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Ceres Solutions LLP Reviews (1)

Thank you for the information you provided on what is very definitely a misunderstanding. This customer's name is familiar to us, and I appreciate the opportunity to provide additional detail.This customer's complaint stems back to issues we experienced beginning two years ago when she expressed...

concerns about fuel usage. The solution was that our delivery professional made a special appointment to demonstrate how he hooked up and pumped, and how the metered gallons were pulled into the laptop for billing. He took approximately 30 minutes to show her the entire process of a delivery. At that time she seemed to agree that she was getting the gas she was invoiced. After that visit, she suspected a fuel leak so our tank maintenance professional conducted a leak check in the summer of 2016. It showed no leaks. At some point in the exchanges, the customer expressed a lack of trust, whereby our driver suggested that if she truly didn't trust us, she really should get another supplier, as she needs to trust whoever becomes her provider. The customer then called our driver's Supervisor. She called our driver a thief, upon which our Supervisor advised her to choose another supplier.The principle behind the budget program we offer is to alleviate customer concern. At enrollment time, our company contacts each customer. We provide the fuel as contracted, the customer pays a fixed monthly amount that Suits their budget, and we spread payments Out over 12 months for them. At the end of the contracted time, most budget customers are so satisfied that they "roll" their credits or debts into the next year's program. Because there is so much variety in Indiana's winter temperatures, some years are a 'win' for the customer budget and we're happy to issue a credit back. In more severe winters of high use, we help spread that unintended cost of higher use out so it is easier on the family budget.Thousands of homeowners select this option because it gives them peace of mind and a formalized annual review of their planned fuel usage and associated costs.To make the estimates on usage, we look at a three year history of use (when information is available). Due to the fact that there is often inventory already in the tank when a delivery is made, it is a bit harder to track exact consumption. Most customer tanks are 500 gallons, and expansion and temperature only allow us to fill 80 to 85%. Industry wide, a customer's 500 gallon tank is "full" when it has 450 gallons in it. But the actual gallons delivered are what show on the invoices. In my notes below, I track this customer's experience and consumption to demonstrate she was fairly served.The customer is correct on numbers for gallons delivered and used to calculate her budget payments (see attachment A). But they do not match up with consumption (see attachment B.) My handwritten numbers on the far right align with gallons actually consumed for that heating season. Bear with me:On July 8, 2013, for 324.4 gallons actually fills the tank from the prior heating season of 2012-13.Deliveries #2, 3, 4, and 5 match up to what was consumed for the 2013-14 heating season.Delivery # 5 was almost exactly one year from contract start. Both were very harsh winters.Please note, there was no delivery in July 2015 to make deliveries match up to consumption.Therefore, with delivery # 9 dated November 2, 2015, we move 100 gallons to the 2014-15 consumption year, and put 117.9 gallons with the 2015-16 consumption year... a mild winter.Delivery # 11 on August 2, 2016, would finish the 2015-16 heating season and fill the tank to begin the 2016-17 heating season.,. another extraordinarily mild winter as you likely recall.Unfortunately there are no other deliveries after January 19, 2017 to determine actual usage for that heating season. Our policy is to fill.., probably 85% ... so 450 gallons to finish the heating season.As for how we make drops and stops and how long our team members spend at the tank? The propane industry as a whole uses a system called Heating Degree Days. The system calculates usage, and creates a delivery plan of scheduled visits. Combined with managed route logistics, the Degree Day system helps protect customers from running Out of fuel, and also helps keep delivery professionals running from one delivery to the next delivery, not stopping to check tanks randomly or unnecessarily. These trucks pump 50-60 gallons per minute so it doesn't take much time to pump 250 gallons. The day this customer's driver was only at the tank a few minutes was likely because the route was already in the area and our driver sought to ensure the customer stayed topped off and worry free.And finally, to address the question of usage, it is unusual to see a swing from 946.8 gallons consumed to 494 gallons consumed. Please see attachment C which shows the Heating Degree Days accumulated for Lafayette for each heating season. A normal year for Lafayette is about 5,500 heating degree days per heating season. This individual became a customer just prior to the 2013-14 heating season. The 2013-14 and 2014-15 heating seasons were above quite a bit above normal, then we went to the next two heating seasons being way below normal. We have seen up to 35% changes in heating degree days, which corresponds to consumption with most customers. Attachment D shows the web page we pull the Heating Degree Day information from. It is Purdue's weather station.In closing, I again want to thank you for bringing this to my attention. Rest assured, our experience with this customer has prompted us to have conversations about on how we might better resolve such a concern in the future. We take our reputation as a trusted provider very seriously, and a complaint to the Revdex.com is concerning to all of us.After review of the information provided, please do advise me on any suggestions you have to continue to protect customer relat'onships and the Ceres Solutions brand.Best Regards, Howard J[redacted]

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