloud-based programme which can be accessed anywhere, which leads me to…

3. Office 365 offers anytime, anywhere access
Office 365 was developed so Microsoft could embrace cloud technology while still offering their existing services. You can access it from anywhere as long as you have an Office 365 login (for example, the company you work for), then your subscription will allow you to access Microsoft Office applications on Windows, macOS, iOS & Android.

4. Online Support from Microsoft
With an Office subscription, you get help from Microsoft included. They offer invaluable support for any users who are looking to make the most of their programme, which is a vital way to maximise your productivity and usage of the product.

5. Easy to use
Office applications can be used for complicated operations, depending on how you want to use them. But, one of the standout features of Office is that it can be used by people of any age to simplify functions and increase productivity, which is the reason it was developed in the first place.

6. Multipurpose
Keeping track of your accounts or analysing business data? Excel can do that. Writing a letter or news article? Word can do that. Writing a business proposal or presentation? PowerPoint can do that. Microsoft Office is the best suite of applications to achieve your personal or business goals simply due to its ability to adapt to your needs.

7. Security
There has been a lot of news recently regarding the increasing threat of cyberattacks. Attacks are growing in sophistication and scale. Microsoft has taken the responsibility of keeping your data and information safe. All data stored in the cloud is housed in one of Microsoft’s data centres, providing real-time safety scans for messages and documents for cybersecurity threats, making it one of the safest cloud services around.

OFGEM figures have stated that demand for electric cars is set to rise by 24% within the next five years – meaning 18 million vehicles will be on the road by 2030 – as the nation drives towards its legal obligation of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The Department for Transport’s ‘Road to Zero’ has since revealed a £400 million Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund available to prioritise installations. Additionally, the Government has committed to phasing out new petrol and diesel vehicles sales by 2030 and hybrids by 2035.

We work alongside handpicked experts to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging solutions on your premises. With access to Europe’s most extensive and most diverse range of products, you can charge all fully electric and hybrid vehicles – Fidelity has supplied and installed over 150,000 charge points to date. You can also rely on support from one of the industry’s most comprehensive maintenance and warranty programmes.

Customise a wide range of charging points to suit your business requirements, specifications and branding, enabling you to provide the best solution for you, your employees or your customers.

Provide support for the government-backed Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) that gives your business up to £500 per socket to install EV charging points at workplaces.

Benefit from one of the most comprehensive support, maintenance and warranty programmes in the industry.

^{Source: For more information about this press release, contact Hayley Paterson at: hayley@scribapr.com or 07808 217238.}

It is not just gas…
40% of the electricity used in the UK is generated from gas, so the high wholesale gas prices have also impacted the cost of electricity contracts.

There is no energy price cap for businesses
The Ofgem price cap only applies to domestic rates, so businesses approaching the end of their tariff or who are out of contract will be paying significantly more for their energy.

Check your contract end dates
If you are out of contract, ends in the next 6 to 18 months or are in a longer-term one, speak to us now so we can advise you on the next steps as there will be different options depending on your end dates.

Do not accept your initial renewal offer
Your renewal offer is unlikely to be the best price available, and 9 times out of 10 cheaper tariffs are available. We can help you compare the market to get the best rate.

Monitor the market
At the moment prices are changing all the time. We can compare the whole market to help you get the best deal now and help move you to a lower cost tariff when prices begin to fall.

By working with a wide range of suppliers we ensure that we have access to the best market pricing available. Prices can vary by 28% between the highest and the lowest quote for each customer. If you only check the price of one supplier, it’s rare that their prices will be the lowest on offer. We take away the pain of trawling the market looking for the best deal.

Some of our energy partners: