Cooper Propane has been a family-owned operation since 1947, serving 13 counties in NorthEast Texas. With 6 offices and 50 employees, they are fully committed to providing the best available propane energy solutions, whether heat for the home or fuel for a business or driver.
Communicating to RCC about Issues
We spoke with Curtis Wright, who has been the IT Administrator at Cooper Propane for about 3 years. With many leadership changes going on at the time, Curtis was hired with the main task of replacing RCC with a different fuel software. Curtis explained, “I called RCC with a MOGO problem and got a hold of management at RCC. I like to be upfront, so I explained that we planned on moving to a different fuel software.” Curtis could tell that the RCC team cared and was concerned. He described the problems they were experiencing with the software to and from there they started to get each of the issues solved, “The RCC team took care of us and got to the bottom of what was causing the problems, which started with the fact that we did not do a conversion or updates of the software and were using very old versions of both MOGO and Linux tablets.” One of the first things that the RCC team suggested was that Cooper Propane go to the Cloud and do an Auto-Update. Curtis remembers, “There was a list of problems before we started doing the updates, and then things started working better. That’s when my boss said, ‘Now that stuff is working, I’m not sure if we should change. Get it upgraded to RCC’s Version 10.”
MOGO & Dispatch manager for Drivers
Now that the RCC software was updated to V10, it was time to update their hardware, “The next thing that we did was buy new Surface Tablets for the MOGOs. This changed everything for our drivers.” Curtis admits that it wasn’t easy getting the drivers on board with the technology, especially the same time that they updated to Version 10, “At first, they all hated it because of the change, but after just two weeks, everyone loved it.” Next, Cooper Propane updated Dispatch Manager on the drivers’ tablets. This changed how the drivers started their mornings which previously included 40 minutes of writing everything down on a paper. Curtis looks back, “Even though it was a big fight at first, I told everyone how much easier it would be once we did it. Now, no one writes anything down on paper, it’s all on the tablet. Once everyone got used to it, we were able to put everything in order of delivery and further increase efficiency. Both Version 10 and Dispatch Manager went from something that no one wanted to use, to something they can’t live without.”
“Once everyone got used to it, we were able to put everything in order of delivery and further increase efficiency. Both Version 10 and Dispatch Manager went from something that no one wanted to use, to something they can’t live without.”
CSR’s Process Credit Cards through RCC
Another issue that Cooper Propane tackled with RCC was credit cards. They used to be written on paper to process once a month, which was not PCI compliant. Curtis remembers how much push back he got when he had mentioned that credit cards could also be run through the RCC software, “Once we got in there we realized how much easier it was, how the information is saved, and that we can set up autopay, it was a no-brainer. Our CSR’s were processing 200-300 payments a month, and it is all automatic now! This means our CSR’s have more time for our customers and are not running overtime. This is a big savings across the board!” Curtis is also happy that they haven’t lost any of their employees through this transition. “We have CSR’s in their 70’s that are now on board after training and love using features like the phone app and customer portal.”
“Our CSR’s were processing 200-300 payments a month, and it is all automatic now! This means our CSR’s have more time for our customers and are not running overtime. This is a big savings across the board!”
Service & Support they Can Count On
Curtis and the team at Cooper Propane know that they can count on the team at Rural Computer Consultants for service and support when they need it, “Some of the RCC staff drove to see us at our site, which was huge, and exciting! It was a teetering point for me, because it showed how much they cared about our business and helping us get our system up to par so it could run the way it was designed. They also assigned us a dedicated person for Fuel Support, so we always know who to call if we have an issue.” Once they got their system working, Curtis and the Cooper Propane team started driving the direction of the software, “Now we shape the RCC software to the way we do business.”
“Now we shape the RCC software to the way we do business.”
Communication for Long-Term Success
It has been almost three years since Cooper Propane started to get their system back on track with RCC, and it is still constantly evolving. Curtis explains, “It continues to change the way we do business. As we keep working with the software, it will automate so much.” Curtis’ advice to other fuel companies that are struggling with their software or technology, is to talk to RCC, “Be honest about any issues you are having. They are great people to work with, and once you build a relationship with them, they work hard to keep and earn your business. “ The team at Rural Computer Consultants is grateful that Curtis and Cooper Propane management had open communication with us so we could help identify what was holding them back and work together to take small steps to success. Visit the Cooper Propane website to learn more about them.
Have questions or want to learn more?
We would love to have a conversation with you about your needs to see what tools that RCC offers are a fit for your company, whether it’s RCC 10, MOGO, Dispatch Manager, or one of our other many modules and features. Click the button below or call our Sales Department at 800-722-6659 to arrange for a demonstration.