Welcome to Greenfields Energy Group: Meet Eleanor, our new Account Director

We’re delighted to welcome Eleanor to Greenfields Energy Group as our new Account Director.

Eleanor brings more than 10 years of experience in the energy industry, with a background spanning account management, procurement, portfolio management and supplier relationships.

Starting her career as an apprentice in 2014, she has worked her way through the industry and developed extensive experience managing client portfolios and energy contracts.

In her new role at Greenfields, Eleanor will manage key client relationships, acting as a main point of contact and supporting clients with their procurement and commercial strategy.

We caught up with Eleanor to find out more about her career so far, what attracted her to Greenfields and her thoughts on energy procurement, client relationships and the challenges facing businesses today.

What attracted you to Greenfields Energy Group?

Greenfields is continually growing and it’s really exciting to join such a reputable company with an experienced team.

Everyone I met throughout the recruitment process, and since starting, is really passionate about their job and achieving the best results for clients.

What does your new role involve?

I’ll be managing key client relationships and being the main point of contact across various clients.

I’ll manage their procurement and commercial strategy and coordinate with the team to ensure they receive the best possible service.

What are you most looking forward to?

I’m most looking forward to working alongside the talented existing team at Greenfields and meeting my new client base.

Relationship management is the most important part of the job for me, and I’m looking forward to building relationships and trust with the clients here at Greenfields.

Can you tell us about your career so far?

I started working at Inenco back in 2014, initially as an apprentice.

On my first day, I was faced with over 900 objections to look at and obtain the reasons for. I also started a week before the October billing round, which meant I had to obtain the live dates for all October 1st starts!

I then worked my way up to being a Portfolio Manager, looking after three large supplier portfolios. I also managed flex procurement contracts, validated portfolio rates and helped build supplier relationships with water suppliers. Relationship management was very important in this role.

After this, I took a short break from energy as I moved counties. However, I missed it and decided to come back!

In my last role, I was an Account Manager at Boxfish for almost three years, which involved end-to-end management of a client portfolio.

I decided it was time for a change and the rest is history. I’m now here at Greenfields!

What are some of the biggest challenges businesses are facing when it comes to managing their energy today?

There is so much price volatility in the world at the moment that it can be difficult for businesses to forecast costs.

There are also rising overall charges, levies and non-energy charges, which can make achieving a reduction year on year difficult.

It’s vital for us here at Greenfields to keep an eye on the ever-changing market and lock in contracts at the correct time.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions businesses have about buying energy?

Many people believe that once your energy has been purchased, the job is done.

There is so much more to it. There are opportunities to save through various schemes, and having a knowledgeable energy broker on your side means your bills can be checked every month for errors and potential overcharges.

In your experience, what makes a great energy strategy?

In my opinion, it’s vital to understand the business and where the energy is consumed most. This means we can work with clients to choose the best purchasing strategy available.

By purchasing your energy early, we can forecast costs as far out as possible and get a rough price for budgets, which many businesses find extremely useful.

What do you think businesses should expect from a good energy broker?

Transparency, market insight, end-to-end help with the energy purchasing process and the ability to answer any questions.

Sometimes that means having to take questions away and come back with a clear, concise answer.

Relationship management is hugely important, so businesses need to be comfortable being open and honest about their risk appetite and how they like their energy to be managed.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve seen businesses make when managing their energy contracts?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of rogue energy companies out there, which can give reputable companies like ourselves a bad name.

I’ve known clients sign contracts where they’ve paid well above the odds and not realised there were hidden costs.

What trends do you think businesses should be keeping an eye on over the next 12 months?

I believe businesses need to be looking at how they can improve efficiency and reduce costs.

There is so much uncertainty in the wholesale market due to geopolitical tensions and ongoing volatility, so businesses need to be thinking about how they can become more resilient and less exposed to fluctuations in energy prices.

If you could give every business owner one piece of advice about energy procurement, what would it be?

Gather as much data as you possibly can. There is no such thing as too much.

Energy procurement can be complicated, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and explore which options work best for you.

What’s one thing colleagues will quickly learn about you?

I’m a perfectionist and won’t give up until I get an answer to something unresolved!

Outside of work, how do you like to spend your time?

I love spending time with my fiancé, stepson and cat.

Most of my free time is spent relaxing in our new home, gaming or reading.

If you weren’t doing this job, what do you think you’d be doing?

I’ve always been interested in getting to the bottom of an issue and finding out the answer.

I probably would have gone down the career path of being an investigative journalist.

Connect with Eleanor!

Have a question or want to find out how Eleanor can help your business? Connect with her on LinkedIn or email eleanor@greenfieldsenergygroup.co.uk and she'll be happy to help.