BIG ENERGY SAVING WEEK
Energy suppliers agreement with Government to help consumers get the best deal
Update for customers from E.ON
In April this year, the major energy suppliers reached agreement with the Government on some
voluntary commitments to help ensure customers would get the best deal for them.
You can find information about this agreement on the DECC website here.
We’re meeting all these commitments, and in many cases we’re going further.
This agreement was very much in line with our own thinking. In January we had started our
‘Reset’ review, the aim of which was to put the customer at the heart of everything we do.
Through the Reset review, we wanted to begin to rebuild our relationship with our customers,
looking in detail at many aspects of their dealings with us. We want to be simple, open and
transparently fair in how we work with customers and we’re changing to do just that.
We’ve already made a number of changes. For example, we’ve decided no longer to offer
deeply discounted prices aimed at new customers, and are ensuring both our new and loyal
existing customers can benefit from our best tariffs. We’re also now providing a single sheet bill
which will help customers understand what they’re paying more easily.
In September we launched an initiative to help ensure our customers are on the best E.ON deal
for them. This is also one of the ways in which we are meeting the commitments we gave to the
Government. We believe everybody uses energy differently. So we want to help customers find
our best deal which reflects their own personal preferences. For some customers this may be
the cheapest tariff available now, for others it may be a fixed one or two year tariff so they know
what price they will be paying.
We now offer a new simplified set of no more than five tariffs to choose from , rewards for
loyalty for customers choosing one of our new tariffs, dual fuel and online account management,
and an online tool to help customers find our best deal for them.
We’re also supporting Big Energy Saving Week which runs from 22nd October. We’re delighted
to be involved in this and will be participating in many of the events run by Citizens Advice. We’ll
use as another opportunity to encourage customers to look at whether they are on the best deal
for them, as well as offering advice on home insulation and other steps customers can take to
reduce their consumption and keep their bills down.
So, looking at some of the specific commitments we gave to the Government back in April, we’re
doing the following:
1 On request, the supplier will help a customer identify, and then provide, the best available
tariff to suit their needs at that moment in time and based on the information provided
We’re doing this but not only when the customer asks us to. We’re alerting our customers
through mail and advertising to engage with us on this question, actively inviting them to look at
whether they are on the best E.ON deal for them, online as well as in phone conversations we are
having with them.
2 The supplier will write to the customer to help them identify what the new best tariff
options for them are and how to get them when a fixed term contract is coming to the end of its
term (by Autumn 2012).
From November the letters we send to customers when a fixed term product comes to an end will
encourage them to identify the best E.ON deal for them. The letter will include details of tariffs
available and estimated costs based on average energy consumption.
3 Suppliers will provide an annual communication to all customers helping them to identify
what the best tariff options are for them and how to get them. This may be part of routine
communications with the consumer. (by Autumn 2012)
Starting on 27 September our customers will receive a communication which will set out the five
tariffs we are now offering and the potential benefits of each.” This will invite customers to use
our online tool or to phone us at a local rate. After that we will communicate with customers at
least annually to help ensure they are on the best E.ON deal for them. This first communication
will go to all customers except some who are on certain specialised tariffs (such as Heatwise)
often related to their heating system. They may not be able to switch tariff but we will contact
them if they could save money in other ways, for example, by moving to direct debit. In addition
our guaranteed standards of service leaflet will also provide information on how to ensure you
are on the best E.ON deal for you, and this goes to all our customers.
4 Suppliers will provide a second communication each year for most vulnerable customers
assisted by the Warm Home Discount, helping them on to the best tariff for them. (by Autumn
2012)
We’ll be writing to customers on Warm Home Discount inviting them to ensure they are on the
best E.ON deal for them in the same way as we’re writing to other customers. Customers will be
able to phone us at a local rate or use our online tool if they have access to the internet. We’ll be
writing to them with their Warm Home Discount payment so they can think about their tariff and
payment at the same time.