A 410-store regional grocery chain
A regional grocery chain recovers $884,000 from stores' utility bills
410 stores, 2,300 meters, 14 utilities, 9 states
- overbilling identified across 46 claims
- $990,000overbilling identified across 46 claims
- refunds and credits received to date
- $884,000refunds and credits received to date
- claims accepted in full or in part
- 41 of 46claims accepted in full or in part
- from bill access to first findings report
- 21 daysfrom bill access to first findings report
The challenge
The chain paid roughly 4,900 utility bills a month through a central AP team and a bill-pay vendor. Bills were approved on due date and GL code. Nobody checked a bill against the schedule the utility was supposed to apply.
Stores had been remodeled over a decade, adding refrigeration, panels and extended hours. The controller suspected rate classes and meter records no longer matched the stores, but the team had no way to test that across 14 utilities.
What we did
Connect the bill stream
We took bill exports from the bill-pay vendor and EDI 810 feeds from the three largest utilities. First bills were normalized in week one.
Map meters to stores
Each meter was tied to a store number, lease and GL code from the real estate system, so findings landed in the right cost center.
Audit every line
Thirty-eight checks ran on every bill line. Rate class, multipliers, demand and sewer charges were recalculated from the published tariffs.
File and follow claims
We filed 46 claims under a letter of authorization, answered utility questions and tracked each one to credit or check.
Findings
| Error | What we found | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong rate schedule | Stores on a rate schedule that no longer matched their demand after remodels. | $412,000 |
| Meter multiplier errors | CT ratios on bills that did not match the equipment after panel upgrades. | $286,000 |
| Demand ratchet errors | Ratchets set by a metering fault and carried into later months. | $198,000 |
| Closed and vacant site billing | Charges on accounts for stores that had closed or relocated. | $94,000 |
Find out what your utilities owe you.
Connect bills for up to 50 meters. Get the findings report in about three weeks. Pay nothing unless money comes back.
- from bill access to first findings report
- 21 daysfrom bill access to first findings report
- of filed claims accepted by the utility in full or in part
- 94%of filed claims accepted by the utility in full or in part