At Octopus Energy for Business, we’re always looking for ways to connect with customers.
One way we do this is by going to events and expos. They’re a great way to meet businesses face-to-face and understand how we can best help them. Both customers and non-customers tell us it’s really useful to chat to the team in-person (and they seem to appreciate our free coffee and plushies too!).
Here’s a rundown of what these events are like, why we go and the best things about them – according to the Octopus Energy for Business team.
We love getting out and meeting businesses in-person
What’s not to love? Friendly chats with amazing businesses and charities. About clean, green, great value energy. Over a nice hot cuppa. It’s just a great way to spend your day.
But it’s not only a pleasant pastime – it’s a big part of our work. After all, connecting with customers is key to what we do.
Events are one of the best ways to make this happen. Across Britain, venues host expos and shows for businesses.
Sometimes, they’re for a specific industry. Sometimes, they’re for all types of organisations. But one thing’s always true: the attendees need energy.
That’s where we can help.
Why do we go to events to talk about business energy?
There are loads of great reasons. Here are just a few:
They let us connect with more lovely businesses
Outside of events, we speak to hundreds of business customers every day – and we love doing it. But, events are a tad different.
They give us a chance to speak to businesses that we don’t supply. That means we can hear from all sorts of new people. So, it’s a great way to learn about a diverse range of energy experiences.
They’re a chance to show the world that we’re super keen
On energy that’s clean and lean. And how we’re bringing more green. To the energy scene! 🎤
In other words, we like to spread the word about how we can help businesses with their energy. Events are a fantastic way to do that 😇
They help us to get better
Speaking to businesses about their energy – what they like, what they wish were different – helps us to make sure we’re offering the best experience.
On top of all this, here’s what our team had to say about why events are worthwhile:
Harriet
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“There are endless possibilities of how we can help customers and they can help us. It’s always good to hear a range of perspectives on our products and discuss with customers what else they’d like to see from us.”
Adam
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“It’s good for customers to speak to us in person rather than from behind a screen. Especially if they’re having any trouble, we can talk it out and often fix it there and then.”
Matt
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“We can get face-to-face with customers and non-customers. We learn about what they like and don’t like, and how we can tweak things so that we are better suited to their business.”
What happens at a typical event?
For us, prep begins well before the big day. Will, our Events Lead, arranges everything with the hosts. Then, as the day approaches, he ferries over all our equipment and goodies. Which includes our pop-up cafe – no mean feat!
After that, there’s no such thing as a ‘typical’ event. Once the visitors start coming in, anything can happen. You never know who you’ll meet or how the day will go. That said, there are 2 things you can be sure of: it’ll be busy and it’ll be fun!
Here’s what the team had to say about days on the stall:
Karys
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“There’s always lots of people, lots of chatting and lots of laughter.”
Daniel
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“The only typical thing about them is that they’re busy, fun and unpredictable!”
Fran
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“You don’t know who is going to turn up, what they’re going to want to speak about and what random information you’ll need to pull from your head. We do so much, and help customers in such a variety of ways, so no two customers are the same.”
What’s the best thing about these events?
There are so many great features and experiences to choose from.
For example, we love helping our customers. But we also love getting to know new people. Not forgetting the chance to give out some goodies – we love that too!
In fact, it’s too hard to choose just one thing. So, let’s go back to the team and see what they think:
Bhav
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“There’s always something to do and new people to meet. Whether you look at it as an opportunity or a fun way to interact with people, there’s always something to take away from it.”
Will
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“The main thing I love about the events we do is that people come up to us and want to share how happy they are with us as a company. It is so nice to have that feedback. We always have something new and exciting to show: whether it’s a new tariff or even just some cute merch – people love to see it all.”
Becki
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“For me, the best thing is how many existing customers we have visiting and letting us know that they’re happy with their customer journey.”
What have been the most memorable event moments?
Every event brings good times and big benefits. Generally speaking, getting out and speaking to people has made a big difference: to our products, to our staff and to the customers we’re here to support.
But within that, there are always some special moments that really keep the enthusiasm bubbling. Here are a few highlights that the team has picked out:
Harriet
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“My favourite memory was when I heard at least 20 times in one day ‘we are with Octopus and we love you guys!’. It’s very heartwarming.”
Will
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“I run competitions at the events with the most sought-after prize being a large Constantine plushy. I then have the pleasure of calling the winner, so we normally see a very smiley person heading over to pick up the prize. It’s lovely to be a part of that.”
Matt
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“I actually got interviewed at the NEC Farm Innovation Expo about Electric Match! I also met some incredible farmers and got to hear first-hand about their struggles with finding an energy supplier. Specifically, one that will listen to them and build products that help them save money, reduce emissions and make their generation work for them.”
We’ll be back out on the road before you know it
There are always more exciting events on the way. We’re looking forward to meeting more businesses and spreading the good word.
Fancy popping along to see us? Keep an eye on our LinkedIn page – we post about all our upcoming events on there.
If you can’t wait until then, head to our homepage to see how we can help you.
