Winter wonderland
March 1, 2006 By Patrick Hyland
It’s winters like this past one that drive independent propane marketers into an early retirement.
Read More Limited liability aims at bad-faith claim
March 1, 2006 By Jay Johnston
Guaranties are hard to come by. Sure, they are offered, but always at a price. When you buy a new appliance or electronic, they try to sell you a warranty to cover product failure after 12 months. Of course this is in addition to your purchase price, and the sad truth is, sometimes, you will need it.
Read More In business, all profits are costs
March 1, 2006 By LP Gas
Implications of this redefinition of profits serve a useful purpose in the measurement of a retail propane company’s performance. The first purpose cited above is how we historically view profits — the excess or what’s left over after we have paid our bills. However, in the second point it may be that the profit is not sufficient to replace capital for worn-out equipment.
Read More The seasonal customer conundrum
March 1, 2006 By John McCoy
Virtually all propane marketers have seasonal customers, primarily on their residential accounts and usually in areas where vacationing is a big part of the local economy. People often purchase second homes or have a hunting lodge that they might only use for a portion of the year or just on weekends.
Read More Let’s Talk
March 1, 2006 By LP Gas
Companies and employees too often fall victim to unfortunate events that are of their own creation. A long-standing accident theory (Heinrich’s Domino Theory) states that accidents and injuries are a result of unsafe acts or conditions that are caused in part by personal fault due to a person’s environment or ancestry.
Read More Dealing with propane retailer’s issues
February 1, 2006 By LP Gas
Each year, retail propane marketers face a whole new set of issues. In 2005, wholesale propane prices seemed to cause the most headaches, pushing retailers to look at new ways to become more profitable.
Read More Continued failure of gallons measurement
February 1, 2006 By Carl Hughes
Driven by requests for this topic and my interest to discuss only issues that will add value to retail propane businesses, I address the continued, flawed thinking in many companies that say if their gallons are up year over year, then they have had a good year.
Read More Rolling out the tax benefits
February 1, 2006 By Lisa Bontempo
As the second session of the 109th Congress gets underway, the propane industry is working to take advantage of new tax advantages as outlined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and other recent tax laws.
Read More Jury rejects odor fade claim
February 1, 2006 By John McCoy
Aside from writing this column, I also defend propane marketers who are sued for liability in gas explosion accidents.
Read More Customer Lip Service
February 1, 2006 By Patrick Hyland
As I travel around the country talking to retailers, most are quick to mention that customer service and loyalty are what set their business apart from the competition. But, much like safety, I have to wonder how many offer only lip service.
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