2023 SUMMER CHECKLIST
16 Things Every Fuel Dealer Should Do Before Summer Ends
INTRODUCTION
Summer’s not just for fun in the sun. Now’s the time to tackle all the critical projects you had to set aside during the busy heating season and make sure you’re set up for success this year.
Here’s a list of the top projects you should prioritize this summer.
PROJECTS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS
1 | ENCOURAGE WILL-CALL CUSTOMERS TO SWITCH TO AUTOMATIC
If will-call customers are adding unexpected detours to routes, encourage those customers to change to automatic delivery. Incentives such as better pricing and special discounts can inspire will-call customers to make the jump.
CARGAS TIP:
Audit all of your customer data. Pricing plans, contact information, and other vital data will change over one year. Verify the accuracy of your account data with customers. Customer portals can keep this data organized.
2 | FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS STAYING ON WILL-CALL
Not every customer is ready to sign up for automatic deliveries. If a customer is reluctant to switch to automatic, make it easier to order fuel by implementing self-service portals. This also helps your team stay on top of customer needs, saving time and stress.
3 | REVIEW PRICING PLANS AND K-FACTORS FOR AUTOMATIC CUSTOMERS
Summer is the perfect time to evaluate your pricing plans and stay ahead of your competition. Examine how your delivery costs compare to those of your competitors. You should also audit K-factors for your automatic delivery customers to ensure that your winter fills will be as efficient as possible.
4 | COMPLETE SUMMER OR FALL FILLS
To even out winter demand, consider summer or fall fills where it makes sense. Pull ahead based on K-factor and tank size, so you can schedule optimal drops for certain customers early in the fall.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY CARGAS
This report is proudly presented by Cargas, the creator and provider of Cargas Energy fuel delivery software. With tools for fuel delivery, customer service, HVAC service, and cylinder exchange operations, Cargas Energy helps fuel dealers do more with the resources they already have so they can grow their businesses.
PROJECTS FOR YOUR BUSINESS & TEAM
5 | CHECK YOUR RESERVES
Think about your reserves as you calculate and purchase the fuel you need for the season. Does it make sense to have a little extra in your reserves this year, or do you plan to run a little leaner?
CARGAS TIP:
Cross-train your team. Do you have coverage if one of your team members is out during the winter? Cross-training employees with similar roles, like a service dispatcher and a delivery dispatcher, helps you prepare for an emergency situation. Beyond cross-training in technical skills, you can also offer resources to train employees on your existing software.
6 | EVALUATE YOUR GROWTH STRATEGY
Conduct your due diligence to see if you have the time and resources for any acquisitions prior to winter. Now is the time to evaluate candidates or onboard a new company into your holdings. This is also a good time to expand your capabilities, such as incorporating HVAC service into your offerings.
7 | CREATE AN ONBOARDING PLAN FOR SEASONAL EMPLOYEES
Finding seasonal employees to help during winter can be challenging. Make things easier for your team by creating a standard onboarding process. Seasonal employees will have a clear image of what the job entails, and your team will be better equipped to hire and train winter employees.
8 | REVIEW YOUR PROCESSES
Before you have a flurry of deliveries to manage, consider what went well and what didn’t last year. Step through your main business processes and look for areas where you might be able to make improvements or gain efficiencies. If your software gained new features, this is the time to explore what’s new and implement it into your processes.
PROJECTS FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT & FLEET
9 | EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
For companies with HVAC departments, encourage your service customers to schedule maintenance for their heating appliances before it gets cold. For fuel dealers, it’s time for tank monitor maintenance, tank swaps, and tank painting.
CARGAS TIP:
Expand your tech stack. Depending on the size of your fleet, it may be worth investing in fleet maintenance software to manage your maintenance schedule during the winter and all year round.
10 | FOLLOW A TRUCK MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
Summer is the perfect time to clean up your trucks and prepare them for harsh winter weather. You should also develop and follow a preventative maintenance schedule that keeps up with seasonal demand.
11 | FORECAST NEEDS
Are all of the parts on your service vans necessary? Look at legacy data to evaluate which tools your team prioritizes. You can always sell excess equipment or purchase more essentials.
12 | AUDIT YOUR DISPATCH BOARD
Consider overhauling your dispatch board if your list of service-related tasks becomes unmanageable during the summer months. Creating categories or filters to help you view one type of job at a time or to separate customer service work from your maintenance tasks can keep your team organized.
PROJECTS FOR YOUR SOFTWARE
13 | COMPLETE A SOFTWARE CHECKLIST
When do new features roll out for your business solutions? Make sure your IT team is prepared to handle regular updates to minimize downtime.
CARGAS TIP:
Experiment with new software. Are there other tools you’d like to consider for your business? Use this time to explore and implement new systems to support your team and customers. Do tank monitors make sense for you? Do you need better ways to communicate with your customers? Develop a technology roadmap and use the summer months to implement it.
14 | REVIEW & UPDATE REPORTS
What metrics do you like to look at to evaluate your performance during the heating season? Take the time to revise or build your reports now so they’re ready to go by the time you need to use them.
15 | MOVE YOUR CREDIT APPLICATIONS ONLINE
Eliminate the manual work of managing hundreds or thousands of credit applications on paper. A small investment in e-signature software makes the process quick and easy for you and your team.
16 | EVALUATE SELF-SERVICE TOOLS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS
Online and mobile resources for your customers have become critical investments for fuel marketers. By adopting and fleshing out a customer portal and other self-service tools, you can empower customers to take action when they need a refill or have a question—which saves your team plenty of time.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
Completing all sixteen of these projects in just one summer may not be feasible for some fuel delivery companies. We recommend sitting down with your team at the start of summer to identify the projects that they want to tackle.
USE OUR PRE-CHECKLIST TO GET THE JOB DONE:
Identify your top priorities
Break bigger projects down into smaller, more achievable steps
Make an action plan and assign responsibilities
Gauge progress as the summer continues and adjust plans accordingly
MORE RESOURCES
Recent Articles
Check out our blog for helpful information about the role technology plays in the energy industry.
Buyer’s Guide
Download our complete guide to Cargas Energy and purchasing new back-office and mobile software.
Fuel Delivery Webinar
Watch our Fuel Delivery & Customer Service Webinar to see Cargas Energy in action.
HOW DID WE DO?
Do you agree with our suggestions or tips? Want to know how Cargas Energy can help? Drop us a line and let us know what you think! We’d love to connect with you.