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Bob LaFlamme
Crowley Fuel's, Bob LaFlamme has more than 29 years of experience working in the home heating industry. Throughout that time, Bob has accumulated a lot of knowledge about how to heat your home, how best to conserve energy and how to reduce the cost of buying oil.
Bob isn't just interested in selling you oil - he also wants to give you the information you need to become a better consumer.



Have a topic you'd like to see Bob cover in his blog? Send him an Email and watch for his answer here.

Stay calm & order oil at a quarter full!

6/27/2018

12 Comments

 
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Originally published December, 2016

Bank and Tank Part II

I wrote a blog recently comparing an oil tank to a bank account and gave some reasons why it is a good idea to order your oil when you’re at one-quarter full. The message that I have today relates to the delivery side of that equation - The needs of the company delivering the oil.
 
Every business, whether they are giant retail stores or small home heating oil companies, is trying to run more efficiently to keep costs down and to be more competitive. We are all trying to get the most production from our employees and equipment.
 
Most heating oil companies do this by setting up delivery routes that maximize the amount of oil delivered in the shortest amount of time with the shortest route possible. You can imagine how this plan gets blown out when a customer who has run out of oil requires that a truck change from the planned route in order to respond to their need as soon as possible. A truck will go many miles out of their assigned route, creating a less efficient and less profitable day.
 
Another way that heating oil companies try to become more efficient is by setting minimum delivery amounts. Maximizing the amount of oil delivered at each stop on a route is the ideal way to be more efficient and profitable. We understand that this would not be ideal for customers, who would have a larger amount to pay for the maximum delivery. So oil companies set minimum deliveries, which are a compromise between the maximum delivery and the minimum. For Crowley Fuel the minimum amount is 150 gallons. This amount provides enough oil to heat most homes for a few weeks in the winter and keeps the amount to be paid down to a manageable number.
 
This is the part that relates to Tank and Bank Part I:
 
Customers must wait until their gauge reads a quarter-full before ordering!
 
Too many customers call when they are at or above half-full when they order, resulting in a delivery amount that is sometimes lower than 100 gallons. This actually makes that delivery unprofitable for the delivering company. Many companies will assess a fee for making a delivery that is lower than the minimum amount. Crowley Fuel has not resorted to that method of enforcing a minimum delivery amount.
 
We appeal to our customers to order when they are at or near a quarter-full. As explained in previous blogs, this leaves plenty of oil to heat most homes for a week or two before being in any danger of running out or of pulling deposits from the bottom of your tank.
 
For those who have trouble keeping track of how much oil is in their tank, we offer automatic delivery. It doesn't cost any more for Crowley Fuel to calculate when you will need your next delivery! Call or visit our website for details.

Bob

12 Comments
Kate Welling link
12/26/2018 02:51:27 pm

I like your tips about setting minimum delivery amounts. It makes sense that you would want to do something liked this! My husband mentioned something about getting some fuel oil delivered, and after reading this article, I think that it is a great idea!

Reply
Gillian Babcock link
3/15/2019 12:39:21 am

My dad wants to make sure that we have a proper heat source at home. It was explained here that it will be best to go to a trusted retail store or oil companies when planning to use propane. Having said that, it's recommended to hire consult experts when considering propane delivery.

Reply
Ashley Johnson link
6/6/2019 11:51:14 am

I thought it was interesting that you explained that a lot of customers will order an oil refill when they are in need of less than the minimum requirement. I would imagine that this costs the company too much in delivering fees. I would try to order an oil refill when I had reached the minimum requirement in an attempt to be courteous to the company.

Reply
Stefan Bradley link
7/22/2019 07:53:24 am

It makes sense that you should only order when your gauge shows that it is a quarter full. My uncle wants to order oil for his new home, but he isn't sure how frequently he needs to order. I'll let him know that he should check his gauge often.

Reply
Angela Waterford link
9/23/2019 10:35:13 am

One of the crucial materials that my home will need for colder weather is heating oil since I'll be using my oil boiler for most of the winter season. I think I'll order some heating oil from a good company so that I can have a good supply of it to last all year long. Thanks for letting me know that most heating oil companies set up delivery routes to make delivery fast, so I'll look for a company that has fast delivery to my area.

Reply
Shaylee Packer link
12/17/2019 05:23:14 am

It seems as though ordering a refill when your tank is one quarter full is a great idea, as you mentioned. By waiting till it is an emergency, you not only inconvenience yourself, but the truck routes as well. I will have to make sure that I keep this in mind for the future.

Reply
Tori Raddison link
12/27/2019 12:51:45 pm

I didn't know that customers had to wait until their tank was a quarter-full before ordering oil. It's helpful that you said that because this is my first time ordering oil. I guess I should wait a little longer until it's emptier.

Reply
Taylor Hicken link
2/16/2021 12:19:57 am

I appreciated it when you shared that heating oil companies attempt to become more efficient by setting minimum delivery amounts. In this way, they get to become more practical and profitable. I would like to think if a homeowner needs to get heating oil, he should consider choosing a delivery service that sets a minimum delivery amount.

Reply
Sarah Smith link
3/24/2021 08:39:13 pm

Thanks for the information on heating oil. I will start looking for a delivery service. We want to make sure that our oil doesn't get too low.

Reply
Eve Mitchell link
5/26/2021 08:57:52 am

I love the tip about ordering oil when you have a little bit left. I have considering switching to oil for my house. this info is super helpful, thank you!

Reply
John Carston link
9/12/2022 10:26:40 pm

I like the tip that you gave that you could have the delivery when you are in the front of their scheduling process. My godfather informed me yesterday that he was hoping to find the highest quality and affordable heating oil for their home heating, and he asked me if I had any ideas. I'm thankful for this enlightening article, I'll tell him that we can consult the well-known heating oil company as they can provide information about their services.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
9/17/2022 11:20:31 pm

I appreciated you pointing out that oil companies can be more efficient and profitable by maximizing oil delivery. My friend is opting for propane in their household. She's even looking for a company that provides propane tank delivery in their area.

Reply



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Crowley Fuel
8 Mill St.
​North Brookfield, MA 01535
508-867-6740

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8am - 4:30pm 
Phone: 508-867-6740
Fax: 508-867-6871

© 2017 Crowley Fuel Company, Inc.
8 Mill Street - PO Box 55
North Brookfield, MA 01535
​
​Serving the Central Massachusetts area including Brookfield, East Brookfield, West Brookfield, North Brookfield, Gilbertville, Hardwick, New Braintree, Oakham, Rutland, Fiskdale, Sturbridge, Ware, Warren, West Warren, Leicester, Spencer and Charlton, MA.

Contact Us

Crowley Fuel 508-867-6740
8 Mill St - PO Box 55
North Brookfield, MA 01535

​Owned & Operated By:
Tasse Fuel 508-765-0841 
​
37 Hook St.
​Southbridge MA 01550
  • Home
    • Technician Protocal covid-19
    • Corona Virus plan of action
    • Credit and delivery terms
    • Bob's Fuel for Thought Blog >
      • Archives 2018
      • Archives 2017
      • Archives 2016
      • Archives 2015
      • Archives 2014
    • Multi Fuel Discount
    • Go Green
  • Service
    • Natural Gas service
    • Service Contract
  • Oil Delivery
    • How to read an Oil gauge
    • Bioheat
    • Kerosene
    • Contracts
  • Propane Delivery & Service