Hospiscare
Care
About the client
Hospiscare is a south west-based charity providing an all-encompassing service for people with a terminal diagnosis. With 3 hospices and 23 shops, the charity employs 160 staff and has more than 1000 volunteers offering a range of services including specialist nursing, medical treatment, carer respite, bereavement support and complimentary therapies.
The challenge
With multiple sites across Devon, Hospiscare controlled all its energy costs at HQ level. Yet with different contracts and end dates for all the sites, administration was extremely difficult and time-consuming. Hospiscare had not received renewal notices due to billing mistakes and then received an enforced increase on its gas and electricity costs of 21% and 40% respectively.
The solution
We began with a complete cost review of gas and electricity expenditure across all the client’s sites, establishing that there were a total of 21 contracts and 12 different end dates for the client to manage. Our industry knowledge and strong supplier relationships enabled us to swiftly resolve the billing issues, plus a number of additional errors which neither the supplier or Hospiscare were aware of. We prepared the evidence as proof of the errors and reclaimed the rebates the charity was owed, as well as organising the numerous suppliers and contracts into a single co-ordinated portfolio.
The results
Following the business cost review, Hospiscare achieved a reduction in electricity expenditure of £21,000 (40%) and a £3,000 (21%) reduction in gas costs. Our energy experts also reclaimed £12,600 due to the overcharges made, resulting in an overall saving of £36,000. Furthermore, a single, consolidated energy account significantly reduced administration and time, with BCR Associates continuing to manage the account on Hospiscare’s behalf.
Project summary
- Client had numerous energy contracts with different end dates and experienced a variety of billing errors
- Received notification of dramatic price increase
- Overall savings of £36,000 achieved
- BCR Associates resolved the issues, organised rebates and consolidated contracts