The Standard

How this wine bar saved thousands of dollars in minutes

SAVING TIME AND MONEY: Mitchell Harris Wines managing director Alicia Linley was able to save thousands of dollars a year on their gas and electricity bills simply by talking to Beevo.
SAVING TIME AND MONEY: Mitchell Harris Wines managing director Alicia Linley was able to save thousands of dollars a year on their gas and electricity bills simply by talking to Beevo.

Story in partnership with Beevo.

When you're running a small business, there are two things you can never have enough of: time and money.

However, Ballarat's Mitchell Harris Wines recently found a way to save a lot of both.

By commissioning Beevo - a specialist service which finds great rates on a range of utilities - Mitchell Harris Wines was able to save thousands of dollars a year, all of which went back into the business.

Managing director Alicia Linley has no regrets after signing up with Beevo, saying the decision continues to pay dividends to this day.

Mitchell Harris Wines is a much loved local business in Ballarat.

Not only are they a wholesaler - selling their own wines, crafted from the grapes of the Pyrenees, Macedon, Ballarat and Henty regions - they operate an extremely popular wine bar and restaurant, which also caters for weddings and other large events.

Like all hospitality businesses, they have a lot of overheads. As such, it is absolutely essential for them to get the best possible deals on all of their utilities.

How this wine bar saved thousands of dollars in minutes
How this wine bar saved thousands of dollars in minutes

That's why for the last decade, they have undertaken the time consuming process each year of conducting a full audit of their gas, electricity and insurances accounts.

This meant reviewing their current billing arrangements and literally weeks on end of phone calls and emails back and forth to get quotes from competitors.

It was 'painful', Ms Linley explained, but it was necessary nonetheless. At least that's what she thought before she found Beevo.

"We didn't really know much about Beevo until we got a call from a lovely lady and she asked me if we'd be interested in their service," Ms Linley said.

"I said of course because it was a process I engaged in once a year anyway and it always took a very long time."

Within minutes Beevo were able to cut their electricity and gas bills by eight percent and save them close to $4,000.

How this wine bar saved thousands of dollars in minutes
How this wine bar saved thousands of dollars in minutes

They were also able to save them money on their waste management charges as well as their residential bills.

More importantly, it freed Ms Linley up to focus on other aspects of her business that required her attention, leading to an increase in productivity.

"Going with Beevo has saved me two to three weeks worth of time each year," she said.

"It has also allowed me to focus on the things I enjoy concentrating on."

These include sustainability and helping Mitchell Harris Wines achieve its goal of hitting net zero.

Ms Linley says the money they saved on utilities was reinvested in the business to help facilitate future/strategic planning. It also helped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Mitchell Harris Wines has benefited from their partnership with Beevo, they are certainly not alone.

Beevo currently services more than 50,000 businesses across Australia and collectively saves them millions of dollars each year, finding them the most competitive rates on a range of services including gas, electricity, waste management, phone, internet, cleaning and insurance.

Beevo sales manager Lilly Macdonald says while it is important for all businesses to cut down on unnecessary expenditure, it is particularly important for hospitality businesses in the current climate. Utilities is one of the best areas they can find savings.

How this wine bar saved thousands of dollars in minutes
How this wine bar saved thousands of dollars in minutes

"Electricity prices go up every single year. So, it is something you need to stay on top of. It's about paying less for the exact same service," she said.

"The reality is, all business owners are time poor... but Beevo are specialists when it comes to your utilities," she continued.

"(Signing up with Beevo) is a really simple and straightforward process. It's not going to take up too much of your time and we will likely be able to save you money.

"And, if we can't save you money on your accounts today, we'll get back to you when we can."

Signing up with Beevo takes just minutes out of your day and they regularly review your bills to ensure you're still saving money.

That's why Ms Linley says she would recommend the service to anybody.

"(My rep at Beevo) is so lovely and it's such a contrast to what it is like dealing directly with the electricity and gas companies," Ms Linley said.

"She is just delightful. It's a one stop shop and her turn around is really quick. She's exceptionally reliable; she does what she's asked; and she's really efficient. Beevo have great customer service..." she continued.

"(As a business owner) any help you can get from outside people is fantastic... (Beevo) offers a great service so I would implore everyone to go and be part of that."

For more information visit: www.beevo.com.au or call them on 1300 763 764.

Story in partnership with Beevo.