When Prices Spike, Silence Is a Mistake

Posted on March 16, 2026

Fuel customers are facing shocking increases in fuel prices. Unless they’re living in a soundproof room, they know this is tied to the conflict in Iran and instability in the global energy markets. That’s why your phones are probably not ringing off the hook. But it raises an important question:

What should we tell customers?

Silence is not golden

Too often, the answer is nothing.

Many oil and propane companies worry that bringing up rising prices will only trigger complaints. Others assume that if they’re not getting lots of calls, they don’t need to do anything.

That’s usually a mistake.

Over the thirty-five years Warm Thoughts has worked with fuel marketers, we’ve dealt with this issue more times than we (or you) would care to remember. We’ve learned some important lessons that could help you right now.

When prices rise because of a well-publicized, external event, customers don’t usually blame their delivery company. But that doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. Why? Because a sizeable number think that you make more money as a result. They don’t think you’re pulling the trigger, but they think you drive the getaway car.

Don’t believe that? Test it with some friends. Ask them, “How do you think we’re doing with all these energy prices going up?” Don’t be surprised if a bunch of them think you’re making out better.

This creates a big, unnecessary problem. After this winter, when many of them spent more on fuel than in many years, customers were always going to be more inclined to shop around for better deals for next summer and fall. Add to that the fact that many of your customers probably faced long hold times for phone calls and service, run outs or delivery delays, etc., and you have more vulnerability than usual.

Now imagine what happens if your customers think you are profiting from their current high-priced bills. That simply adds fuel to the fire.

There’s another challenge

Periods like this can also create suspicion around deliveries.

If you deliver according to schedule, some customers may suspect you’re just trying to make as much as you can. If you delay deliveries, prices could rise even more, and customers could run out of fuel.

You may quote a price on Monday, and by Wednesday the market has moved up 50 cents per gallon.

Customers check prices with friends who got a delivery from another company a few days earlier and paid a lot less. Absent an explanation, it’s easy for your customer to conclude you are simply higher priced.

And let’s not forget about those who are asking to be taken off auto delivery, or requesting short fills, etc.

Turn “Badwill” into “Goodwill”

If you doubt your customers are really thinking about all this, consider that emails we’ve written for our clients are averaging open rates over 70%. You ignore this at your own risk.

But I would also suggest that many of you are failing to see how the right communication can actually be a big positive for you. We saw this right after Covid started, and we helped many clients see how the right communications bought them lots of goodwill and avoided problems.

You turn potential “badwill” into “goodwill” by positioning yourself as on the same side as they’re on. You hate these high prices too. It creates tremendous pressures on your business and hurts your customers. They need to know that you are getting increases from your wholesalers every day, sometimes twice a day; that the price you pay for their fuel has increased over $XX per gallon. (Their gasoline prices haven’t risen that much, so it’s harder for them to understand why heating oil might rise like that.) That you don’t make more money when prices are high vs. when they are low. That your people can’t predict what will happen even tomorrow.

Turn lemons into lemonade

If you nail this message, it goes a long way towards minimizing the damage your business could suffer and builds trust and loyalty.

In addition, you have an opportunity to use this entire experience to upgrade your customers into programs like automatic delivery, budget plans, service plans, and price caps. These programs can make customers stickier and more valuable. In fact, this winter was the poster child for all these programs.

Make sure that your CSRs are well trained to upgrade customers, have a plan for doing so, and can handle price complaints and other left over issues, is really smart too.

Finally, given all of the above, this off season is likely to be the “Superbowl of Customer Churn.” There are likely to be many more people investigating changing companies than there have been in years. Make sure your advertising and sales efforts are properly planned to get your share.