Small business owners are being urged to make one simple change after research found 'phantom' energy use is a key worry this winter. A poll of 1,000 SMEs found cash flow, getting enough new business and late-paying customers are also mulled over in the early hours on a regular basis.
As many as 92% consider keeping energy costs down to be among their biggest priorities in the day-to-day running of their business this winter. And 80% are 'haunted' by invisible energy use driving up their bills, such as equipment running out of hours, or 'phantom' power drawn by devices left plugged in but switched off.
Common energy culprits
Despite their best efforts, many may have inadvertently added to their bills by leaving desktop computers and screens (43%), printers and photocopiers (42%) and laptop chargers (37%) plugged in when not in use. Other common culprits include mobile phone chargers and microwaves (both 33%), coffee machines (32%) and TVs (25%).
A further 43% have left printers, photocopiers or computers on overnight, while 20% admit they may have kept fridges and freezers colder than necessary. Of those polled who don't own a smart meter, 41% say they don't know how much energy they use out of hours.
Smart meter push
Most Haunted star and former small business owner, Yvette Fielding, has teamed up with Smart Energy GB, which commissioned the research, to encourage businesses "to take on their energy ghouls" and get a smart meter for greater visibility of usage and accurate billing.
She said: "From running my own business, I understand how important it is to closely monitor each and every running cost. Ahead of winter, I’d encourage all small business owners to spend a bit of time investigating their outgoings and thinking about what they could do to save some cash."
"One thing is making sure you’re not spending money on energy your business doesn’t need to be using," she said. "Getting a smart meter installed can help owners identify what’s silently draining energy and costing their business money."
Savings already found
However, it’s not all ghostly tales, as 91% of small business owners polled who have a smart meter for their business said it’s helped them find ways to save some money on their energy bill. The study found 96% of those polled have taken steps to save money on energy costs at their premises.
These include switching off lights in unused areas (53%), turning the heating down or off overnight (46%) and turning appliances off at the wall rather than leaving them on standby (42%). While 39% have switched to LED lighting, 36% have taken to only heating rooms in use, and 36% have trained staff to adopt energy-saving habits.
Carried out through OnePoll, the research revealed 54% believe gas and electricity are the business costs owners feel they have the least control over. Paul Watts, who runs one of London’s oldest bookshops, Bookshop on the Heath, said: "The worst thing that can happen as a business owner is when outgoings are higher than expected.
"Having a smart meter has given me a much better understanding of where our energy is being used, making it easier to manage our costs and make changes to save where we can. I put off getting a smart meter for a while, but it was so quick and easy to get one installed, so I wish I'd done it sooner."
