For many of your customers, propane is an essential part of their day as they use it to power many appliances in their home. So, what happens when extreme weather damages parts of their property—including the propane system? Not only will the system possibly not work anymore—leaving them without heat in the house—but it could also present a danger to them. If you want to ensure they’re as protected as possible in the event of bad weather, you should provide them with safety tips they can use to protect their propane systems and their property as a whole. Here’s how to get started.
How Can Bad Weather Affect Propane Tanks?
Many parts of the US have been damaged due to extreme weather in recent years. California alone experienced historic amounts of rain, causing flooding, landslides, and power outages in 2021. This state also witnessed the largest wildfire in its history when the Dixie Fire burned almost 1 million acres. Other areas of the country experienced similar devastation in February, when Winter Storm Uri dumped snow everywhere from Texas to the Northwestern states—causing numerous people to lose access to heat, water, and food.
Needless to say, bad weather is a fact of life, and it’s not going away anytime soon. But while you can’t prevent it, you can reduce the dangers your customers will face by educating them on their risks with safety tips. After all, extreme weather can have a variety of effects on propane systems. Whether it’s extremely hot, freezing, or flooding out there, bad weather can cause propane systems to leak and tanks to become dislodged or otherwise damaged. This can remove access to propane or even lead to unsafe situations, such as gas leaks, explosions, and fires. Letting your customers know about these risks ahead of time can help avoid injuries and property damage in the long run.
How Can You Help Your Customers?
Your customers trust you when it comes to the subject of propane, so if you send them information that can help keep them safe during extreme weather conditions, they’re likely to listen. This is why you should publish and send them the information they need to ensure their propane system is protected during bad weather.
If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at what other propane-related companies are doing to educate customers about weather safety. Some have already created separate tabs on their website to publish tips on how to safeguard propane systems and avoid dangerous situations. You can do the same and let customers know to read those tips.
You can also create videos explaining the safety tips, or you might decide to post social media updates, write blog posts, or send out email newsletters with this information. Just think about the preferences your customers seem to have when it comes to getting information from your office. For instance, if you have a lot of social media engagement, that may be the best way to communicate with customers on propane safety. If your videos get lots of views or your blog gets comments often, those may be the best ways to publish your safety tips.
Additionally, keep in mind what kind of extreme weather is most likely to affect the area where your customers live. You want to keep these tips as personalized and specific as possible so people actually read them, so don’t focus much on hurricane safety in a landlocked state that’s unlikely to ever experience this kind of weather.
No matter where your customers live, your tips should include information on what to do if they smell gas coming from the propane tank, how to create an emergency plan and disaster supply kit, and how and where to safely store propane on their property. You should also urge them to never try fixing or replacing propane system components on their own, and to contact your company or other propane professionals for help.
Sending your customers important information on how to stay safe during extreme weather can protect them. It will also keep propane companies from getting overwhelmed with emergency requests when there’s inclement weather. If you want additional assistance keeping your customers safe and satisfied with their propane systems, take a look at how our propane coverage can help you.
