Businesses, the media, trade associations and intermediaries representing businesses have all been moaning (justifiably most would agree) about the increasing power of the Big Six energy companies. In practice, against the background of fairly arduous economic situation for all, suppliers have been ‘digging in their heels’ and now their strategic positioning; it’s no longer about acquiring new customers, rather squeezing increasing margins out of the ones that they already have and of course dumping customers where the required margins are missing.

Where does that leave intermediaries and their clients and the trade associations that support them? The lobbying of Ofgem and BIS, The Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles, even Vince Cable is successful only to a limited degree. Ofgem is a good place to start. Consider the actual facts of the situation, Ofgem was never put in place to sort out our grievances with Suppliers. Their stated role of ensuring a competitive market, in truth has largely been achieved. They have already changed direction to focus on the longer term Carbon Efficiency of the whole National Electricity distribution network, thereby ultimately providing end users with the real opportunity to reduce consumption and improve efficiency.

Perhaps we shift our focus to increasing knowledge and skills levels and making sure our clients need our relationships. The market place is not so much becoming more sophisticated, rather more fragmented and complicated. We need to get to grips with metering as a service area for clients, similarly CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Agency responsibilities, Energy management guidance and advice. Don’t get me wrong, it’s already turning into a ‘buggers muddle’ with AMR/Smart metering and interoperability issues and inconclusive standards, the CRC monster is lurching into life with the Environment Agency’s helpful guidelines and documentation which literally would take weeks to read and digest. The reality for Intermediaries is that these are enormous opportunities to cement our relationships with clients. Who do you think can look after them better, providing them with real commercial choices – us or the suppliers? You make your own mind up.