[email protected] / June 17, 2026

Professional Profile: Colin Alexander

Meet Schooley Mitchell Strategic Partner Colin Alexander. Originally from Buffalo, New York, Colin began his work with Schooley Mitchell in November 2025, offering business cost reduction solutions out of Tallahassee, Florida.  

If you were to ask Colin about what he finds the most rewarding about his work, he wouldn’t tell you about recognition or money. He would tell you about fostering connections with his clients.  

As a strategic partner, Colin’s approach to helping businesses reduce cost is by building strong relationships with business owners and decision makers of all kinds. Colin says that when it comes to assisting businesses, understanding the team members, learning their stories, and understanding their contributions helps strengthen his knowledge and provide effective supports that lead to meaningful savings.  

So what is it that Colin can do for your business? At Schooley Mitchell, we specialize in reducing essential business expenses through our risk-free analysis process. Our aim is to identify areas where savings can be found, while ensuring your spending is optimized. Schooley Mitchell is the largest independent cost reduction consulting firm in North America, with offices from coast-to-coast in the United States and Canada. Nearly every type of business, in every sector, can benefit from Schooley Mitchell’s business model.  

For Colin, understanding the organization’s operations, culture, challenges, and goals, helps uncover inefficiencies that may not be visible through financial data alone. Building relationships with employees across departments provides valuable insight into day-to-day processes. Such relationships help to enable the development of practical, cost-saving solutions that support productivity rather than disrupt it. This collaborative approach helps ensure recommendations are well-informed, widely supported, and aligned with the company’s long-term objectives. 

Colin’s background in business management, finance, coding, sales, and project management has contributed to his growing knowledge and skill in providing cost-reduction solutions for businesses across multiple industries. Colin aims to provide services that can assist with the challenges businesses are facing and deliver meaningful savings. This often entails finding savings on vendor expenses like telecom, waste, payment processing, small package shipping, and more, which can then be redirected towards more meaningful areas, like staff salaries, service expansions, and more.  

Aside from work, Colin enjoys spending time outdoors with his fiancé, friends, and family members. He is currently in the process of finishing his MBA from Florida State University and looks forward to graduating Spring 2027. When not found at the desk, he is traversing the globe, catching waves, or skiing down a mountain.  

 

[email protected] / May 4, 2026

Common errors with natural gas metering that may be costing you

Many businesses and organizations use natural gas for heating and other operational processes. However, this is no small expense. Apart from inefficiencies with usage, one of the main issues that leads to increased invoices with this expense are metering issues.  

In this article, we’re looking at metering issues that may be increasing your business’ natural gas expenses.  

Metering is important. 

Metering and submetering are important practices so utility companies can charge fair rates for their customers’ usage. Metering measures the energy delivered from the utility into your building or facility. Compared to a flat rate system, this means in theory, you’re only paying for what you use, on top of general fees.  

The difference between metering and submetering can be crucial for how you are billed. Metering measures the entire building or facility’s consumption. This is convenient if your business is in a standalone facility, connected to no other businesses or residences. For multi-unit buildings, submetering can be preferential. Submetering is used to measure the amount of energy for a specific purpose or area within the building. 

Some organizations with standalone facilities may still use submetering. For example, property management companies or higher education institutions may want to submeter their units.  

What are common mistakes with natural gas metering or submetering? 

There are many common mistakes that might result in billing errors when it comes to your natural gas expenses. These are mistakes made by the utility, not the customer. These include: 

  • Improper installation: when a meter is installed improperly, it will likely impact the accuracy and consistency of readings. 
  • Failing to perform regular calibration: this is when, after a meter is installed and running, the utility doesn’t perform regular checks to ensure it doesn’t drift out of calibration. Over time, it’s natural for certain components to shift or wear down, but this can lead to inaccurate readings. 
  • Improper readings in cold weather: change in temperature, specifically in cold environments, can provide inaccurate readings. This is especially hard on your budget, as you’re likely already spending more during these months.  

What steps can you take to prevent meter reading issues? 

While some errors are mistakes by the utility, some are also customer related. Or can at least be prevented by the customer. These include: 

  • Obstructions or blockages: sometimes, obstructions and blockages can impact fluid flow or cause inaccurate or inconsistent readings. 
  • Sensor fouling: depending on your environment, your meter might be prone to build ups like calcium, magnesium, grime, oil, slime, or more. It could also rust over time. This can impact the readings. 

In conclusion… 

For businesses using natural gas, metering and submetering are important parts of your invoice process. However, errors and damage can lead to inflated costs over time.  

[email protected] / May 4, 2026

Common errors with natural gas metering that may be costing you

Many businesses and organizations use natural gas for heating and other operational processes. However, this is no small expense. Apart from inefficiencies with usage, one of the main issues that leads to increased invoices with this expense are metering issues.  

In this article, we’re looking at metering issues that may be increasing your business’ natural gas expenses.  

Metering is important. 

Metering and submetering are important practices so utility companies can charge fair rates for their customers’ usage. Metering measures the energy delivered from the utility into your building or facility. Compared to a flat rate system, this means in theory, you’re only paying for what you use, on top of general fees.  

The difference between metering and submetering can be crucial for how you are billed. Metering measures the entire building or facility’s consumption. This is convenient if your business is in a standalone facility, connected to no other businesses or residences. For multi-unit buildings, submetering can be preferential. Submetering is used to measure the amount of energy for a specific purpose or area within the building. 

Some organizations with standalone facilities may still use submetering. For example, property management companies or higher education institutions may want to submeter their units.  

What are common mistakes with natural gas metering or submetering? 

There are many common mistakes that might result in billing errors when it comes to your natural gas expenses. These are mistakes made by the utility, not the customer. These include: 

  • Improper installation: when a meter is installed improperly, it will likely impact the accuracy and consistency of readings. 
  • Failing to perform regular calibration: this is when, after a meter is installed and running, the utility doesn’t perform regular checks to ensure it doesn’t drift out of calibration. Over time, it’s natural for certain components to shift or wear down, but this can lead to inaccurate readings. 
  • Improper readings in cold weather: change in temperature, specifically in cold environments, can provide inaccurate readings. This is especially hard on your budget, as you’re likely already spending more during these months.  

What steps can you take to prevent meter reading issues? 

While some errors are mistakes by the utility, some are also customer related. Or can at least be prevented by the customer. These include: 

  • Obstructions or blockages: sometimes, obstructions and blockages can impact fluid flow or cause inaccurate or inconsistent readings. 
  • Sensor fouling: depending on your environment, your meter might be prone to build ups like calcium, magnesium, grime, oil, slime, or more. It could also rust over time. This can impact the readings. 

In conclusion… 

For businesses using natural gas, metering and submetering are important parts of your invoice process. However, errors and damage can lead to inflated costs over time.  

[email protected] / May 4, 2026

Common errors with natural gas metering that may be costing you

Many businesses and organizations use natural gas for heating and other operational processes. However, this is no small expense. Apart from inefficiencies with usage, one of the main issues that leads to increased invoices with this expense are metering issues.  

In this article, we’re looking at metering issues that may be increasing your business’ natural gas expenses.  

Metering is important. 

Metering and submetering are important practices so utility companies can charge fair rates for their customers’ usage. Metering measures the energy delivered from the utility into your building or facility. Compared to a flat rate system, this means in theory, you’re only paying for what you use, on top of general fees.  

The difference between metering and submetering can be crucial for how you are billed. Metering measures the entire building or facility’s consumption. This is convenient if your business is in a standalone facility, connected to no other businesses or residences. For multi-unit buildings, submetering can be preferential. Submetering is used to measure the amount of energy for a specific purpose or area within the building. 

Some organizations with standalone facilities may still use submetering. For example, property management companies or higher education institutions may want to submeter their units.  

What are common mistakes with natural gas metering or submetering? 

There are many common mistakes that might result in billing errors when it comes to your natural gas expenses. These are mistakes made by the utility, not the customer. These include: 

  • Improper installation: when a meter is installed improperly, it will likely impact the accuracy and consistency of readings. 
  • Failing to perform regular calibration: this is when, after a meter is installed and running, the utility doesn’t perform regular checks to ensure it doesn’t drift out of calibration. Over time, it’s natural for certain components to shift or wear down, but this can lead to inaccurate readings. 
  • Improper readings in cold weather: change in temperature, specifically in cold environments, can provide inaccurate readings. This is especially hard on your budget, as you’re likely already spending more during these months.  

What steps can you take to prevent meter reading issues? 

While some errors are mistakes by the utility, some are also customer related. Or can at least be prevented by the customer. These include: 

  • Obstructions or blockages: sometimes, obstructions and blockages can impact fluid flow or cause inaccurate or inconsistent readings. 
  • Sensor fouling: depending on your environment, your meter might be prone to build ups like calcium, magnesium, grime, oil, slime, or more. It could also rust over time. This can impact the readings. 

In conclusion… 

For businesses using natural gas, metering and submetering are important parts of your invoice process. However, errors and damage can lead to inflated costs over time.