Energy & Utilities Insights
Insights
Actionable insights for the sector's most pressing topics
Challenges like rising debt, sustainability targets, and regulatory reforms are driving suppliers to fundamentally rethink how they operate. At the same time, these shifts present opportunities to differentiate, drive innovation, and enhance customer service. As organisations attempt to balance financial performance with compliance and customer satisfaction, staying ahead of competitors is crucial.
Leveraging the deep expertise of our industry specialists, we help energy and utilities providers to tackle these challenges, and capitalise on opportunities shaping the future of the sector.
INSIGHTS
Energy & Utilities
New smart GSOP rules will cost suppliers over £100m per year
Smart meter performance has always mattered, but from early 2026, it will matter in an entirely different way. The introduction of new Guaranteed Standards of Performance rules for smart meters will turn what were previously frustrating customer experiences into immediate, automatic financial liabilities.
Reverse migration is a threat to customer experience and MHHS success
The first tranche of suppliers entering Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) go-live represents a significant milestone. This blog focuses on why reverse migrations carry real operational and customer-experience risks, what early adopters are already seeing, and what suppliers can do now to reduce disruption.
Three steps to improve collections as debt continues to rise
In this second article about reducing debt, we’re building on the short-term actions we shared in part one. We’re also featuring the stories and results from a few of our clients to help you take action, including how we delivered ~£50m benefit in 6 months. Being more proactive with your own debt will help you boost collections, improve systems and protect your organisation from future market changes, reforms and challenges.
How to protect customers and profits as household water debt reaches £2bn
Water debt now exceeds £2bn, while customer satisfaction is at an eight-year low, and regulatory pressure continues. It's making collections increasingly difficult, and placing further strain on bottom-line performance. Over the next two articles, we're looking at what it'll take to address this problem. We'll share practical steps to strengthen debt management, improve segmentation, and deliver hidden value.
Budget 2025: What it means for energy and utilities
The Budget delivers a £150 reduction in household energy bills from April 2026 through temporary Exchequer funding of the Renewables Obligation (RO) and the end of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). The RO relief is temporary however, and expected increases in other non-commodity costs will continue to pressure bills in the medium term. Today’s announcement should therefore be seen as short-term relief.
How to reduce B2B energy debt today and build future resilience
B2B energy debt continues to rise, now expected to stand at £2bn, putting cashflow and capital adequacy under further strain for suppliers. Over the next two articles, we're looking at what it'll take to address this problem.
Delivering exceptional customer service in today's B2B energy market
In today’s B2B energy market, exceptional service is a key differentiator. This article explores how empowering frontline agents with the right tools, authority, and coaching can improve customer experiences, reduce complaints, and deliver measurable business results.
Energy debt hits record £4.43bn as doubts grow over interventions
Ofgem's latest figures show domestic energy debt has reached a record £4.43bn, increasing by £0.73bn in the past year, and £0.3bn in the past three months. It's the 11th consecutive quarterly rise, reinforcing the urgent need for targeted support.
How integrated AI and automation is finally solving utilities' operational headaches
AI and automation are becoming mature enough to solve long-standing challenges in utilities. In this article, we share how to cut costs, reduce failure demand, and free teams to focus on high-value work, without the common pitfalls.
Closing the gap: Four steps to boost B2B energy sales performance
Evolving customer cycles, stronger competition and shifting TPI relationships are exposing pressure points in B2B sales models. We've shared four steps to boost performance in this article.
Cutting Time-to-Market with the Right Energy Partnerships
No single supplier can master every energy transition technology alone. We explore how strategic partnerships can unlock speed, scale, and innovation - turning collaboration into a decisive competitive advantage.
Will MHHS Break or Build the Customer Relationship?
With the October 2025 milestone approaching, Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement is set to transform how suppliers use customer data. Our latest insight explores whether MHHS will strengthen trust and unlock value - or risk becoming a compliance burden.
Energy & Utilities
Meet the Team
Ian Barker
Managing Partner
Ian shapes the BFY vision and inspires our team to bring it to life, while remaining central to complex client engagements in Strategy, Commercial, and Operations.
Rachel Littlewood
Director
Rachel leads our operational and financial turnaround engagements, helping to solve complex operational challenges while maximising commercial performance and customer outcomes.
Kelly Payne
Director
Kelly helps clients achieve operational excellence to improve customer outcomes, employee engagement, and optimising cost to serve.
Kevin Scott
Director
Kevin leads client engagements with a laser focus on empowering clients to navigate large-scale events and market challenges.
Energy & Utilities
Our Impact
Strategic analysis identifies ~£103m in opportunities for energy retailer
We delivered strategic analysis for a large energy retailer, identifying up to ~£103m in incremental revenue opportunities, through a comprehensive Market Scan Analysis and Sales Channel Maturity Assessment.
Cash recovery initiatives deliver ~£275m benefit for large Energy supplier
Our debt team supported a large Energy supplier with recovering their cash position, achieving a total benefit of ~£275m through collaborative initiatives.
£8.5m cash collection for large energy retailer
We helped a large energy retailer to generate immediate in-year debt benefits through tactical interventions. Our programme delivered ~£4.5m in Bad Debt benefit and ~£8.5m in cash collection, all while maintaining customer and productivity measures within the operation.
Large energy supplier avoids ~£7.5m in complaints costs
We supported a large energy supplier with a transformation programme, looking at how they can manage their complaints inflow and address the growing backlog. The programme transformed their complaints capability and resulted in ~£7.5m in cost avoidance.
Collections improvements deliver ~£5m cash for Water retailer
We supported a B2B Water retailer with a series of collections improvements, achieving a cash uplift of ~£5m in five months.
Tactical debt improvements deliver ~£7m cash for large Energy retailer
A large Energy retailer was facing significant challenges with customer debt, requiring improvements to their collections processes to mitigate this. Their total debt was ~£100m at the time of engaging BFY, with communication gaps present across the customer debt journey.
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