In today’s digital world, your customers’ expectations have evolved dramatically. The propane industry, with its deep community roots and generational relationships, has thrived on personal connections and traditional service models. But even as these values remain core to your business, the way your customers want to interact with you is changing. It’s time to modernize your propane business for the digital consumer.
Today’s Customers Conduct Business from Their Couch
The modern customer experience has been reshaped by technology. Your customers are managing their banking, ordering groceries, and even consulting with healthcare providers all from their smartphones and laptops.
When they can schedule a doctor’s appointment at midnight or make an instant bank transfer while watching TV, they’re increasingly expecting the same convenience from their propane marketer.
This shift isn’t limited to urban areas. Rural communities, the backbone of many propane businesses, are embracing digital tools at remarkable rates. Farmers, who represent some of your most valuable contract clients for grain drying and other seasonal needs, have been early adopters of technology for years. From GPS-guided equipment to sophisticated farm management software, the agricultural community has demonstrated that serving rural areas doesn’t mean less technology. It often means more.
The True Cost of “We’ve Always Done It This Way”
For many propane marketers, processes have remained largely unchanged for decades. Paper invoices, check payments, and phone-based scheduling have been reliable systems that worked well for generations. But today, these traditional methods come with hidden costs:
- Office staff spending hours processing paper checks and manual payments
- Customer service representatives tied up with routine calls about account balances, delivery schedules, or payment confirmations
- Increased possibility of human error in manual data entry
- Limited visibility into customer usage patterns and business analytics
- Customers growing frustrated with business hours limitations
Most importantly, when your team is bogged down with routine administrative tasks, they have less time to focus on what truly matters: building and maintaining the personal relationships that differentiate your company from larger, impersonal competitors.
Online Account Access Isn’t Just About Convenience
Implementing 24/7 online account access isn’t just about customer convenience. It’s also about enhancing safety and reliability. Portals can allow customers to monitor tank levels remotely, schedule deliveries, access safety information, submit service requests, and receive automated notifications about maintenance or safety checks. This results in fewer emergency calls, better-maintained systems, and ultimately, safer homes and businesses in your service area.
Start Small, See Big Results
Embracing technology doesn’t require an overnight transformation of your entire business. Many propane marketers begin with targeted improvements that yield quick benefits:
- Online bill payment options that reduce collection time and improve cash flow
- Customer portals that allow 24/7 access to account information, reducing routine phone inquiries
- Digital delivery scheduling that optimizes routes and reduces fuel costs
- Simple web forms that capture new customer information accurately the first time
Even these modest changes can dramatically reduce operational expenses while improving customer satisfaction. Many propane marketer we work with have implemented online payments and tell us they see a significant decrease in phone traffic, freeing their team to focus on growth initiatives and personalized service.
Meeting Customers Where They Are
Today’s propane customers span multiple generations, each with different preferences. Younger customers may strongly prefer digital interactions, while long-standing customers might value the traditional approach. The best technology solutions accommodate both, offering online convenience without eliminating personal service options.
This hybrid approach respects your existing customer relationships while positioning your business to attract and retain the next generation of propane customers who will expect digital convenience as a baseline, not a luxury.
Your customers are already embracing 24/7 digital access in every other aspect of their lives. Is your propane business ready to meet them where they are?
