Energy Procurement Recommendations Loaded with Hidden Agendas
I consistently find that energy consumers base their decisions on how to buy energy on recommendations from energy suppliers or energy brokers. They say to themselves, “They are the experts. They know what’s best.”
Here’s the problem. Energy buying “advice” from energy brokers or suppliers can be compromised, leading to increased energy supply costs and inflated business risk for consumers.
Energy buying “recommendations” are compromised when there are hidden agendas. The hidden agendas of energy suppliers and energy brokers typically revolve around two issues – competition and margin appetite.
How The Energy Consumer Loses When the Energy Supplier or Broker Wins
A way for energy suppliers and brokers to overcome these issues is to influence the buying behaviors of consumers. In other words, they will steer energy consumers to take actions that satisfy the hidden agendas. What energy consumers don’t know is that these hidden agendas can be in conflict with their goals. Here’s why. Agenda-driven advice that is purposed towards margin uplift directly translates into higher energy supply costs for the consumer. When agenda-driven advice is designed to overcome competitive obstacles, energy suppliers or brokers may give consumers perspectives that are biased towards their supply-price or “consultative” offerings. The result – the adoption of buying strategies by consumers that are disconnected to the true realities of the energy marketplace (i.e., increased business risk).
These dynamics are in play in both the natural gas and electricity supply arenas.
The table below includes a sampling of tactics employed by energy suppliers and brokers, by issue, to advance hidden agendas – and the associated consequences for energy consumers.
| Participant | Problem | Invisible Agenda | Participant Behavior | Result for Energy Consumer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Supplier | Competitively disadvantaged in a "fixed" price environment | Improve chances of winning | Steer energy consumer to variable price contract | Misaligned energy buying strategy, cost leakage |
| Energy Supplier or Energy Broker | Competing energy suppliers or brokers are recommending a variable price strategy | Attain market differentiation | Steer energy consumer towards a fixed price contract | Misaligned energy buying strategy, cost leakage |
| Energy Supplier or Energy Broker | Competition from other energy suppliers or energy brokers | Eliminate competitive exposure | Steer energy consumer towards a three-year fixed price contract, regardless of fundamentals | Potential for missed opportunities in downward moving market |
| Energy Supplier or Energy Broker | Wants to enhance margin / upcharges | Create transactions to get margin / upcharge uplift | Step 1: Steer energy consumer to variable priced contract Step 2: After contract commencement, recommend a "lock-in" Step 3: Manipulate hedge prices to increase margin | Misaligned energy buying strategy, cost leakage |
Question: Do you know if an energy supplier or energy broker has influenced how you buy energy based on a hidden agenda?
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