Integrating Soft Skills Training to Improve Customer Service in Your Propane Company

I’ve been blessed to have spent a good percentage of my now more than 20 years in the retail propane industry working alongside Ferrellgas’ customer service teams and others who directly influence the customer experience. Our customer service leaders are passionate about helping customers and are intentional about helping our customer service professionals improve. In the end, all the employee-owners at Ferrellgas want those who call, visit any of our offices or engage with our drivers to have the very best experience. 

Ours is a unique industry because we offer the exact same product as those we compete against. No one is selling Pepsi against another’s Coca-Cola or pitching Ruffles versus someone else’s Doritos or Lay’s. Propane is propane, and it’s the confidence the consumer has in their provider that ultimately earns business. Therefore, it’s imperative to strive every day to be prepared and confident to talk about your company’s unique strengths and why customers can rely on you to provide the best service possible. 

It’s important to be ready to share your company’s history, its values and why someone should do business with you. But it’s equally important to be ready to talk about the product you sell as well. 

Every visit or phone call is an opportunity, but the ones that excite our customer service, operations and sales teams are the ones from homeowners interested in adding a propane appliance or two, businesses wanting to learn more about propane generators, and fleet owners who have questions about propane autogas. We must be prepared for new gallon growth opportunities as well. 

Here are some important things to keep in mind when speaking with new propane users: 

• Propane is clean burning. Propane is an approved clean fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act, and the use of propane can reduce carbon dioxide and air pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. Homeowners in many parts of the country are hearing of proposals to ban gas appliances in new construction. California has taken aggressive steps to ban propane-fueled forklifts. These conflicting messages demand a smart response, and our industry’s customer service professionals must be prepared to highlight propane’s clean-burning attributes and benefits. 
• Propane is abundant. The United States is the leading producer of propane in the world and there’s plenty available to power homes, businesses and farms for many years to come. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. remained a net crude oil importer in 2023. The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) says domestic propane production is expected to continue to grow rapidly, keeping downward pressure on average propane prices relative to oil prices. 
• Propane is safe. Propane users should understand that, in addition to being abundant and clean burning, propane is safe as well. Just as we have important responsibilities as propane retailers, customers have important responsibilities too. In today’s technology-driven world, propane companies should consider new, creative methods of communicating safety information to customers. 
• Propane can do that! Propane is capable of doing so much more than fueling a home’s furnace. Be sure to ask callers what other propane-fueled appliances are currently in their homes. Be ready to sell the advantages of propane water heaters to the many propane homeowners who currently heat their water far less efficiently with electricity. And don’t forget there are appliance rebates available through many state and regional propane associations that can help offset the cost of new appliances. 

While these details aren’t overly difficult to keep in mind, being persistent and connecting with customers so that you understand what they value when it comes to propane is key. In addition, there are a number of great resources that can be used to train new customer service personnel and provide helpful tips to even the most seasoned of industry veterans. 

The PERC website is always a great place to start. Creating an account is quick and easy and gives retailers access to a wealth of information that can be downloaded and shared with both employees and customers. Much of this information is free. 

There are great resources to complement each of the bullets I’ve provided in this article, as well as information about how different appliances can be put to good use by different customer segments. 

Propane continues to have an important story to tell. Make sure your customer service professionals have the information they need to sell its many important attributes to our wide range of prospective users.