The Energy Trumps Card Game
We love to play
We play when we’re creating software and we play when thinking up complex solutions. It’s what pushes our energy software above and beyond, whilst allowing us to add a bit of personality into what we create.
This Christmas we’ve enjoyed creating something a little bit different, it’s something we think could be the perfect gift for that ‘special someone’ in your life.
Presenting: The Energy Trumps card game.
You’ve no doubt had the same highly contested discussions around your offices that we’ve had. “What’s better, West Burton Power Station or The Titanic?” or “Who’s got more sex appeal, a hamster or the entire nation of Germany?“.
With our Energy Trumps Game, you and your loved ones can spend Christmas discovering the answers to this and more, whilst also enjoying some unforgettable fun as you play.
As a thank you for your continued support, we’re giving away a limited number of physical copies. Simply enter your details below and we’ll get one sent out.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from all of us here at UtilityClick.
Disclaimer
This offer is open to UK and USA residents only.
Your data will only be used for internal purposes and NEVER sold or supplied to a third party.
To ensure fairness we are limiting this promotion to employees of the energy management and energy procurement industries. For verification purposes, please use a company email associated with the energy industry. We may contact you directly for verification.
We reserve the right to remove this promotion at any time.
We have a limited number of packs to give away and will issue them on a first come, first served basis. Successful submission of your details does not guarantee a free gift.
Are You A Super Supplier Villain?
This lack of communication often leads to misinterpretation where suppliers are the bad guys.
It's time to turn that idea on its head with a hero of a customer portal...
UtilityClick Can Help You
Our tailor-made software will help present your services like a superhero.
We can offer
You, The Supplier
Your very own white-labelled customer portal. Presented as you whilst discreetly powered by UtilityClick.
Better dialogue with task management tools. Reduce telephone calls, reduce GDPR risky emails and increase efficiency.
Get them hooked and then upsell your additional product offerings.
Empower customers to self-serve and manage renewals.
Boost your DIRECT AND INDIRECT sales channels.
Provide relevant news and reports that will be seen by the right people.
Further reading...
Development Update – August 2023
August has been all about Data Data and more Data. Both improving the way our software…
Development Update – July 2023
In July we took another giant step forward as we transferred to a database that can…
A Super Hero Customer Portal For Suppliers
Lockdowns, Volatile Markets, Legislative Schemes. We have portals ready to go to get you ready for the new energy world!
A Forward-Thinking Transparent Portal...
Your Brand for Your customers...
Custom Development
Reduce Your
Cost To Serve
Your direct sales channel is growing. Your TPIs demand first class support. Our portals reduce telephone calls, reduce risky emails and increase efficiency with task management tools for optimum customer management.
Better Query Management...
A triple threat. Become leaner, reduce risk and be more efficient all at the same time. Open up a better dialogue with your TPIs, increase their reliance on your services and present transparent upselling opportunities under one roof.
Manage Contract Renewals.
Present Useful Reporting
...That's also beautiful.
Further reading...
Development Update – August 2023
August has been all about Data Data and more Data. Both improving the way our software…
Development Update – July 2023
In July we took another giant step forward as we transferred to a database that can…
A Super Hero Customer Portal for Brokers
The ADR scheme is launching soon and, to help you get ready for this, we have developed a brand new Customer Portal!
An ADR-Ready Transparent Portal...
Your Brand for Your customers...
Your Brand for Your customers...
Zero Development Required
Zero Development Required
Reduce Your
Cost To Serve
Revolutionise your query management process. Allow your customers to create tasks and complaints directly through the portal.
Better Query Management...
A triple threat. Become leaner, compliant and more efficient all at the same time. Open up a better dialogue with your customers, increase their reliance on your services and present transparent upselling opportunities under one roof.
Present Interval Data...
Present Interval Data...
Beautiful Carbon Reporting.
...And Manage Contract Renewals.
Beautiful Carbon Reporting.
...And Manage Contract Renewals.
Further reading...
Development Update – August 2023
August has been all about Data Data and more Data. Both improving the way our software…
Development Update – July 2023
In July we took another giant step forward as we transferred to a database that can…
Learning From Napster & Metallica
Back in the year 2000, you'll likely recall how the rock band Metallica took out their frustrations on the music sharing platform, Napster. They brought a lawsuit against the company that effectively brought Napster to its knees and removed it from our computers.
Turn the Page and in its place, a savvy Steve Jobs took that idea, added some legality and developed the process into the multi-billion dollar practice of instantaneous music purchase & delivery that we know today.
Cue our Sales Director, Andy Hunter who recently likened this digital revolution in the music industry to that of the current situation with energy suppliers and their difficulties in adapting to digital.
He wrote:
"Energy Suppliers that don't fully embrace digital will get left behind. Just like within the music industry - It took a Napster inspired Steve Jobs to create a digital solution that felled major players who were resistant to change. Suppliers that refuse to automate will go the same way as Virgin Music and HMV."
Suppliers completely embracing digital is a (Lars Ulrich) drum that you will undoubtedly have heard banged many times before, but this time it appears to be different.
At UtilityClick, we're having more conversations with suppliers on this subject than ever before. There is undoubtedly a shift in focus following the multitude of events over the last two years, not forgetting of course OFGEMs strategic review that looks to affect commission transparency, due October 2022 (UK only).
So how can we all play our part?
Brokers, Suppliers and UtilityClick
We need to come together.
Energy Brokers:
We hear you - You want automated tendering, you want better communication, and you need suppliers to catch up with your digital processes.
Suppliers:
We know your desire to become lean. You need automation in place to react to the ever-changing market.
Connect with us. Tell us where you struggle, and what you need - We then can work with you to build it.
What is UtilityClick doing?
We've already started. In 2022 we're investing hugely in building smart automated portals for TPI customers and the suppliers themselves.
There is a massive desire from us to be part of this radical change in the energy industry and we need your input to make it happen.
You might say, Nothing Else Matters.
Further reading...
Development Update – August 2023
August has been all about Data Data and more Data. Both improving the way our software…
Development Update – July 2023
In July we took another giant step forward as we transferred to a database that can…
Does Good Design Matter?
Precursor: In 2020 we wrote an article titled “Could A CRM Give You Pleasure?” which proved rather popular. We’ve also spent much of last year improving the UX of our software.
But WHY?
Does any of it really matter? Thankfully there have been numerous studies to answer this very question…
For example, in 2005 a group called The Design Council studied portfolios of companies that traded on the FTSE over the past 10 years. What they discovered was that the companies that put an emphasis on design outperformed the FTSE 100 index by 200%*.
More recently, in 2015 the National Endowment for the US Arts released a study that concluded that small businesses saw a 17.5% increase in average sales on improved goods and services when they invested in design**.
https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/NEAIndustrialDesignManufacturing-4.28.2017-rev.pdf
As Homer Simpson once said:
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!"
So let’s drill down into
Five reasons why design doesn't just matter for the energy sector, it's imperative:
Good design has the power to simplify the complex processes that you find in the energy sector.
If you were to create a piece of software that fulfilled every part of your job – that system would be complex to a point of chaos but good design can simplify it all into manageable chunks. If done right, the design can act as a translator, simplifying the complex language of your processes.
Good design can affect users emotions and can actually make your team happier.
It may seem trivial to focus on emotion when talking about software but companies are realising more and more that it’s possible to evoke a positive response from simple interactions, like a hover effect or a popup animation.
Firms such as Apple have built billion-dollar products around how good it can make a user feel, where everything is carefully crafted to give the user a positive experience.
A CRM is much like your phone. You’ll likely spend more time looking at it than you will your own family, so it’s only right that it should also invoke positivity for the user.
Good design can make your team more efficient
As humans, we have an inbuilt nature to take the perceived quickest route to a solution, especially if we’re unsure of the path ahead. When performing a complicated task, good design can provide useful tools precisely where and when they’re needed along a workflow. For instance, having an important button appear more prominent than other page elements can help guide users eyes on where they should go next.
Good design can help highlight your wins and losses
Presenting your data is all well and good but if its meaning is not clear, then it’s likely to be overlooked. This is even more apparent when reporting within the energy sector. Good design can help declutter and present important, actionable information whilst giving the option to drill down to the data that matters. Users can then focus clearly on the presented facts and adapt swiftly to the cause of their wins.
Good design can provide assurances of a high level of service.
If we hold two products side-by-side, we’ll invariably focus on the better-looking of the two. This is where the good design looks to assure us that “If they’ve spent this much effort perfecting how it looks, then the way it works must also be as equally well thought out”.
Although we know that doesn’t always hold true, it’s inbuilt within us and we still can’t help but use it as a base for commercial decisions. When providing completely re-brandable software like ours, it’s even more imperative that when your customers are using it, the way it looks matches the high level of service that you provide.
Summing It All Up
Investing in good design is superficial by its nature but the results will bleed into numerous positive areas, far and beyond aesthetics. Here at UtilityClick we care enormously about the software experiences our users will have, that’s why we invest so much in a design to convey that. We don’t believe any equivalent system can attest to that.
If you’d like to see how we’ve taken these 5 points above (and a few more) to transform our software, get in touch for a demo:
An interactive side-by-side of old Vs. new for our PRO CRM product.
A Big Fat Review Of The Year
What happened in the world?
The US elected their first ever female vice president.
What happened at UtilityClick?
Vendor Agreements Added
This update enabled users to keep all customer data in one place by storing all types of agreements, not just energy related.
Bill Val Launches!
A brand new product was added to give peace of mind to customers that their bills are thoroughly checked prior to payment.
Click To Dial Added
PRO CRM users were now able to make outbound calls and log the resulting details (like call duration and time of call).
What happened in the world?
NFT became a thing. Christie’s sells first purely-digital NFT for $69 million.
What happened at UtilityClick?
Address Lookups Added
Address lookup functionality was added to the system, saving users time when profiling their customers.
Marketing API Integration
This was a new API connection that allows contacts to be automatically fed through to any system of choice.
What happened in the world?
Ever Given boat blocks the Suez Canal for 6 days.
What happened at UtilityClick?
A New Advanced Search
We deployed a MASSIVE upgrade to all system search tools, making it even easier to search for customers and leads.
The UC Jukebox
This brought an integrated UC Video Jukebox to PRO CRM. Now if the work gets tough users are able to turn up the tunes.
Our staff launched a lighthearted energy podcast and inadvertently stumble into a great energy-saving waffle cooking hack.
What happened in the world?
Nomadland wins Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress at the Academy Awards (Oscars).
What happened at UtilityClick?
Employee Payment Terms
We added an enhancement to our Commissions module that allows users to create employee payment profiles. Monthly payments due can then be reported to internal agents.
Monthly Usage Tools Added
This allowed for future forecasts to be updated based on actual usage, thus providing a clearer insight into users finances.
We Turned 5 Years old
Half a decade ago UtilityClick was just an idea from the inside of a South London flat. Fast forward to April 2021 and our software is used to procure over 2.8 TWh every year.
What happened in the world?
The one where the cast of the hit TV series, Friends reunited.
What happened at UtilityClick?
Supplier Pricing Participation
With this update, suppliers could now mark whether they will be participating within a tender or custom pricing request.
Parent/Child UI Overhaul
This upgrade made it so much easier for users to review Parent/Child portfolios.
What happened in the world?
England reach the finals of a European Championship for the first time ever.
What happened at UtilityClick?
Speedier System Exports
We rewrote each module using pure SQL code, which means requested exports are completed much faster.
Another new product, allowing users to create their own energy price comparison website through Tickd (and then manage it all through our industry-leading CRM system).
Bulk Reassigning Customers
We realised the unnecessary admin required to make wholesale changes to a customer, so we added a bulk assignment tool.
What happened in the world?
The delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics takes place and is dominated by the US and Chinese teams.
What happened at UtilityClick?
Meter Lookup With MPAN
We added the ability to search for a site or meter location by MPAN.
PORTAL offers suppliers a doorway to interact with TPIs, whilst INSIGHTS allows for invaluable monitoring of market conditions.
Authentication With Microsoft
This update brought Microsoft authentication to the majority of our services. Now all that is needed is an existing Microsoft login and password.
What happened in the world?
Lionel Messi leaves Barcelona in tears after 21 years with the club.
What happened at UtilityClick?
This one was huge! We completely redeveloped all reporting and dashboards from the ground up.
What happened in the world?
Nasa's rover lands on Mars and collects first rock samples.
What happened at UtilityClick?
A Bumper Release Of Over 100 System Improvements
Including a 'Recycle Dead Leads' tool, 'Quick Customer Snapshot', and improved error messaging for imports.
What happened in the world?
Space tourism takes off as William Shatner actually goes to space.
What happened at UtilityClick?
A 2.0 of an upgrade which included significant improvement to the upload process as well as making the system much easier to use.
A Jam-Packed Bonus Box
We released a selection of items for PRO CRM containing 9 new tools.
What happened in the world?
Britney Spears is a free woman after a judge ends her conservatorship.
What happened at UtilityClick?
Extended Dashboards And Reporting
We rolled out 10 new beautiful dashboards to all customer accounts. These new reports not only look great but focus on speed and clarity.
No matter your supplier relationship coverage, this update meant you could now choose to employ the "Get Tickd Quotes" button and utilise the connections that Tickd have assembled.
What happened in the world?
Angela Merkel steps down as German Chancellor after 16 years in charge.
What happened at UtilityClick?
Complete System Redesign
The end of the year saw the completion and rollout of a shiny new design for our PRO CRM, BILL VAL and PORTAL products.
Duck Hunt Game
Everyone hates an error screen so we tried to soften the blow of ours by giving users the chance to play a version of the 1984 hit Duck Hunt each time it appears.
EDF Energy Contract Submission API
We've worked closely with EDF to give UtilityClick TPIs the ability to submit contracts directly to the supplier, once a quote has been marked as accepted.
And that was all in just 12 months!
You’ve seen how quickly both the world and our software evolves. Please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the functionality we’ve added since you last saw it. We’ll be more than happy to arrange a demo to show you around!
Further reading...
Development Update – August 2023
August has been all about Data Data and more Data. Both improving the way our software…
Development Update – July 2023
In July we took another giant step forward as we transferred to a database that can…
Twas The Week Before Christmas
Before you go, grab a...
Free Coffee
(a small gift from us to you)
In this world of climate change and endless landfills, we thought it prudent not to send a physical version of our Christmas card this year.
Instead, we’d like to invite all our friends in the energy industry to a cup of warm Christmas coffee on us.
Simply fill out the form below and we’ll email over a gift card to redeem at your local Starbucks coffee house.
Disclaimer
This offer is open to UK and USA residents only.
Your data will only be used for internal purposes and NEVER sold or supplied to a third party.
To ensure fairness we are limiting this promotion to employees of the energy management and energy procurement industries. For verification purposes, please use a company email associated with the energy industry. We may contact you directly for verification.
We reserve the right to remove this promotion at any time.
Elon, Cybertrucks & Supplier Links
Your Supplier Journey, Does It WORK?
Elon Musk shows us that it can.
Elon is a clever man. He didn’t invent trucks. Of course he didn’t. They’ve been around for quite some time. So how do you go about revolutionising the truck sector? Well, quite simply, you make it better.
The reason that Tesla has over 1 million truck reservations isn’t just down to its environmental benefits. Here are the big three reasons people are reserving the Cybertruck:
- Looks – quite the head-turner isn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to drive a truck that makes you look like Batman!
- Brand – it’s fair to say that it’s pretty cool to drive a Tesla. They are innovators, forward thinkers and always pushing the boundaries.
- Potential – want to go on a journey reading a book whilst your car/truck drives autonomously? Want your car/truck to be fixed through a WiFi patch update rather than at a garage? It’s fair to say that it’s more likely to happen sooner with Tesla than it is with Ford.
Why is this relevant to the energy sector and the supplier journey?
Well, there are providers out there that offer integrations between supplier and TPI. They’ve been around for a few years. But now UtilityClick has entered the space to make the process smooth, efficient and better!
Our supplier integrations create true automation between suppliers and TPIs, dramatically reducing the cost to serve for both parties.
Dare we compare ourselves to Tesla?
Why Not!...
1. Looks
Our TPI Pro CRM and Supplier Portals have been built on cutting edge technology, creating beautiful front-end applications with primary attention placed on user experience.
2. Brand
We’ve got a great track record in not only building industry-leading software solutions but also building them quickly.
3. Potential
We develop quicker than anyone else in the industry. And with our focus now firmly on TPI/supplier integrations, full automation is on the horizon!
Are you as excited as we are on the future of automation between TPIs and suppliers? Get in touch if so! The only main drawback, we have an Andy, not an Elon. Don’t let that stop you though!
Latest articles...
Development Update – August 2023
August has been all about Data Data and more Data. Both improving the way our software…
Development Update – July 2023
In July we took another giant step forward as we transferred to a database that can…
Enter your email below and we’ll write to you about once every 2-3 weeks.
Advantage Utilities Partnership
We're delighted to announce our new partnership with Advantage Utilities.
Advantage Utilities are constantly pushing the boundaries and evolving their focus. From winning the Wellbeing award at the 2020 TELCAs, to championing reductions in their customers' carbon footprint - they are acutely aware of the dangers of standing still.
In September 2020, they embarked on another step of their evolution, this time regarding their internal technology - selecting a new CRM to replace existing software within their business.
After diligently reviewing the market for an energy-specific system that shared their ethos, they chose UtilityClick.
Since then, both businesses have worked closely, ensuring that the implementation process was executed successfully. Here is what they both had to say:
The team at UtilityClick had this to say:
"We were delighted to be selected as the preferred software provider for Advantage Utilities. They are one of the top TPIs in the country and go about things in the right way for their customers. They share our principles with respect to how the energy industry is changing and why servicing end-user customers is more than just about giving them the best price.
Our system is continuing to evolve to become as automated and efficient as possible. Not just on procurement, but across bureau and energy management services too. Advantage Utilities provide first-class, comprehensive services to their customers and we’re really excited to be working with a professional, future-focussed, friendly company who can help us to continue to enhance our system."
Advantage Utilities had this to say:
"After using various connected systems to manage our business for 20 years we had been looking at ways of achieving more efficiencies, streamlining systems, consolidating our data and finding faster ways to service our customer base within the business. After much research and testing in the market we decided to deploy UtilityClick as our preferred software partner.
From the very first introduction the team at UC were both very knowledgeable and understanding of us and our requirements. The software has allowed us to centralise all our data, speed up the time it takes to produce quotes and allowed us to incorporate our complex energy financial statements directly into the system when this used to take weeks.
Although we are still a relatively new partner, UC have already made several changes to the software that we require and work with us on a daily basis to improve the functionality. I look forward to working with UC for many years to come and advise anyone looking at Utilities Broker software to speak with UtilityClick."
Latest articles...
Development Update – August 2023
August has been all about Data Data and more Data. Both improving the way our software…
Development Update – July 2023
In July we took another giant step forward as we transferred to a database that can…
Enter your email below and we’ll write to you about once every 2-3 weeks.