In today’s competitive marketplace, relying solely on lower prices is no longer a sustainable strategy to maintain propane customer retention.
As the customer demographic shifts toward a younger, more tech-savvy audience, implementing technology-driven solutions can significantly enhance the customer experience, foster loyalty and improve retention rates. Here are three best practices to keep pace with evolving customer expectations.
1. Get to Know Your Customer Base Better
Before you can improve retention, you must understand who your customers are. And that doesn’t mean knowing that Mr. Johnson lives “somewhere off Route 4 with the blue mailbox.” I’m talking real, structured data you can act on.
Segment Your Customers
Start by tagging your customers correctly in your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Segmentation helps you understand behavior patterns and customize outreach, such as residential versus commercial, or frequent callers versus digital die-hards. The more accurate your tags, the more surgical your marketing campaigns.
Maintain Accurate Contact Information
You can’t engage customers if you don’t have a way to reach them. That means mobile numbers and email addresses should be standard, not optional. Make them required fields in your ERP. Use batch updates to clean up old records. Call campaigns can also help fill in gaps when it comes to updating information (and yes, people still answer their phones occasionally).
Generate Insightful Reports
Once you’ve cleaned up your data, start running reports that actually tell a story.
- Where’s the money going? Break down revenue by fuel and service spend.
- Who are your VIPs? Build a “marquee customer” profile that includes whether the customer pays on time, uses value-added services, keeps a card on file and engages digitally. Then ask, “How do we turn more of our customer base into a ‘marquee customer’ type?”
2. Build Retention Programs That Actually Work
Spoiler alert: Your customers are not just buying propane. They’re buying peace of mind, comfort and — ideally — a frictionless experience. So, give them reasons to stick around beyond just your (undoubtedly charming) delivery driver.
Make Loyalty More Than a Buzzword
Introduce a points-based loyalty system to reward repeat business. ERP platforms offer integrated solutions to manage such programs effectively.
Offer Promo Codes & Coupons
Want to drive traffic to your app or web portal? Promo codes are your new best friend. Use them to incentivize orders placed online or through mobile. Bonus: Coupons can be tied to fuel or service for extra value.
Include Flexible Payment Options
Offering flexible payment plans, auto-pay discounts or waiving finance charges during difficult economic periods can show customers you care — without hurting your bottom line.
Celebrate Service Anniversaries
Set up a service anniversary campaign. It’s a small gesture that feels big when you offer “Happy five years with us, Mrs. Thompson! Here’s 10% off your next service call.” Consider that gesture a way to reinforce loyalty.
Build a Referral Program
Word of mouth still rules. Make it easy — and rewarding — for your best customers to stimulate new business. Discounts for both the referrer and the referred? Now that’s a win-win.
Run Quarterly Reports
All these initiatives mean nothing without follow-up. Schedule quarterly audits and proactively reach out to customers who haven’t ordered in a while or haven’t engaged with your programs. ERP platforms can make it easy by automating many of these tasks so you can spend more time on strategy and less time on guesswork.
3. Create a Seamless Experience for Your Customers
Now for the fun part: The tools that turn your business into a well-oiled, customer-loving machine.
Web Portals
These are still relevant, especially for Generation X and baby boomers. Think of the web portal as your 24/7 customer service representative. Market it heavily — on invoices, in emails and even on statements. When customers realize they can schedule service, view history and make payments without picking up the phone, they’ll never go back. A web portal:
- Cuts down on call volume
- Empowers customers to self-serve
- Seamlessly integrates with ERP solutions
- Is just plain convenient
Mobile Apps (the MVP for Millennials)
The future of customer interaction fits in your pocket. Your mobile app should be everywhere: on your website, linked in emails, promoted with QR codes on bills and on your signage. A great mobile app should let users, all in a few taps:
- Order fuel
- Pay bills
- Request service
- Receive updates
Text Messaging
Text messages aren’t just for utility companies and appointment reminders anymore. They’re a low-effort, high-impact communication channel for younger generations. Use them to:
- Confirm service appointments
- Notify when delivery is complete
- Send quick links to promos or new features
Customer Service Rep Follow-Ups
A quick call or email after a delivery or service call does wonders. It provides:
- Direct feedback (better than a negative Google review!)
- Employee motivation through positive reinforcement
- Opportunities to coach or train your team
- Another chance to promote your portal, app or loyalty programs
Retaining customers isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about understanding who they are, meeting them where they are and using technology to make their experience as smooth as possible. If you’re not leveraging these tools, you’re not just missing out on customer love — you’re leaving money on the table.
The good news? Every strategy we just walked through can be implemented through modern ERP systems. So, let’s retire from the “cheap fuel” mindset and replace it with something better: loyal customers, powerful tools and a propane experience that feels like magic.
