Centrica launches online-only service for SMEs

Centrica has launched British Gas Lite, a low-cost online electricity service for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The company said it identified a need for a simple, cost effective and flexible energy service to meet the needs of the customer group.

The service will supply free smart meters for customers and will be entirely online with a UK-based webchat team to handle customer queries instead of a call centre.

With lower operating costs, British Gas Lite said it will pass savings onto business customers, who will only pay for what they use each month.

British Gas, a subsidiary of Centrica, has partnered with cloud-based technology software company, ENSEK to launch the new service.

The partnership will allow British Gas Lite to improve its product and processes based on feedback from customers and brokers, the company said.

Rob Kerr, director at British Gas Lite, said: “Long term innovation is central to meeting the needs of our customers. Our customers have told us they appreciate the fact they can manage their account online at a time that suits them and their business.

“They also value the expertise offered by Centrica as well as the innovation of a digital-only offer with customers benefiting from lower prices.”

Jon Slade, chief executive of ENSEK, added: “The energy sector is facing a period of unprecedented change, driven largely by the number of smaller suppliers entering the market. We want to build on our work of providing market-leading software services to energy suppliers, large and small, across the UK and see the SME market as a key sector for growth for us over the coming years.”

British Gas launched its first online tariff for domestic customers with the trial tariff ‘all online Jan 2019’ in October last year.