The Pricing Game: Don't Get Caught In It
In the heating business, September is the unofficial start of our season as the phones ring off the hook with homeowners securing their fuel for the upcoming winter. With hundreds of companies out there trying to win your business, many companies will throw low ball prices out to try to entice customers to switch, and that’s when the pricing game begins…
Don’t get sucked into a deal that seems too good to be true, because it probably is! Here are some things to look out for:
The Fine Print – the devil is in the details. A low price may only apply to the first fill the company makes, or it could be for a certain amount of gallons or for a set time which often won’t last you the entire winter.
Service – we know that price is important but never at the expense of good service. A low price might equate to a company having a large service area which will cause them to have a longer response time and for some companies, this means that their customer service department is in another country!
Full Service vs. COD – if you are accustomed to a full service, automatic delivery company, moving to a COD (cash on delivery) company will definitely get you a lower price but the weight is on your shoulders – you need to contact them, and with plenty of notice in order to get a delivery. And there is seldom a guarantee on when they will be able to deliver or that any service will be provided.
Inflation – a low price is great for new customers but what about the existing? Many companies will increase the price for their existing customers in the second or third year in order to afford the introductory prices they offer to new customers creating an unbalanced environment.
At Gault, we don’t play games, in fact, we want to be as transparent as possible and educate our customers so they can make informed decisions. You won’t see a low ball price offer from us this season but our customers know that our service is unbeatable and prices are fair, that’s why many of you have been with us for not just years, but decades! If you have any questions, concerns or need help picking the right pricing program for the upcoming season, our Customer Care team is here to help.