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How to Choose a Natural Gas Company for Your Business
Bringing "Virtual Pipeline" to the Southeast
4 Considerations to Help Businesses Choose a Natural Gas Provider
Business owners know natural gas is a key ingredient for running their company smoothly and successfully. As a restaurant owner, for example, your chefs cook the best dishes on a natural gas range, you keep your guests comfortable with natural gas heating indoors and outdoors, and you might even use natural gas to power your walk-ins and keep your ingredients fresh.
Natural gas is essential, and it matters who you get it from. Your natural gas provider has the potential to help you succeed by meeting your unique goals and giving you less to worry about.
Here are four areas to consider when choosing a natural gas provider for your business:
- Level of service
- Plans and pricing
- Customer reviews
- Shared values
Level of Service
Not every provider offers the same solutions and customer service. You’ll find different levels of attention, tools and versatility among your choices, so first ask yourself what kind of service you want. Do you like to be walked through each step to understand every option? Do you want something easy and turnkey? Or do you like to be in complete control over the process?
Then, consider how you’d like to manage your account once you become a customer. If you want to be able to talk to the same person every time but your only contact is a call center, that could become frustrating. If you tend to do admin work after hours, you’ll probably want 24/7 access to your account.
How can you know what you’re going to get? Sometimes, a provider’s corporate structure can give clues to its capabilities. If they use outdated technology or outsource some operations, you might end up bogged down with time-consuming processes that leave you waiting in limbo for things to get done, whereas smooth and straightforward account management can go a long way toward reducing administrative headaches.
Plans and Pricing
A business must constantly monitor its financial health, so price is crucial no matter what you’re buying. Natural gas providers usually offer more than one type of rate plan, such as fixed or variable, and you’re expected to shop around for the best price. Some providers also offer customized plans that tailor a unique price, delivery and term length. If that sounds more like you, look for a provider who can offer personalization and flexibility.
You should feel free to ask providers about their pricing plans, how prices are set or changed, additional fees, discount offers and their terms and conditions. Once you have all the necessary information, you can determine which provider has the best plan for your needs and financial goals.
Customer Reviews
The best way to see what your experience might be like with a provider is to see what their current customers say about working with them. When comparing natural gas providers, you can look up reviews or ratings on Google or websites like Georgia Gas Savings.
You can also rely on good old word of mouth. Talk to your peers or organizations you trust, like your state’s business association, about how they feel about their provider’s customer service, rates and culture.
Values Matter
If you’re still having trouble choosing a provider, remember this is a relationship like any other. You may have to use your instincts and contemplate who you’d enjoy working with. Who shares your values or priorities? Who do you feel like you can trust? Check out how your provider talks about their culture and mission. You might be surprised that your choice has meaning beyond your bottom line.
Conclusion
The right natural gas provider can help businesses save on costs, improve performance and elevate the customer experience. Because every provider may offer something different, your first step is to understand your own priorities and how you’d like to work together. Do you have specific needs that require custom pricing? Does your fast-paced style need a partner who can keep up? Do you want to support businesses that give back to their community? If you know those answers, finding a natural gas provider that’s a good fit for your business will be easy.
If you have any questions about choosing a provider or how Gas South can partner with your business, reach out to our team of experts. We’ll give you a free natural gas quote just to get the conversation started!
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