As we move into colder weather and the heaters come on, more households are at risk of ‘bill shock’ from their electricity bills. To counter this, Melbourne-based power company Sumo Power has introduced an ‘unlimited’ energy contract, or so to speak, providing as much energy as your household needs for one fixed price.
Sumo isn’t the first to think about providing and billing electricity in a new and interesting way, though it’s the first to offer energy on this ‘all you can eat’ basis. The price per month is unique to each household, of course, and is calculated and agreed upon based on six months of your energy consumption history. This can be paid annually, biannually or quarterly, and is available no matter whether you’re a new customer or you’re already with Sumo.
“By asking a few simple questions upfront, we’ve been able to offer customers the freedom to use all the power they need for 12 months for one fixed price and so eradicate bills,” said Sumo Power’s founder, Dominic Capomolla. “Bill shock is the single biggest customer gripe in the electricity market. In the vast majority of occasions the bills are correct, but people are just so busy they don’t realise they’re using more power.”
The company is only a year old, born from a “shared distaste of current energy providers” and the idea to create an energy company that was more focussed on the needs of consumers. Sumo’s team is assembled from a group of experts in the energy industry, who Capomolla says “had big corporate gigs but weren’t satisfied and wanted to do something different.”
He does acknowledge the risks inherent in this kind of business model, but he believes that people’s consumption habits won’t change dramatically even with ‘all you can eat’ power at their fingertips.
With climate change and greenhouse gas emissions a concern now more than ever, there is a possibility that this kind of plan could lead to unnecessary and mindless consumption of energy, which is worrying when so much of Australia’s electricity is still supplied through unsustainable means. Sumo plans to introduce a handful of green initiatives in the coming months, however, including halogen light replacements and rooftop solar installations.
You can find out more about Sumo’s All You Can Eat service here.
Comments
4 responses to “Sumo Power Launches ‘All You Can Eat’ Energy Contracts”
Not available in QLD
Well this is a kick in the balls to every eco warrior on the planet!
As Melbourne is so reliant on gas. Chances are it won’t make much difference as your heating is gas.
Melbourne yes, but much of Victoria doesn’t have mains gas. This is definitely compelling for someone like me who is stuck on bottled gas, and therefore all electric heating.
Email to Sumo Power 28.1.17
Hi, yesterday I was contacted by one of your salespeople George. He did his job impeccably as your company would expect but please spare me the utter lies, deceit and false statements.
REGARDLESS of what George or his pathetic manager (who I hung up on) may say, pretend to sell etc, this is an EXTREMELY high pressure sales pitch and one going against the so called ethics of your company.
So much for your management being anti energy companies.
I would rather pay more and know what I am getting than switch to some pathetic company promising the world.
How dare you your company WASTE 20 minute’s of my time with utter rubbish (I could have just hung up earlier but why not waste your time and potentially one less sale ).
Please, please explain to me why I am required to agree to an (“contract”) agreement when all I am requesting that you supply me is documentation regarding your services and costs, when SUMO POWER contacted me!.
I will be making every effort through social media etc to make certain that the name SUMO ENERGY gets run out the door.
The previous energy company that tried something similar is fortunately not around anymore.
Not everyone is sucked in by your high pressure sales tactics.
So much for you guys being anti energy companies.
I had a look at your offer after the phone call but rejected it due to the relentless high pressure sales pitch.
Is SUMO POWER prepared to pay me for my wasted 20 minutes.
Now where to start on social media……