Cargas Energy Supports Exponential Growth for EnergyUnited Propane

EnergyUnited provides propane services through 14 locations to 25,000 customers throughout 74 counties in North and South Carolina.

The company needed an industry software solution that would stay in step with its propane business’s growth. When its previous software provider couldn’t keep up, EnergyUnited began looking for alternatives.

Company Profile

Founded 1977

Serves North and South Carolina

Provides: Residential and Commercial Propane, Electric, and Energy Services

The Challenge: Outdated and Undependable Software

Darrin Shaffer, Director of Operations at EnergyUnited Propane, said the software the company previously used hindered productivity and caused frustration.

He shared that the outdated system resulted in downtime and stress because it lacked the functionality they needed.

“It didn’t allow multiple users to be in the system simultaneously and created lock-out situations,” explained Shaffer. “Also, we couldn’t get the insights we wanted out of it.”

As they became increasingly dissatisfied, management began to look for other options.

According to Shaffer, the criteria on which EnergyUnited would ultimately base its decision included:

  • The solution would need to be user-friendly and provide a better overall user experience.
  • It would need to allow multiple people into the system (and accounts) at the same time.
  • It would need a cloud-based client so that it could work on all types of internet-connected devices.
  • It would have to integrate and interface with other systems more effectively.
  • It would need to be able to track and monitor service and delivery personnel.

The Solution: Cargas Energy Software and Integrations with Key Third-Party Software Platforms

After looking at three different software providers, EnergyUnited chose Cargas Energy.

“Cargas Energy’s software wasn’t the cheapest, but after looking at the entire package of what we could get from it, we realized it would be the wisest investment for our company’s bottom line,” Shaffer said.

According to Shaffer, one of Cargas Energy software’s primary differentiators is that the platform works on a broader variety of hardware (e.g., Windows and Android). This has allowed the company to take advantage of its wireless provider’s equipment deals on Android devices (rather than incur the higher cost of tablets that run Windows) while taking full advantage of Cargas Energy’s Mobile Delivery and Mobile Service applications.

“Cargas’s level of user support and service was a differentiator, as well,” shared Shaffer.

The implementation process ramped up on May 9, 2016, and on August 1, 2016, the solution went live.

The Cargas Energy features that EnergyUnited Propane is using include:

  • Back-office software for customer service and customer account management, delivery routing and dispatching, and work order creation and dispatching
  • Mobile applications for their delivery drivers and service technicians
  • LCR II meter integration to print delivery tickets onsite
  • Automated payment processing (ACH/Credit Card), using a third-party for online payment processing
  • Trimble Maps (formerly ALK maps) for turn-by-turn navigation

Integrations with other software platforms that EnergyUnited uses include:

  • Destwin Web Portal – This integration feeds back-office data from Cargas Energy into an online customer portal to enable better customer service and facilitate customer satisfaction.
  • A.R.M. Collections – This accounts receivable management software integration transmits past-due customer account information in Cargas Energy to A.R.M. to begin the collections process.
  • Silicon Controls Tank Monitoring – With tanks equipped with meters that transfer data to the Cargas Energy software, EnergyUnited can see accurate readings on tanks and determine when fills are needed.
  • Statement & Invoice Outsourcing – Propane customers’ billing statements are processed through Cargas Energy and then electronically sent to a third-party vendor to produce statements that look the same as EnergyUnited’s electric statements to ensure brand consistency across product lines.

“Cargas Energy has allowed us to move from an inefficient paper-based service process to an automated one. We can now bill customers faster and collect more revenue.”

—Darrin Shaffer, Director of Operations

Results

EnergyUnited has increased productivity and profitability since the implementation of the Cargas Energy solution.

Shaffer said the automated system has freed up customer service staff to answer more calls because they can see the information they need to see without getting locked out of the system or bogged down by a slow connection.

“Cargas Energy has allowed us to move from an inefficient paper-based service process to an automated one. We can now bill customers faster and collect more revenue,” explained Shaffer.

“Before, techs would either handwrite an invoice after a service call or tell the customer we’d put a bill in the mail. Often, neither would happen, and we would never collect that money. Year over year, that lost revenue was adding up.”

Now, service technicians can electronically generate an invoice at the point of sale using their mobile device. In 2017, the on-site billing capability increased labor revenue by 100% over 2016. In 2018, EnergyUnited increased its services revenue by another 100%.

The tank monitoring data available through Cargas Energy has also helped the company’s bottom line immensely.

“Although we just recently installed the first 1,000 tank monitors and won’t see the full results until after this winter, we anticipate the change will have a significant impact. Out of 75,000 stops per year at customer sites, 15,000 to 18,000 end up being unnecessary because the customers didn’t need to have their tanks filled. It costs us between $50 to $60 to back into a driveway to check tanks. Many customers are sporadic users, so it is hard to predict when they need a delivery. With the tank monitoring in place, dispatchers don’t have to guess. They know what’s in their customers’ tanks and whether they need to make a delivery,” Shaffer said.

EnergyUnited is also using information it gets through Cargas Energy to improve its delivery route efficiency. With the software, the company can track real-time route progress, arrange routes around traffic conditions, and more. According to Shaffer, “Delivery efficiency is a key factor in maximizing profitability.”

Reflections on the Cargas Energy Experience

With the operational and administrative capabilities of the Cargas Energy software, EnergyUnited has been able to concentrate on becoming a more service-focused company.

“The efficiency we’ve gained is allowing us to expand our drivers’ skill sets and train them to be technicians and installers.,” shared Shaffer.

He said none of that would be possible without a software solution to support those efforts.

“We appreciate that Cargas is forward-looking and always seeking input about how to update and improve their platform. They keep a pulse on today’s environment and are willing to evolve as our needs change.”