Whiney Oil Man

[gymrat0663]

As much as it grieved me, I had to call the oil man yesterday for a delivery. We have heated exclusively with our pellet stove for 2 1/2 years now and only turn on the oil furnace during an extended stove cleaning or to make sure things are still operational. We had less than a quarter of a tank of oil when we installed our stove so it's time to put some oil in to make sure that if there is a stove problem we are set to go with oil heat.

After almost three years, I was no longer in their regular system and she had to do a search for my account. She stated that I had not purchased oil from them in almost three years to which I replied, "That is correct." She then asked if I'd been buying my oil elsewhere, to which I replied, "I have not." She now says, "Well, I'm confused." to which I replied that there was need for confusion, I would just like to place an oil delivery order hoping she would just move on. Well, she persisted and I told her I heat my home with wood pellets and no longer require regular oil deliveries. The silence was deafening and when she finally did speak it was with a tint of sarcasm as she told me that since I was no longer a regular customer, I would have to have a check for the delivery man as I could no longer be billed. I told her that was fine and after this delivery I will be glad to take my maintenance business for my air conditioning and oil heating system elsewhere too since me being a customer seems to be a problem for them and the next time I see the owner in my neighborhood doing work elsewhere I'll be sure to let him know why I am no longer a customer to include names,specifically hers.

Backpedaling ensued and apologies abounded as well as the offer to bill me. I told her not to waste the stamp as the check will be taped to the front door.

I appreciate and support local businesses to the best of my ability. I will do my best to employ a local business over a larger chain, but this type of attitude makes that difficult to do sometimes. So, the oil truck will be in front of my house sometime today or tomorrow and I won't have to worry about that for another few years!

'Lovin my pellet stove!

 

[TimfromMA]

When I need oil, I just call around and get a delivery from whomever is cheapest at the time.

 

[Lake Girl]

Should suggest to the owner that he may want to expand his business to include wood pellets & stoves then maybe you would be a more regular customer...

Edit: How much did you use to spend on oil a year?

 

[DneprDave]

I also call around for the best price per gallon. My neighbor and I get a break on the price when we order oil together.

I used to burn about 600 gallons a year, since getting the pellet stove three years ago, I have been burning between 150 and 160 gallons a year.

 

[moey]

What did you pay? Around us oil can be had now for $2.65 thats on par with what a lot of people are paying for pellets without the headache.

 

[TimfromMA]

I paid $3.08 but that was back in August.

 

[Bob E]

I appreciate and support local businesses to the best of my ability. I will do my best to employ a local business over a larger chain, but this type of attitude makes that difficult to do sometimes

I know the feeling. I often go out of my way to give my money to local small businesses and owners only to be confronted with bad attitudes and crooked practices on a regular basis. I just had a run in with a local small engine guru the other day who wont be getting business from me and I will drive a half hour out of my way to the big box store before giving another penny to the local lumber yard.

 

[Polar Bear]

Maybe they are just jealous of your savings

 

[Straz85]

I'm wondering if oil companies are seeing more and more business lost to NG and pellet stoves. Might be a sore subject for them. Not that it makes it okay to be rude, but that's my take on it.

 

[DMKNLD]

Maybe they are just jealous of your savings

Or they're cranky that crude oil prices continue to plummet - down to $76 a barrel this AM, down from close to $100 a barrel not so long ago.

I don't foresee the J. Paul Getty family or other CEO oil barons having to go to single ply toilet paper any time soon though. They'll just clamp down on the refining capacity to match the reduced demand. But I'll take the temporary savings at the pump any time we can get it!!

 

[JDenyer236]

Our oil company is now selling pellets, 20 pound bags $6.00 each Yep that's right $600/ton! Of course she said they were super premium pellets and that if I burned any other pellets it would ruin my stove. Yeah ok I wasn't born yesterday.

 

[Lake Girl]

Our oil company is now selling pellets, 20 pound bags $6.00 each Yep that's right $600/ton! Of course she said they were super premium pellets and that if I burned any other pellets it would ruin my stove. Yeah ok I wasn't born yesterday.

Did you tell her you have a Harman and they'll burn anything You probably should speak to the owner (if she isn't one) and educate them on the pellet world since they probably don't know any better ... or they really got hosed on the pellets they purchased! What brand? I know the pellets used for grilling go for that price tag/weight...

 

[peakbagger]

Northern NH and much of rural maine is still very much an area heated by oil and for many years, there were local oil firms with local servicemen who did the oil delivery. I found that the techs tended to pay a bit more attention to service as they were local and really didn't want to go out on service calls. Over the years many of the local firms sold out to a couple of regional operators, CN Brown and Irving. CN Brown strictly sells fuel and has no service techs. Irving has service techs but they tend not to hang around for long and they are definitely pushed to do bare bones annual service work that really just leads to more service calls.

There are local independent service techs but they mostly want to do appointment work and good luck if you have an emergency. My solution was to run a wood boiler with storage and a minisplit when I am not at home. The oil is still there for a backup but the tank hasn't been filled for 2 1/2 years.

 

[bags]

Our oil company is now selling pellets, 20 pound bags $6.00 each Yep that's right $600/ton! Of course she said they were super premium pellets and that if I burned any other pellets it would ruin my stove. Yeah ok I wasn't born yesterday.

Ha hahaaha! WHAT? No markup there, Huh? For that price do they come with a lil premium pellet loading and cleaning Elf shrink wrapped to the side of the ton that also cuts grass and cleans the house? What a bargain!

 

[JDenyer236]

Yeah I think they might have been the super duper plutonium pellets. Lake Girl, I have no idea of the brand or what they paid for them, after hearing the price I lost interest rather quickly

 

[Polar Bear]

I would've asked where the other half of the bag was hidding???

 

[JDenyer236]

I would've asked where the other half of the bag was hidding???

Yeah I asked about why 20# bags, was told it was easier for people to carry.

 

[Polar Bear]

I guess his rationale is: the only heavy part is the price

 

[moey]

Our oil company is now selling pellets, 20 pound bags $6.00 each Yep that's right $600/ton! Of course she said they were super premium pellets and that if I burned any other pellets it would ruin my stove. Yeah ok I wasn't born yesterday.

Not a bad idea buy a couple tons and when people see the price at $6 for 20 lbs they think good thing I'm burning oil.

 

[Ashful]

Our local oil company knows I cut my oil usage by more than half, as well. They have no problem with it, and in fact most of their tech's are woodburners, too! They're happy for the business I give them. I'd find another local company with which to do business, if I were in your shoes.

 

[johnpma]

When I had a pellet stove in the 90's pellets were $2.22/bag Oil was $0.699/gallon and a cord of wood was $155/cord

Now Oil is $3.10/gallon Pellets are $5.62/bag and a cord of delivered wood is $220/cord

IMO now it just depends how you want to heat your home..........don't think any of it is a bargain they have us over a barrel

FLA is looking better and better

 

[Fsappo]

Or they're cranky that crude oil prices continue to plummet - down to $76 a barrel this AM, down from close to $100 a barrel not so long ago.

I don't foresee the J. Paul Getty family or other CEO oil barons having to go to single ply toilet paper any time soon though. They'll just clamp down on the refining capacity to match the reduced demand. But I'll take the temporary savings at the pump any time we can get it!!

The crank answering the phone doesn't give a hoot about street price for heating oil. A. Chances are she is an hourly order taker and doesn't know the business or B. She is an owner and/or manager and they know selling price has little to do with margins when crude falls or rises.

Workers at any level just take things personally sometimes...in this case a little "I'll show you not to burn oil" mixed with jealousy.

 

[TimfromMA]

I'm sure they love oil going down while pellets go up. It'll mean more people buying oil.

 

[moey]

I'm sure they love oil going down while pellets go up. It'll mean more people buying oil.

Indeed I suspect there margins are nearly same on delivering a tank if it costs you $4.00 a gallon or $3 a gallon. They make there money on you buying a lot oil.

 

[stmar]

The propane company owns our tank, when we bought the property there were two 1000 gallon tanks and they asked if I would mind if they removed one which would save me on rent. I figured we would not use that much gas so let them do it, good move on my part because we only use about 300 gallons per year and could go 3 years between fills. I fill it every year, usually in August when gas is historically less expensive before winter, to keep it topped off and to keep a relationship with the delivery guys in case I need something. A few years after we moved in they "instituted" a minimum tank charge if you did not use enough gas!! That did not set with me and I had a discussion with them, long story short I do not pay a minimum. I support my local company but they in turn have to support me, at first they blamed it on the corp office and when I asked for info on who to talk to there it was suddenly handled at the local level.