BizzEnergy, the UK’s leading independent energy supplier, yesterday announced the introduction of a new billing system which will make electronic billing a reality for smaller businesses.
The move, believed to be the first in the industry, will see the introduction of the XML system which allows organisations to receive bills electronically and therefore eliminates the need for manually processed paper invoices. XML offers the potential for standardised data transfers between organisations but this modern, more flexible billing solution has not previously been adopted by an energy supplier.
The new software system, which was developed and installed by TEAM, the UK’s leading supplier of energy management solutions, will enable organisations to easily access their billing data and translate it into different formats. This includes tailoring it to support their own internal systems and business requirements, such as bill validation programmes, which will enable businesses to process and validate their energy bills more cost-effectively.
The XML system changes the way that billing data is transmitted by using modern, inexpensive internet based technology providing a future proof alternative to the existing EDI industry format. While XML, like conventional forms of EDI, allows for billing data to be processed quickly and efficiently it also makes data more accessible particularly for SMEs who do not use specific software to process their utility bills. It creates the potential to view data in a standard web browser and to distribute this within the organisation if required. Data provided in XML format can also be used to populate spreadsheets, allowing for some basic analysis of consumption data.
James Constant, COO at BizzEnergy, commented: “With recent Energy Savings Trust research showing widespread confusion over energy bills, these changes hand back some control to our customers, allowing them to process their billing information in a way that best suits their individual business. We’re pleased to be able to implement a change that brings real benefit to our customers whilst also supporting wider government initiatives, including the EU End Use Efficiency Directive which aims to give all customers easier access to billing information.“
Visit the BizzEnergy website for more information on BizzEnergy.
