TARIFF ANALYSIS OVERCHARGES

HOW OVERCHARGES OCCUR

In tariff analysis, we understand how many companies go to great lengths to implement measures to reduce utility consumption. But they don’t realize that those measures could be undercut if they are still overpaying for that consumption. Through tariff analysis we deduce whether the overcharges are reduced through conservation efforts or not.

In tariff analysis we analyze the utility companies as well as your bill. Utility companies—like other investor owned companies—are under increasing pressure to do more with less. The hand-holding of customers that used to exist is no longer available for small and medium sized customers. Our tariff analysis from McKenzie & Associates becomes the means to represent yourself fairly and knowledgably to your utility providers.

Ongoing efforts to implement deregulation are creating a regulatory climate that is increasingly complicated and dynamic.

Our tariff analysis service has repeatedly shown us that utility tariffs state that beyond certain very basic responsibilities on the utilities part, the accountability is on the customer to ensure that they are not paying more than they should for the services they receive.

While utility companies are not out to intentionally overcharge customers, many customers find that—either through utility company errors or by not understanding the intricacies of utility pricing—they are paying their utility companies more than those companies are entitled to receive. Tariff analysis analyzes the structure of these tariff to see if, indeed, this is happening.

Computers do not make errors, but people inputting data do. A simple demand read error by a meter reader can impact a customer’s bill for twelve consecutive months. Our tariff analysis catches these kinds of errors. Increasing utility company reliance on new technology allows for more efficient delivery of bills, but with less oversight and frequently less accuracy.

In our tariff analysis we have historically noted that a customer’s utility invoices are typically paid by AP personnel who have no training to spot overcharges—especially if these overcharges have been ongoing and do not raise a red flag in any given month.

In addition, many “overpayments” are not the result of errors, but instead are the result of the client not taking full advantage of the tariff structure and the opportunities therein.

If tariff analysis is performed on a contingency basis by a company where the customer incurs no upfront cost or risk, even if no recoveries are obtained, the client at least can move forward secure in the knowledge that they are not overpaying for their utility services.

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