Mktg: Hi, I'm planning on moving into a place with friends and I'm looking for the best energy deal, but we don't know exactly where it will be.
E.ON: If you want a rough quote, you can go on price-comparison sites such as energyhotline.com, which is the independent one set up by the governing bodies of the industry.
It will give you a full list in cost order of tariffs. Moneysupermarket.com is also quite reputable for this industry.
Mktg: The reason I phoned E.ON first was because I heard you are freezing prices.
E.ON: British Gas have announced they are likely to put prices up by 15% before winter, so we've assured our customers we have no intention to increase prices in 2012. We also offer fixed deals for longer periods - we do one to June next year and one to May the following year.
Mktg: What concerns me is you raising prices in 2013.
E.ON: If between now and the end of December everyone else put their price up by 15%, the likelihood is we would put our prices up next year. If no one else puts their prices up apart from British Gas, that just signifies there's no need for a price rise. Most people are considering going for a variable rate and then, toward the back of the year, looking at a fixed deal.
Mktg: Why are British Gas putting their prices up?
E.ON: Only British Gas would be able to advise you on why they made that announcement. It might be a case they've done that to scaremonger people onto fixed deals - I don't know.
Mktg: Why are energy bills so expensive - is it a case of wanting to make lots of profit?
E.ON: As a company in the residential market we have not made a profit for the past two years. All the profit in the industry is made in the wholesale market.
Mktg: OK, great, thanks for clearing things up.
VERDICT: 8 out of 10
The call-handler dealt with some contentious issues quite cleverly and put forward a persuasive argument for choosing E.ON, while planting a seed of doubt about the motives of rival British Gas.