“I knew that selecting Sparkplug as my broker software was one of the best decisions I could have made for my business!” – Brandy Pratt
Pratt Power Partners helps companies stop overpaying and start saving on their electricity.
Are you an upstart Energy Broker? Maybe you are coming out of another industry (accounting, insurance, ect.) and are interested in selling Energy products and services. Maybe you’re in Retail Energy and are going off on your own. Brandy Pratt of Pratt Power Partners was just like you. Brandy, like many brokers just starting out, was bombarded with fears of “Where do I begin? How will I accomplish this? What if I fail? How much do I need to invest? What states should I target to get licenses next? How will I get supplier relationships?”, but Brandy was determined to conquer her fears and start her own energy brokerage firm.
After Mrs. Pratts previous firm showed a lack of interest to invest in software and automation tools that would simplify the business and allow it to scale, she knew that a key element to her success would be to find the right software platform that would work for her now, as well as many years down the road.
The competitive marketplace for broker platforms was dizzying and confusing. Brandy knew her platform selection was a crucial 1st step, so she exhaustively explored ALL of her competitive options. She quickly realized there was a crucial difference between “software platforms” and “brokers that offered the use of their software.” Brandy emphasized “I wanted to be my own broker, not sell under another broker where they would take 20%-40% of my commission. My goal is to build my business and not someone else’s!”
After several months of researching, taking demos, and speaking with sales teams from various other SaaS providers, Brandy chose Enerex and to implement the Sparkplug software platform, the #1 (by far) energy brokerage management software on the market. After a year of utilizing Sparkplug’s various features and capabilities, Brandy stated:
“Enerex was the only provider in the market that was neither a broker (or associated with one) or a supplier (or associated with one). They offered a pure technology solution without a 3rd party bias so I knew I could entrust my business on their platform. They emphasized data security and trust, but what really impressed me is what they helped me with ‘beyond the technology.’ Enerex truly opens doors for brokers like me. As a new energy brokerage firm, it can be intimidating to search for a software solution. I found myself at a crossroads between Enerex’s Sparkplug and one of its competitors. After I realized the value Sparkplug could bring to my business, I knew that selecting Sparkplug as my broker software was one of the best decisions I could have made for my business.”
Like many other brokers just starting out, Brandy faced a multitude of challenges with getting her success started, but thanks to Sparkplug and Enerex’s dedicated team, she was able to hit the ground running. Enerex recently had a follow-up discussion with Brandy regarding her experience with Enerex and using Sparkplug:
Q: When considering this move into retail energy, what were the biggest fears you had?
Brandy: “One thing that kept me up at night was the problem of securing my own supplier agreements and forming lasting relationships with those suppliers. One of the greatest intangible benefits that I received from working with Enerex is their deep relationships with many of the 170 suppliers which Sparkplug supports the formats for (matricies, contract templates, and commission statements).” As Brandy stated, “Enerex is dedicated to providing all customers with the resources they need to be successful in using Sparkplug and ensures that the brokers served are properly prepared to serve their end-use customers.” Brandy went on to say that “Sparkplug helps initiate the introduction process between suppliers and brokers like me, and that was so important and time-effective for my business. The introduction process truly helped accelerate the relationship building and allowed me to focus on other parts of my business.” Brandy went on to add that “Before using Sparkplug, I had tried to form my own supplier agreements before and there were a few that I was quickly able to do on my own, but the rest of them were painstakingly slow. Enerex was able to introduce me to the key individuals at the suppliers I wanted to work with and streamline the onboarding process.”
Q: How impactful has the support of the Sparkplug team been for your business?
Brandy: “There were times when I didn’t get a response from these suppliers until I had the introduction from Sparkplug because of the supplier’s large volume of brokers trying to form relationships. Working with the Enerex team has proved to be remarkable for Pratt Power because they can expedite so many processes that were formerly manual and would take weeks to complete! When I founded Pratt Power Partners, no “how-to books” existed so I am appreciative of how Enerex has truly opened so many doors for us. As I begin to grow my business, I know that Enerex and Sparkplug will be there to help scale to Pratt Power’s needs.”
“I would be amiss if I didn’t take this time to thank Enerex for their unwavering support. I have extremely high expectations because in my earlier career I worked in software implementation and relationship management, and I can say that Enerex’s team exceeded my wildest expectations due to their responsiveness and willingness to help at any moment of the day. I can be working on renewals at 11 PM and put in a support ticket then be responded to within minutes because of their international team that works around the clock. You do not always get that level of support and responsiveness when you’re a brand-new business and are still small, but Enerex’s team makes me feel like a Fortune 500 broker.”
“Enerex is truly invested in helping brokers succeed. Their team is always evaluating what needs to be done to ensure the success of their broker customers and working to make sure we are 100% satisfied. It is no wonder their overall customer satisfaction rating continues to hit 100%.”
Brandy went on to say that “My Customer Success Manager, Dorothy Daugherty, provides a positive impact on Pratt Power’s overall success with Sparkplug. Dorothy is always there to support our team every time I need something, is very responsive, and is great at following up with us. Within small businesses, you wear many different hats and if I have a question or issue, Dorothy is a tremendous help with providing me with accurate and timely information or devising another creative solution to my problem.”
Q: How does Sparkplug help your business achieve its objectives?
Brandy: “One of Enerex’s core values is to ‘create simplicity’ and Enerex has done just that through creating software that saves times and is easy to use.” Brandy explained to Enerex how she runs with a hectic daily schedule yet still manages to be successful in her business ventures because of Sparkplug’s ability to automate processes like commission reconciliation and renewal management.” Brandy went on to say that “Sparkplug has been a life-saver when it comes to managing my business because of how time-effective it is. I have very limited time windows that I can work in because I’m a mother, wife, business owner, and have various other commitments to numerous nonprofits and other organizations, so Sparkplug’s ability to have automation over the entire process from the very beginning of the opportunity to renewals is invaluable.”
Brandy continued to say “Sparkplug’s visibility of the entire transaction process is a feature that helps Pratt Power so much because I can see when the last time was that I touched a lead, see what renewals are coming up next, and what I need to start looking into all-in-one view. Additionally, as a previous Controller, I understand that commission reconciliation can be very convoluted, but with Sparkplug, it’s an amazing feature to be able to build a reconciliation so quickly. No money is left on the table, and I can manage the whole lifecycle from the tip of my fingers within Sparkplug.”
“Additionally,” continued Brandy, “It helps tremendously that Enerex’s team is so knowledgeable about the industry from both the broker’s and supplier’s perspectives. I don’t feel like there is another broker software company that is really working to connect and automate the processes for both brokers and suppliers. Enerex’s vision of connecting the retail energy industry is a first of its kind and I can’t wait to see what they do next!”
Finding yourself in a similar situation like Brandy’s? Or, are you an established broker who is ready to increase automation, and subsequently, increase revenue? Are you ready to automate your business processes and get more time back in your day? Want to ensure you’re getting paid what you deserve and leave no more on the table anymore? Then don’t wait any longer! Click here to book a demonstration of Sparkplug, the #1 (by far) Energy Brokerage Management Software.
About Pratt Power Partners
Pratt Power Partners is dedicated to saving their customers money and time through providing a comprehensive outlook on their energy options and plans. Pratt Power Partners are the leading energy experts and continuously monitor the market so clients can maximize savings through timely renewals. As an energy broker, they are here to be your trusted energy partner.
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Sparkplug is the #1 retail energy sales platform in the world, powering over 10% of the commercial and industrial (C&I) transactions with offerings for C&I Brokerage, Aggregators, Community Choice/Municipal Aggregations, Mass Markets (D2D, Call center, Kiosk), and online shopping sites.
