Full Service vs. Discount Heating Oil Companies
The following chart on the right is courtesy of Petro Home Services. This has been shared on Codfuel.com as per their website's instructions to share on our website as long as they received attribution for the graphic. (Please include attribution to petro.com with this graphic)
I'd like to offer my own opinion on these comparison's, but first I would like to point out that Petro is a very good heating oil company to choose if you like full service and automatically filling your oil tank.
I will start from the top of the graphic and work down toward the bottom.
1. 24/7 service and support, for any issue, in any weather.
Petro makes this statement for their company but I don't see how they can make that claim for the hundreds of COD Fuel companies out there. For me personally, I've serviced heating systems 24 hours/365 for 25 years. Yes, Holidays too. In fact, back in my service days, I worked 13 years straight on Christmas Day and 11 New Years. My work alone can derail their statement. There are many more like myself that are still working 24/7/365.
In all fairness, most customers in search of a full service plan or a COD service contract have the same question: "Will you be here at 3am if my burner breaks down?" The truth of the matter is, that even the customer does not want someone coming at 3am. If you wake up in the middle of the night with a burner problem, chances are you will call in a repair call and go back to bed under a warm blanket and have the technician come at a more reasonable hour like 7am or so.
2. Flexible Pricing & Payment Plans to suit your needs and helps you budget better
I can take up a whole website with this one, so I will try to keep it brief. Buying COD Fuel offers the most flexible pricing available. There are so many choices out there and they all have different prices. Some companies can vary up to 10 to 15¢ per gallon or more. You can easily have more flexibility with COD fuel vs full service because you are NEVER obligated to fill your tank. With a full service oil company, you are not only obligated to fill your tank to the top on each visit, you never know when they are coming to fill it. This is an ever bigger issue for people around the holiday season when it's cold. Who wants a $1,000 oil bill before, during or after holiday shopping?
Full service oil companies have computerized software that determines when they will top off your tank. The system is designed to deliver the most gallons possible to reduce extra trips to your house as each trip costs money. With COD oil, you can choose your own company, choose what price you want to pay and choose how many gallons you want delivered. If money is tight, you can order less oil. In the summer time when oil companies need money the most, you can expect a fill up when you're on a full service plan. With COD fuel oil, you never get oil unless you want it. There is so much more, but I think you get the point. Let's move on to the next item.
*Fact (I learned while working for Petro many years ago) The reason why oil companies promote a budget plan is NOT to save customers money or even to make it easy and convenient for them. Budget customers spend an average of 7% more money on fuel oil. This is for two main reasons. 1. Budget customers pay the same monthly payment regardless of how many gallons are delivered (until the end of the budget (oh boy) so they tend to keep the thermostat at a more comfortable level rather than a lower level to save money. 2. Most budget customers don't look closely at the price per gallon because of the same monthly payment.
3. Never run out of oil and always delivers.
As described in the previous paragraph, Full service oil companies operate off of a computerized delivery system. Need I say more? Every full service oil company has customers that run out of oil. This is of no fault of the oil company. It's just the reality of computers. There are other factors that can lead to run outs. For a qucik example: If you are on an automatic delivery plan and your account is listed as normally using 800 gallons per year as a family of four, then you have relatives come in from out of town and stay for a while. This uses more hot water for laundry, dishes and showers. Nobody knows to update the computer and low and behold, you run out of oil. This is only one of many examples. Sometimes, it's the company's fault or just a computer malfunction. My point it, "NEVER Run Out" is a bit exaggerated. I've also witnessed run outs myself as part of several full service oil companies over the years.
4. More techs on staff to service customers anytime.
This is one fact that I must agree with. Petro without a doubt has more oil burner technicians on staff than any other company.
Does this mean they can service you faster? OR does this mean they have to have more due to the sheer size of their company? Think of it this way. Many of you have Verizon or Optimum for cable or Internet service. Have you ever waited to get service from them? How fast was it?
The truth of the matter is this: Any service company must hire a certain amount of technicians based upon the number of customers they have. So, it's all relative. Any business CEO, President or Manager is not going to hire extra employees to hang around and do nothing waiting for a burner to break down; certainly not when they are getting paid $40-$50 per hour (including benefits). This is NOT Maytag where the Maytag man is sleeping over a washing machine.
In conclusion, I would like to say that Petro and most full service oil companie do a good job and offer good services. You will pay a premium for these services as nothing is free. The choice comes down to the customer and their convenience and the price they are willing to pay for it. With COD Fuel Oil, you have more choices in oil companies, prices and also service providers. Codfuel.com is one source where you can see for yourself and make an informed decision on full service or cod oil delivery.
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