Both the dollar and the Euro gained against the pound while Brent crude closed at $81.61 per barrel.

It is a well known fact that demand invariably increases in the run up to Bank Holidays we are well aware of this and allow for it, however even we are incapable of responding positively to the disorganised schmuck s  who call after mid-day the day before a Bank Holiday expecting, or in one  or two instances, demanding a delivery by teatime.  When the situation was carefully explained they then proceeded to berate us for not working on  Good Friday, it is a measure of the way things have gone that to many Good Friday is just another day in the diary of rampant consumerism rather than a day of peace and quiet contemplation.

In the past year we have invested heavily in new truck capacity to increase service levels and overall efficiency but even so we are unable and increasingly unwilling to handle the demands of a small sector of  business that appears to hold us in utter contempt  judging by the attitude displayed towards hard pressed staff several times yesterday. This numerically tiny but incrediblydisruptive element impinges disproportionately on our ability to concentrate on getting on with the job of servicing the vast majority of  genuine customers who actually ordered in plenty of time.

As Consols Oils has evolved and matured over the years we have increasingly focussed on customer service which has cemented our customer base and enabled us to grow and prosper in the manner we have, that is why it has become easier to make a stand against that small element of disruptive often abusive customers who, if allowed to do so,would disrupt operations to the serious detriment of all.

We are constrained by the European Working Time Directive which quite rightly places strict limits on the hours our drivers can work in an incredibly pressurised environment which dictates our working days are pre planned around grouped orders designed to reduce truck miles. We usually manage to keep one small truck in reserve for GENUINE emergencies (FAILURE TO ORDER IN GOOD TIME IS NOT AN EMERGENCY IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES) but all other orders are placed in a queue for delivery. In most cases we aim to deliver in two to four working days this excludes weekends and Bank Holidays when we are always closed. Our normal hours of  operation are 07:00 to 17:30 monday to friday which complies with the working time directive and ensures our hard working staff have a family life.

ITS BEEN A LONG HAUL SINCE CHRISTMAS COPING WITH FREQUENT VERY DIFFICULT SPELLS OF WEATHER  AND UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND LEVELS-EVERYONE HAS EARNED A BREAK- WE WILL REOPEN 07:00 ON TUESDAY 6th APRIL.

YOU CAN ALWAYS PLACE YOUR ORDERS ONLINE 24/7 FOR DELIVERY IN TWO TO FOUR WORKING DAYS GUARANTEED.

One such claim made by Boilerjuice (BJ) was “the cheapest heating oil in Cornwall” which was guaranteed to grab everybody’s attention including mine. At the time in question without trying we were frequently up to 5ppl cheaper than BJ. Subsequently this claim was amended from “cheapest” to “cheaper” a subtle play on words to make the claim legally acceptable. However by what yardsick do BJ claim to be cheaper than any other operator, given that red herrings often abound in the oil distribution trade as part of the cut and thrust of genuine competition, there still appears to be a lack of genuine transparency designed to grab consumers attention by offering potentiallly misleading information.

Part of any online offer actually involves the physical delivery of the product, this is where the whole thing can so easily unravel if lack of resources dictates that service levels are not of the highest calibre. Boilerjuice in their latest blurb offer a standard 10 working day delivery (in reality 2 weeks) but then move on to trumpet that they now offer “EXPRESS” deliveries of  “5, 3 or 2 working days” they do not state on the blurb whether this involves a premium. Then there is the “EMERGENCY NEXT WORKING DAY DELIVERY FOR WHEN YOU NEED OIL EVEN FASTER” again no mention of a premium upfront. In fairness when the actual quote page comes up it does clearly state the premium levels, which in the case of an “EMERGENCY” delivery is 3ppl by normal size tanker plus, where applicable, a small tanker surcharge, by this stage an anxious customer who is shivering is already on the slippery slope, a couple of mouse clicks from commitment.

During the recent cold weather service levels were absolutely crucial to customer well being, Consols standard lead time for non urgent deliveries is normally 2 to 4 working days, during this intense spell they extended out to 5 to 7 working days, which I feel was unacceptable, but in reality unavoidable. There was  non-the-less considerable comfort to be gained from the fact that at this time some other firms were quoting up to 15 working days (three weeks) for any delivery urgent or not.

During this time Consols still managed to fit in GENUINE emergency deliveries the same day or next day at no premium on the agreed standard price. In normal times it is a  rare ocurrence, given our resources, not to be able to effect a same day emergency delivery, again without premium on the standard price.

The final element is price quoted versus delivered price as a lot can happen between the taking of an order and delivery 10 days later, given current price turbulence on the wholesale fuel markets. At Consols the price quoted is what you will actually pay as stock at that price is allocated when the contract is established. Other suppliers may operate a different policy which will be price on day of delivery. What we will not do is give quotes for orders where  the delivery is required by the customer more than 5 working days ahead, an order of this nature would be strictly on the basis of the price on the day of delivery.

Our pledge to online buyers is 2 to 4 working days delivery at the price quoted on order, if there is a GENUINE emegency and it is in the TR postcode area, email us the details and we will do our utmost to get your delivery to you the same day or next day without a surcharge of 3ppl.

POTENTIAL ONLINE OIL BUYERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THESE ANOMALIES EXIST AND CAREFULLY WEIGH UP THE FACTS BEFORE COMMITTING TO ANY PARTICULAR SUPPLIER.

A SURE SIGN THAT SPRING IS ON THE WAY DESPITE THE BITING EASTERLY WINDS.

Its finally dried up as the wind has backed into the east and the pent up agricultural demand for gas oil has exploded as farmers crack on with delayed planting and tillage operations at a prodigious rate. Modern sophisticated machinery can soon catch up any backlogs when conditions are right, as with everything else these days investment is the only way forward.

Out walking yesterday it was bitingly cold and everywhere the grass is burned off and brown with the cold, walking along an east facing lane sloping down towards the sea the difference between the two hedges was remarkable, the north side that was catching the sunlight was showing signs of good growth, celandines, primroses and snowdrops were in bloom and everything was dark green. The other south side being in permanent shade still had evidence of the hard overnight frost and little sign of growth at all,  true examples of microclimates about eight feet apart.

This morning the phones are again ringing off the wall reminiscent of earlier panic mondays workload appears to be 50/50 gas oil and kerosene. Prices have firmed recently and seem to be staying there, demand is a factor only to a degree, fear of a Labour Government being re-elected seems to be making investors jittery enough to bolt into oil futures as a safe haven. We all know that this is madness but the way the international oil market works is akin to the “Mad Hatters Tea Party” beyond tne wit of mere mortals to control.

At least the days are opening out as we head towards the equinox hoping for a better summer than last year. On friday the £ was worth $1.51 and the euro 90.25 pence, Brent crude closed at $79.32 per barrel.

CHEAPER THAN WHO? IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION IF THIS PRICE COMPARISON IS ANY GUIDE.

AT 15:00 ON 09/02/2010 BOILERJUICE WERE QUOTING 47.09PPL FOR 500 LITRES OF KEROSENE IN THE TR POSTCODE AREA =£235.45 + VAT @ 5% £11.77 TOTAL = £247.22.

AT 15:00ON 09/02/2010 CONSOLS WERE QUOTING 44.60PPL FOR 500 LITRES OF KEROSENE IN THE TR POSTCODE AREA= £223.00 +VAT @ 5% £11.15 TOTAL = £235.15

CONSOLS OILS ARE CURRENTLY £13.07 CHEAPER FOR 500 LITRES OF KEROSENE, WE WILL ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO DELIVER OUTSTANDING VALUE TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS.

ON FRIDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2009 BOILERJUICE WERE QUOTING 47.09 PPL FOR 500 LITRES OF KEROSENE WITH 1/10 WORKING DAYS DELIVERY.

AT THE SAME TIME CONSOLS OILS WERE OFFERING 44.6PPL FOR 500 LITRES OF KEROSENE WITH 2/4 WORKING DAYS DELIVERY. 

WE ALSO SELL OIL ONLINE BUT ONLY IN THE TR POSTCODE AREA SO ON THIS SMALL PATCH THE ACTIVITIES OF POTENTIAL COMPETITORS IS OF SIGNIFICANT INTEREST TO US. AS PREVIOUSLY STATED WE UNLIKE BOILERJUICE DO NOT CLAIM TO BE CHEAPEST WHICH IN REALITY IS A DIFFICULT CLAIM TO SUBSTANTIATE.

WHAT WE AT CONSOLS OFFER IS GREAT SERVICE AND GOOD VALUE THAT IS WHAT ANY POTENTIAL PURCHASER OUGHT TO EXPECT FROM A LONG  ESTABLISHED LOCAL SUPPLIER WITH THE RESOURCES TO COPE WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH..

YOU PAYS YER MONEY AND TAKES YER CHOICE.

US refinery utilisation is at its lowest in real terms for decades, there are large stocks of all petroleum products and jobless numbers continue to grow giving credence to the fact that whatever froth the politicians try to generate to convince us mugs in the real world that the recession is over stark facts dictate otherwise. The news from British Airways is grim, the Greek, Spanish and Irish economies are in freefall seriously damaging the euro in the process. These disturbing fundamentals are inescapable we are bumping along the bottom and its going to be that way for a while yet whatever Mr Brown and Co say or do to boost their electoral fortunes.

We all need a period of stability, the fuel price is a good example with daily prices yawing around like they have this week how can any business budget or plan effectively? earlier this week Nigeria was wheeled out yet again as a reason for the price surge because a local pipeline in the Niger Delta had been attacked by insurgents, about 20,000 barrels a day of production was temporarily lost but it helped put three bucks on a barrel for a short while.

Supply locally has been iffy Plymouth has been dogged by jetty congestion preventing heating oil cargoes being offloaded in time to prevent allocations and stockouts which had a knockon effect in Falmouth as the usual suspects descended on the terminal causing lengthy queues. Some of the product lifted from Falmouth was being trucked to Yelland and Barnstaple which strikes me as an highly cost effective operation smacking of desperation. Thank the Lord for our storage which is curently brimming over with kerosene as we face allocations in Falmouth due to these raids by opportunistic non regulars.

Workload is currently heavy but manageable the milder weather has not markedly dampened kerosene demand but gas oil is quiet until it dries up enough to get on the land when demand from agriculture will explode.

AT THE SAME TIME CONSOLS OILS WERE OFFERING 500 LITRES OF KEROSENE DOMESTIC HEATING OIL @44.5PPL=5% VAT=£233.63 DEL 2/4 WORKING DAYS.

DESPITE A PRICE DIFFERENTIAL OF £20.94 ON A 500 LITRE DELIVERY BOILERJUICE CONTINUE TO TRUMPET ONLINE THAT THEY SELL THE CHEAPEST HEATING OIL IN CORNWALL WHILE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT STRICTLY TRUE.

CONSOLS OILS ONLY DEAL IN FACTS WE DO NOT CLAIM TO BE CHEAPEST BUT WE ARE  ALWAYS  HAPPY TO MAKE AN OFFER AND LET POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES.

FREE AND FAIR COMPETITION IS A VERY HEALTHY THING AS LONG AS IT IS TRANSPARENT AND NOT BASED ON FALSE CLAIMS LONG MAY IT CONTINUE.

The one thing I find galling as a sole trader is the way the tax system seems to positively discriminate in favour of incorporated businesses, everyone tells me I could solve this particular problem by incorporating but I have never personally felt comfortable with the concept.  I have all to often been on the receiving end of some fly by night shyster with their £1 company that runs up a load of debt before liquidating and starting up again the following day debt free.

I may be a bit old testament but I do not like that sort of thing, anyone who obtains credit ought to face the responsibilities that entails, I freely admit that there are genuine cases of customers where something goes catastrophically and unexpectedly wrong but that is a calculated risk that all suppliers must live with.

Better credit control is the key which unlocks latent profitability, it is so easy for a late payer to morph into a non payer if they perceive any slackness on the part of a supplier who is cavalier with credit. The in house credit controller who keeps up to speed with a moving map of debtors is a priceless asset, it is not an easy job but it is a vital element to success and long term survival.

Work has resumed a more normal pattern (hectic) after the previous weather related demand surge which knocked delivery schedules into a cocked hat. I am proud of my teams performance under very difficult conditions knowing full well that we performed  better than many competitors on both delivery and price.

I have been critical of Boilerjuice recently over their claim to supply the “cheapest heating oil in Cornwall”, I wonder by what yardstick they make this sweeping statement? Claiming to offer fair prices and prompt delivery would be hard to criticise but a loud pronouncement to be “cheapest” is very opaque and misleading to potential customers looking for best value.

I always remember the pushy toff who opened negotiations by saying “now look here my man, company X is offering me oil at Appl but they cant deliver” my rather impertinent  off the cuff reply” thats fine sir, actually today our oil is free but we cannot deliver either” at this point we both burst out laughing, he wound his neck in and we got ourselves a deal. In the corprate world such banter would probably cause apoplexy but the approach works for us long may it continue.

Prices have flloated back down to around the level at the beginning of the month, the still wonky economic climate will not allow anything other than minor opportunistic spikes that have invariably, and will continue to, run out of steam because of weak underlying  worldwide demand. It will take more than a few days frost in balmy Cornwall to send the oil price too far north.