A company going door-to-door offering natural gas contracts to Saskatchewan residents has generated a number of complaints.
Just Energy is selling what it calls “EcoChoice,” natural gas contracts for people who want to purchase natural gas from a provider other than SaskEnergy.
However, the company’s sales practices are rubbing some people the wrong way.
The Better Business Bureau says it has been receiving 10 to 12 calls a day from people asking how they can cancel the contract.
There have also been complaints that some of the salespeople are high pressure and rude.
Saskatchewan’s Consumer Protection Division has also received some complaints, and says it’s important people know exactly what they are signing.
“Don’t feel pressured, take your time to read the contract,” said Consumer Protection Division Deputy Director Larry Wilson.
“Look for a clear understanding of what it is you’re buying. If you’re not interested, simply say so.”
Wilson says Just Energy is licensed to operate in Saskatchewan, but if there are second thoughts about signing up with the company, there is the option to cancel the contract within ten days.
“There should be a name and address contact point on the contract where you can send your notice of cancellation,” Wilson added.
Just Energy declined to provide an interview with Global News, but did respond to an emailed list of questions. The full questions and answers are below.
What type of contract and service are residents in Saskatchewan being offered?
Just Energy offers Saskatchewan residents additional choice regarding their supply of natural gas and offers them the ability to reduce or eliminate their impact on the environment. We are offering an introductory price for the first year which happens to be lower than the current SaskEnergy price and includes 20% JustGreen.
We have automatically offset 20% of their natural gas consumption through carbon credits generated locally in Saskatchewan from our Belle Plaine-based ethanol producer Terra Grain Fuels – one of the largest wheat-based ethanol facilities in North America. The Terra Grain Fuels facility is one more way that Just Energy is working to address the environmental impact of carbon emissions while also supporting local green energy projects and the local wheat farming industry. The ethanol is produced from approximately 15 million bushels of wheat purchased from local farms.
What sort of training do sales associates get before going into the field?
Just Energy is focused on providing the highest standards in sales practices. We train all of our salespeople to fulfill our customer service standards and perform regular quality assurance audits to ensure internal compliance. We have a number of other processes in place to support our relationships with consumers in the province. Among them, our sales agents carry identification clearly identifying them as representatives of the company. Our training is professionally developed and includes in-class and practical in-person training. All ICs are required to undergo background checks and are fully trained on our products and mode of conduct which cover our company’s policies and processes and requirements under the law. In addition, all of our agents are closely monitored through a separate compliance department and subject to a very strict compliance program.
There have been concerns raised to the Better Business Bureau over high pressure tactics; does the company follow up on these complaints?
We actively respond to and address any complaints we receive. As a large, international company with close to two million customers, we have a significant volume of consumer interactions every single day. When put into context, Just Energy’s service delivery continues to be strong, with a low customer complaint rate – performance acknowledged by our A- rating with the BBB. This rating represents a consolidation rate for Just Energy across all of our North American operating markets, is a direct result of the care and diligence we apply in delivering our services, and confirms the strength of our internal regulatory controls and practices. It is important to note, that recent media reports have inaccurately reported our BBB complaint rate. These reports have used the total sum of complaints filed in all of our North American markets. To date, we have only been notified of two complaints to the Better Business Bureau in Saskatchewan. We will actively investigate those two concerns and will address them appropriately, as we do elsewhere.
When customers sign a contract, how long is the term, can it be cancelled by either party?
We offer customers a 10 day cancellation period. We provide a plain-language contract, which clearly spells out the rights and obligations of signing the contract, and requires acknowledgement of those rights and obligations. Each signed contract is also subject to a third-party verification process that confirms the consumer’s intention to take on natural gas supply from Just Energy.
How often are the natural gas rates in the contract adjusted? Is the rate you sign up for at the beginning the same rate throughout?
We are offering an introductory price for the first year which happens to be lower than the current SaskEnergy price. The term is fixed at 3 or 5 years. EcoChoice includes 20% JustGreen or customers can elect 100%.
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