Fuller Oil and Propane

[ishoot308]

We just started using Fullers about 1 1/2 years ago and have nothing but good to say about their service thus far. Unfortunately it sounds like I am in the minority and the wagons have started circling...

While Fred himself may be of questionable character, one thing we all need to think about is that he also employs a lot of GOOD local people in the state who I am sure don't want to worry about losing their job...

It's been a long cold winter and I sure hope this mess with Fred Fuller gets resolved quickly and amicably and doesn't domino effect him out of business for the sake of the good people he employs and services...

Dan

[jeffk]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

While Fred himself may be of questionable character, one thing we all need to think about is that he also employs a lot of GOOD local people in the state who I am sure don't want to worry about losing their job...
Dan

Oil (and propane) delivery is a relatively local business. People from New York are not coming to New Hampshire to deliver heating oil or do service. People will continue to need heating oil and service whether Fuller delivers it or some other company does. There are lots of other local companies that can take up the slack. Local drivers and techs will simply follow the business from Fuller to whoever it migrates to. If Stafford picks up 500 of Fuller's customers they will probably hire a new delivery driver. The business will not disappear because Fuller doesn't supply it.

Other NH companies seem to be meeting customer needs this winter. How come the biggest, who should have the best resources and deepest pockets, is continuing to struggle?

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by jeffk

Oil (and propane) delivery is a relatively local business. People from New York are not coming to New Hampshire to deliver heating oil or do service. People will continue to need heating oil and service whether Fuller delivers it or some other company does. There are lots of other local companies that can take up the slack. Local drivers and techs will simply follow the business from Fuller to whoever it migrates to. If Stafford picks up 500 of Fuller's customers they will probably hire a new delivery driver. The business will not disappear because Fuller doesn't supply it.

Other NH companies seem to be meeting customer needs this winter. How come the biggest, who should have the best resources and deepest pockets, is continuing to struggle?

By reading your posts about this issue, I like your logic about what might be happening. It appears that Fuller needs someone like you to get him straightened out. Give him a call.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by jeffk

Other NH companies seem to be meeting customer needs this winter. How come the biggest, who should have the best resources and deepest pockets, is continuing to struggle?

I wish I could answer that Jeff but unfortunately I am not someone that is "in the know" and certainly don't pretend to be in this instance.

Maybe you answered your own question, because they are the biggest and this has the been the coldest winter on record in a long time they were caught shorthanded, not prepared, whatever you want to call it...I just don't know...

As far as other companies picking up employees of Fullers should the unthinkable happen...Your probably right, BUT I don't think any employee ever wants to start all over again and lose time and grade, vacation, (pension maybe) and all the other benefits accrued by a long term employee...

Like I said previously, I just hope this all works out for all parties involved, the business "Fred Fuller Oil", their employees and those they service.

I just know I can't be the only one who was happy this past year with Fuller...

Dan

[upthesaukee]

I have service tags going back to 1990, and I suspect my folks contracted with them before that. I would guess back to the early 1980's, and perhaps as early as 1976 when they bought the land and brought over the trailer and porch that started our residence here.

I have dealt with Fuller Oil personally from 1996 and we have never had a problem. I too am on automatic delivery, and although I heat primarily with wood, I do have to run the oil burner in very cold weather, like this year. We are on automatic delivery, but we do monitor our oil supply, and on a few occasions, we have contacted them to report we are down to about a 1/4 tank. Usually within the next week or so, we get a delivery of Kerosene (outdoor tank). From my perspective, automatic delivery does not mean the oil company (any oil company) is going to be able to always calculate oil supplies. I feel that as a homeowner, I have a stake in monitoring the amount of oil I have on hand.

I will be glad when this winter is over, and hopefully Fuller's headaches will end.

[Chaselady]

And I heard they let the Alton Central School run dry. The kids were in cold classrooms this week. They weren't answering calls from the town either.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

From my perspective, automatic delivery does not mean the oil company (any oil company) is going to be able to always calculate oil supplies. I feel that as a homeowner, I have a stake in monitoring the amount of oil I have on hand.

In essence I agree with you. If your usage is much higher than "normal", then you might have to call and schedule a delivery early. But if you are not using excessive amounts of heat, the oil company can and should be able to anticipate your usage AND schedule their drivers on logical routes to make efficient deliveries.

I could see a rare instance where you might have to call them and request an early delivery, even with normal usage. If their business is running properly, it would be reasonable to expect you can get through on the phones with no issues, and they could give you a confirmed delivery in the next 24-48 hours. My experience this year with Fuller has not shown that to be true. In January we were well below 1/4 of a tank and I couldn't get through to anyone at Fuller for a full day, so I had to use an alternate supplier. I finally got through to Fuller, and they topped off the tanks a few days later. Based on historical data (over the last 13 years, I've logged every delivery date and amount) we would have been due for another refill mid-February. That didn't happen, and we were a couple days into March with our tanks running empty. Again, it took several attempts to get through the phones, and on the first call they couldn't give us any confirmation of a timely delivery, just a promise to "put us on the list".

IMO, if they are going to sign you up for *automatic* delivery on a pre-buy program, they should be able to manage that appropriately. Yes, as the homeowner I need to keep an eye on my oil levels, which I did. But Fullers performance this season has been pretty much consistently poor since December-ish.

[tis]

BRK, I feel sorry for you. I hope you get all your pre buy before and if anything happens.

[ishoot308]

Brk;

Sounds like you did everything right and were put in the same boat as many of the others who are rightfully unhappy.

I hope everything works out for you.

Dan

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Brk;

Sounds like you did everything right and were put in the same boat as many of the others who are rightfully unhappy.

I hope everything works out for you.

Dan

Thanks. It's not like we're in danger of freezing, I can afford to abandon whatever I have left with Fuller and just buy more oil someplace else. It would be disappointing for sure, but hardly something to put me in financial distress. I'm more concerned about people that have a chunk of money tied up with Fuller and no financial means to just go out and essentially re-buy their heating oil from another supplier. What Fuller is doing here is, IMO, a very significant disservice to the community. They are putting customers at risk, and I think it's reasonable to assume they are putting the income stream of their employees at risk through bad business practices.

While I've been a satisfied customer for 13 years, their handling of this is atrocious and when I look at the greater extent of the problem I'm not willing to cut them any slack. The rolling impact of this is too great for anything less than a complete and honest explanation by the company. They did NOT get into this because of a faulty phone system, and the longer they attempt to hide behind that excuse, the more worried I am about the sustainability of the company.

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

IMO, if they are going to sign you up for *automatic* delivery on a pre-buy program, they should be able to manage that appropriately. Yes, as the homeowner I need to keep an eye on my oil levels, which I did. But Fullers performance this season has been pretty much consistently poor since December-ish.

As I said earlier, I am fortunate (?) because I usually get one fill up a year, which is really good seeing how I have to use Kerosene. I am not on a pre-buy because of our low use, and because my experience with a pre-buy with an organization I am involved with was not good... for two years. The pre-buy was good if the price went higher than the pre-buy rate, but no relief if the price dropped below. but that is for another thread.

Back on track, I hope they get it together... I can see some legal ramifications coming about, either in a civil area, or by the state.

[Legionnaire70]

I'd say the writing on the wall is pretty clear, they will be claiming bankruptcy soon i'm sure....probably in the same line as THE MEAT HOUSE...

[brk-lnt]

BTW, if you were one of the Fred Fuller customers previously affected and had to buy oil elsewhere, you can read a fairy tale letter from Fred here, and download a form to submit a claim for reimbursement:

http://www.fullers.com/news/issue-claims-form

They have set up a fund equal to their "donation" to the state of NH, which had to step in to run their business for them. So, this fund is about $22,000 or so. That means the first, maybe, 150 people to submit a form might have a chance at reimbursement.

[Lakemamma]

Thank you BRK for that....

I called them today as I am still waiting for our delivery. Again I got told might b there in 10 days and that's what I was told last time I called. The receptionist said well we understand if you go somewhere else. Wow, ok I will thanks I need oil and I need it now.

Called another company and will get delivery tomorrow.

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Lakemamma

Thank you BRK for that....

I called them today as I am still waiting for our delivery. Again I got told might b there in 10 days and that's what I was told last time I called. The receptionist said well we understand if you go somewhere else. Wow, ok I will thanks I need oil and I need it now.

Called another company and will get delivery tomorrow.

You're a good person for waiting so long to take your business elsewhere. But it is always the right move to make when a company is consistently unable to meet its customers' needs.

[Happy Gourmand]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

I wish I could answer that Jeff but unfortunately I am not someone that is "in the know" and certainly don't pretend to be in this instance.

Maybe you answered your own question, because they are the biggest and this has the been the coldest winter on record in a long time they were caught shorthanded, not prepared, whatever you want to call it...I just don't know...

As far as other companies picking up employees of Fullers should the unthinkable happen...Your probably right, BUT I don't think any employee ever wants to start all over again and lose time and grade, vacation, (pension maybe) and all the other benefits accrued by a long term employee...

Like I said previously, I just hope this all works out for all parties involved, the business "Fred Fuller Oil", their employees and those they service.

I just know I can't be the only one who was happy this past year with Fuller...

Dan

Commendable thoughts, I think we all share them. But maybe Mr Fuller should have thought of these things before he decided to let his business "go south" twice this winter. This does not in any way seem to be an industry wide issue and it doesn't seen feasible that the issues are related to the size of the company. This appears to be a mismanagement issue.
I'm not a Fuller customer, but if I were, especially after this second debacle, I would be searching for another supplier.
I believe there is a procedure in place to recover any prepaid funds.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

We just started using Fullers about 1 1/2 years ago and have nothing but good to say about their service thus far. Unfortunately it sounds like I am in the minority and the wagons have started circling...

While Fred himself may be of questionable character, one thing we all need to think about is that he also employs a lot of GOOD local people in the state who I am sure don't want to worry about losing their job...

It's been a long cold winter and I sure hope this mess with Fred Fuller gets resolved quickly and amicably and doesn't domino effect him out of business for the sake of the good people he employs and services...

Dan

We've used Fuller for 13 years now. In the past we've always had prompt service, it was easy to get through to them, and their service techs were generally very good.

While I haven't had the need for service on my equipment this year, we have had a heck of a time getting access to our pre-buy fuel. Supposedly we are on the delivery schedule for tomorrow, but it seems that only happened because my wife and I spent the better part of Monday morning constantly dialing their numbers until we got through.

As others have pointed out, you should not need ANY phone system in order to determine that your pre-buy customers need fuel deliveries. Sure, that would impact the customers that buy on demand, and THEY would have trouble getting through. However, these problems seem to have impacted Fuller customers across the board, and the explanations so far have been very weak.

Currently we have just over 1200 gallons left with Fuller in our pre-buy. If I get my delivery tomorrow as planned, that will use about 450 gallons. So, I'll still have about 800 gallons, or roughly $2400 sitting in an account that I'm worried about being able to get delivered before the company totally implodes.

I've seriously contemplated just going to Home Depot and buying 3 oil tanks and having Fuller fill them all with my remaining pre-buy oil.