Many of Global Energy’s clients come to us through strong word-of-mouth. Miss Zhou – a hardworking Queens businesswoman – is a case in point. Her family has owned a successful Laundromat for more than 15 years. She not only received better rates through Global Energy, but we also helped extricate her business from a highly deceptive previous agreement.
Bait & Switch Tactics
When she first contacted us in 2011, Miss Zhou was wary of all energy providers because she’d was being mistreated by her current vendor.
This relationship had turned sour after they quoted a low price, signed her business to a contract, and then consistently charged a much higher rate on the laundry’s monthly bill. After the contract with this vendor ended, she signed a new one with Global Energy.
However, determined to keep her business at any cost, someone pretending to be Miss Zhou called her utility requesting that she stay with her previous provider for another month.
Once this initial deception was cleared up, it happened again, resulting in confusion all around. The utility asked Miss Zhou to visit their offices with her photo ID to authenticate her identity and substantiate her decision to switch providers to Global Energy.
Fighting Deceptive Practices
多 谢
With our help, Miss Zhou wrote a letter to the Public Service Commission to report the sham, voice her complaints about the previous energy service provider, and ask (again!) that they finally cancel her service and pay damages for her inconvenience and the provider’s deceptive practices.
Faced with no alternatives, her old ESCO offered her $600 in cash to resolve the situation and also stopped interfering with the Laundromat’s gas service agreement.
We add that Global Energy refused any form of payment for our additional assistance.
Confidence Restored/Consumers Educated
Now, after several years with Global Energy, Miss Zhou says the most important aspect of the relationship isn’t even our low, reliable rates; it’s the “honesty and great service” she receives. She adds: “Global’s Chinese representative is really helpful.”
Global Energy takes pride in our work with small business owners in the neighborhoods adjacent to our Rego Park offices.
Immigrants are vulnerable to deceptive business practices while they establish their businesses and work to learn English. Our caring multilingual agents frequently help educate members of their communities. After spending time with Global’s representatives, they know how to read their energy bills and have a much better understanding of potentially shady business practices.