How to Choose the Perfect Heating Oil Company
Like any other company… there’s good ones and there’s bad ones
There are 3 types of companies.
Some companies will fit your needs and your current situation better than others
COD COMPANIES
PRO – Cheapest fuel prices
They buy heating oil at today’s wholesale price in their local area and they work on a smaller margin of profit then the full service companies so they can sell it to you at a lower price.
CON – Nothing extra
-They sell heating oil only (NO additives) .
- It’s cash on delivery or check. (NO terms.)
-Many are 1 truck operations with ( NO technical skills ).
-If your system goes down ( NO in house service ).
- Industry jargon calls them Gypsies.
In many cases they are in business 1 year and out the next due to
slim profit margins.
WARNING – Margins are razor thin, lots of things get cut.
-Concerns about their insurance’s being paid up
(if something goes wrong on your property, who foots the bill)
-Concerns with equipment
(safety of the delivery trucks-cracks, leaks)
-Who keeping you warm if your system goes down
(no tech service available, if your system goes down you have to find a service guy on your own)
CONCLUSION - If you’re looking at price only and you’re willing to take your chances on service this is for you. You’ll get a good price but no direct service.
In other words if something goes wrong in the middle of the season it will be up to you to track down a good technician that you can count so you won’t freeze and neither will your pipes.
You can learn more of the right questions to ask (including case studies) just get the full report by signing up for alerts on the home page .
The key in all of this is to figure out what you need and match it up with the company type that makes the most sense.
Here’s what you do next...
STEP 1
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Make sure to click on the contact us link for each company you are considering to see how they match up to your needs.
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STEP 2
 To lower your risk of choosing the right company, please look for the checked by logo when evaluating heating oil, propane and kerosene companies online.
Learn more about Full Service and Hybrid
FULL SERVICE COMPANY'S
PRO – They sell both heating oil and service with a complete in-house service operation
The service guys are employees of the company so they have a direct responsibility to their customers. Normally it’s one phone call for 24-7 service. Payment and service plans are available as well as installations of new equipment.
CON – The service offered may not be good service.
-Service doesn’t mean quality service.
(make sure to check to see how they are rated on homeheatingreview.com)
-Many companies are passed on generation to generation and the entrepreneurial spark is long gone so there’s little to no innovation in service or support.
-Some may appear to be small family operations but the reality is they’re owned by huge conglomerates that see customers as numbers and not people.
WARNING – Just because they have a service department doesn’t mean that they offer good service. Like any other profession there are certain people that do a better job than others. Same holds true here.
The rage is to hook you as a new customer based on price in year 1 in what appears to be an awesome deal. Unfortunately in year 2 the prices go up and you’re paying through the nose.
CONCLUSION –A full service company is the way to go for the majority of people. It is certianly the safest of the 3 choices. But the challenge is, you’ll need to make sure they are truly full service and learn what they actually mean by full service.
You can learn more of the right questions to ask (including case studies) just get the full report by signing up for alerts on the home page .
The key in all of this is to figure out what you need and match it up with the company type that makes the most sense.
Here’s what you do next...
STEP 1
|
Make sure to click on the contact us link for each company you are considering to see how they match up to your needs.
|
|
STEP 2
To lower your risk of choosing the right company, please look for the checked by logo when evaluating heating oil, propane and kerosene companies online.
Learn more about Hybrid and COD
HYBRID COMPANIES
PRO – They have both lower close to COD prices and they offer service.
These guys can be slick. Some offer service but actually farm that service out to another company that they partner up with. Others actually have that full service department in house.
CON – You need to know what you’re getting into here and ask the right questions.
-If they farm out their service you may be taking a chance.
-Many don’t offer price or budget plans.
-You’re usually buying straight oil with no additives.
-The number of service techs are usually small so you might still get great workmanship but chances are they won’t pinpoint a solid time the service tech will be at your home.
-Many don’t understand who their customer is and what their customer really wants. That can mean they lose they focus and get off track. That’s when the customers really suffer.
WARNING – Farming out service, good or bad? Think about it… You’re a customer of the oil company yet when something goes wrong you suddenly become a customer of another company that has never heard of you or you’ve never heard of.
Some companies position it as a “specialist referral” and that makes some sense but unfortunately you’re counting on the company to make that referral and sometimes they don’t do it for the right reasons. This is when you have to trust that your oil company is doing the right thing for you.
Tech “show up” time could force you to lose a ½ day of work or more. This is true for many companies.
CONCLUSION – Prices aren’t as razor sharp as COD prices and not as high as many of the Full Service guys. You’ll get fuel but without all the extra service that you actually may need.
You can learn more of the right questions to ask (including case studies) just get the full report by signing up for alerts on the home page .
The key in all of this is to figure out what you need and match it up with the company type that makes the most sense.
Here’s what you do next...
STEP 1
|
Make sure to click on the contact us link for each company you are considering to see how they match up to your needs.
|
|
STEP 2
To lower your risk of choosing the right company, please look for the checked by logo when evaluating heating oil, propane and kerosene companies online.
Learn more about Full Service and COD
|
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