Cases for tank monitor use

Christopher Job, product manager of Schmitt Industries’ Xact tank monitoring, explores tank monitor use in a variety of tank types and offers a case for one in each environment:

■ The bulk storage tank. What is my inventory level? Do I need to order another delivery of fuel? What is the cost of the fuel today? Can I wait until tomorrow? Accuracy here is vital. There is a lot of money inside a bulk storage tank.

■ The keep-full customer’s tank. Propane companies already have a guarantee that they will never let customers run out with a keep-full program. If they don’t know what’s in the tank, they will never know exactly how much time they have before they have to [revisit] the tank. Either they get there too early and don’t drop enough fuel, or they get there too late and have to relight all of the burners. Or, they pick up their tank, as their competitor’s tank is already hooked up to the house.

■ The will-call customer’s tank. Imagine trying to route your trucks when customers are calling to tell you it is time to come out to their house. Customer A and B live next to each other. Customer A calls and says they need fuel now. The truck gets routed so you can fill Customer A’s tank at the end of the current route. Well, there is not enough fuel in the [bobtail]. So guess what? Now you have to visit the neighbor, Customer B, two days later because they are now empty. You just doubled your cost to go to the same basic location.