If you happen to live and/or start a business in part of the country where you have the advantage of choosing what company you get your energy from, you need to take this decision very seriously. If you take your time and do the necessary research, you can save yourself a significant amount of money on your future energy expenses.

Do not simply start using the first energy company you come across. You owe it to yourself to take a hard look at all of the available candidates to find the one that gives you the most value for your money. Here is how you can go about selecting the best energy company in your area for your business.

1. How much does the company charge for electricity?

Obviously, this is the most critical factor for you to determine while you are searching for an energy company. You will need to visit the websites of all the companies that are potential candidates. Companies such as ACN Inc will have detailed information about the rates they charge clearly listed on their website. However, some companies do not publicly list their rates, preferring people to call them and ask for this information personally. Whatever the case may be, you will need to acquire this information because it is a critical part of your decision making process.

2. Does the energy company have any special introductory offers?

Occasionally, you will find utility companies that provide various introductory offers as a way to attract new businesses to subscribe to their service. These offers are usually outstanding deals that can save you a lot of money. However, you may need to do a little digging in order to uncover them. This is because many energy companies do not publicize these offers. The reason for this is the fact that they only want to give these offers to people who specifically inquire about them. The theory being that if they made their introductory offers public, most of their customers would ask for them. Therefore, it is up to you to call each company and ask a customer service agent if any deals are currently going on. If the answer is no, ask if any introductory offers will be starting in the future.

3. Can you lock in at a specific rate?

Energy rates are constantly fluctuating. These fluctuations occur based on a wide variety of factors. Therefore, if the price of energy falls significantly, you need to have the ability to lock yourself in for a long time at that low rate. Many companies offer you the ability to do this. However, there are also companies that do not offer their customers this feature. Before you sign up for a company’s services, find out if you can lock yourself in.

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