Questions to ask a commercial energy broker

Which accounts and suppliers are in the process?

Ask how the broker verified choice eligibility and which legal entity will serve each utility and fuel. Request the participating supplier panel, invited providers, responses, and reasons for exclusions where relevant. Ask whether proposals are indicative or executable and when they expire. For multi-site businesses, request a meter register with contract dates and rate classes. An answer that cites only a state or ZIP code may overlook municipal, cooperative, or customer-class limitations.

How are you paid and what is included?

Request a written compensation formula, who pays it, whether it differs among suppliers, and whether any separate fees apply. Ask about renewals, minimums, and cancellation. Then ask for a component matrix covering energy, capacity, transmission, ancillary services, losses, delivery, taxes, and gas-specific charges as applicable. Request a sample bill and a high-cost scenario. The goal is to understand total economics and incentives, not merely obtain an attractive cents-per-kWh figure.

What authority and ongoing support are involved?

Ask whether the authorization allows only data retrieval or also enrollment and contract execution. Identify the internal authorized signer. Clarify who verifies acceptance, reviews first bills, handles disputes, and monitors renewal deadlines. Ask how closures, acquisitions, efficiency projects, or credit changes are addressed. For material legal or financial issues, determine when qualified specialist review is recommended. A broker’s answer should distinguish its own service obligations from the supplier’s contract and the utility’s delivery responsibilities.

Practical interview exercise

Give each candidate the same hypothetical scenario: one account may close during the proposed term, usage may fall after an equipment upgrade, and leadership needs a defined budget component. Ask for the documents and calculations that would guide the recommendation. Compare the specificity of the response, treatment of uncertainty, and willingness to disclose limits. A candidate that explains tradeoffs and missing information gives a more useful basis for approval than one that guarantees a market low without supporting terms.

Practical review checklist

• Request licensing or registration evidence where applicable, legal entity details, and a written service scope.
• Ask for supplier panel, compensation disclosure, normalized offers, and the complete agreement before approval.
• Require closure, low-usage, renewal, and exit examples using the actual proposed contract provisions.
• Assign enrollment, invoice review, dispute, and renewal duties with a named contact and backup.

Questions & answers