Oil heating systems are great, especially if you live in a very cold area. But, the struggle to find a reliable supplier is real, and you must be very careful with that, to avoid fraud and scams. If you decide to go for this option, you must know that you need to pay attention to a lot of details, beginning with the quality of the oil, through the whole process of buying, until it’s delivered to you. Finding a legitimate company can be a real challenge, especially right now, when the pandemic is taking over the world once again. We know it’s not easy to let someone in your house fill up the tanks because we all know how important is to maintain a proper social distancing, and staying at home when you don’t need to go out.
We all want the best for our money, so looking for a good supplier can be overwhelming. Heating systems are an important part of our homes, but also for offices, and other spaces we use for living and working. So, here is a list of a few tips and tricks, and also useful advice for you, that we hope you will find helpful while looking for an oil delivery company:
1. Check if they have COVID-19 protocols
Almost every serious supplier, no matter what products and services they offer, has already listed on their websites that they work following the protocols for protection from COVID-19. That means the employees who will come to your home will always wear a mask and gloves and have their shoes disinfected. Also, they will assure you they don’t make a lot of appointments on the very same day, so they can minimize human contact. All the companies have additional expenses for buying the needed equipment for the employees, but that also assures the customers they don’t put themselves at risk by hiring them.
2. Make a list of your priorities
Sure you have a lot of questions to ask them, including the quality of the oil, which one is the best for your needs, the price, the way it’s delivered to you, how many times you will need to refill the tanks, and so on. In order not to forget anything, it will be better for you to write down everything you want to know, before you hire the company to deliver the fuel to you.
3. Look for a legitimate user experience
The first thing that will help you recognize if the supplier is reliable or not is the reviews section on its website, as Parkway Oil has. Read them carefully, and if you see a name you recognize, it’s good to contact the person and ask for their opinion on the company. Also, you have a whole right to be suspicious about everything, because sometimes these comments and reviews are fake. So, you will have to trust your gut and try to recognize if those reviews are real.
4. Do they cover your area?
Not every supplier is able to deliver products all over the world. Sometimes, they may cover a few states, or even cities, depending on how developed is the company. So, the best way to find the right company around you is to look for those who are based near you. They will all probably have listed the covered areas on their websites or social media profiles. Sometimes, they may be even able to recommend some supplier they know, that works near you.
5. Contact them directly
Writing an email is a great option to list everything you want to ask, but sadly, not every company has a responsible person to write down all the information and get them back to you. When you want to buy something big, it’s better for you to call them on the phone number listed on their website. That’s one of the ways to check if they are serious enough to be hired. Also, you can ask them everything you want, because some crucial things are not always mentioned on their websites.
6. Get informed about their licenses
Oil companies should have valid licenses and certificates for everything, including the oil, the workers, the vehicles, and the equipment they will bring to your house. Feel free to ask them for proof, or even look for it online. As a consumer, you have to know what are you spending your money on.
7. Know their working hours
This will help you take a day off if they work the same hours as you. Some of them are also available to work through the weekend, and that’s good to know, especially if you have a job that requires your physical presence at the office. Some of the companies are working 24/7, depending on the services they offer, and some of them may have shifted, to be there for the customers who are available only after the working hours.
8. The pricing
The serious suppliers will offer something that will ease your expenses, for example, some discount if you pay at once, or monthly charges with some low fees if you can’t afford it all at once. Don’t go for those who insist on you to pay for the service in advance. If they insist on that, you also have a right to ask for a legal document signed by both sides, so you can be sure there is no scam behind that.
We all know how hard is to find a good supplier, no matter what the product is. There are many business owners who are honest and want to earn money by offering a complete service, but also there are some of them who don’t have good intentions with the customers. But, with this article, we are trying to help you recognize the right ones, and we hope you will hear our advice, but also trust your gut, especially when you need to choose a company to let them at your house, in order to complete the service you are paying for.
